Dickson Points

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 DICKSON POINTS EARLY TO MIDDLE WOODLAND PERIOD 2,500 TO 2,100 YEARS AGO
DICKSON POINT PIKE CO., ILLINOIS 5 1/2"--14CM	DICKSON POINT ST. LOUIS CO., MO 4"--10.2CM	DICKSON POINT ST. LOUIS CO., MO 4"--10.2CM	DICKSON POINT MORGAN CO., MO 5 3/4"--14.6CM
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Dickson, Snyders and Ross points were the thinnest most skillfully flaked points made during the Woodland period in Illinois and surrounding states. Skilled flintknapping reached a "golden age" during the Middle Woodland period then began to fade.

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DICKSON CONTRACTING STEMMED POINT
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MISSOURI
PRIVATE COLLECTION

This Dickson point was found several years ago in Montgomery County, Missouri. It measures approximately 6 3/4 inches (17.1cm) long.

Dickson points were mainly used as knives and resharpened when the blade edges became dull or broken.

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DICKSON CONTRACTING STEMMED POINT
BOONE COUNTY, MISSOURI
PRIVATE COLLECTION

This Dickson point was found several years ago in Boone County, Missouri. It represents a more typical size, measuring approximately 4 3/8 inches (11.1cm) long.

Dickson points were resharpened two different ways. One was by pressure flaking both sides bifacially. The other was by pressure flaking one side only, leaving a beveled edge. Beveled edge resharpening was used extensively during the Archaic period but the technique was not commonly used during the Woodland period.

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DICKSON CONTRACTING STEMMED POINT
CALLOWAY COUNTY, MISSOURI
PRIVATE COLLECTION

   This group of 19 Dickson points represents one of the best collections of these Early to Middle Woodland points that could be found anywhere in the world. They are all from the area within the states of Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. The largest example measures 9 inches (22.8cm) long.
   None of these points could logically be considered projectile points because they are either to large or to wide. They were most probably hafted onto short handles made of bone, antler or wood and used as knives. When they became dulled from use or broken they were resharpened by pressure flaking the edges.
   The colors of these points are not natural but have been enhanced by heat treating the stone before the points were made. This process also altered the flaking qualities of the chert, making it easier to remove large and small flakes by percussion and pressure flaking

Most Dickson points were made of chert from the Burlington geological formation and was heat treated. Flintknappers call much of this chert "creek Burlington". This chert can be found in creeks along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. When it's heated it turns the same color as several of the pink and red Dickson points pictured on these pages.

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"REFERENCES"

1984, "Who's Who in Indian Relics" by Ben W. Thompson, page 9 "Edwards Dickson"
1985, "Selected Preforms, Points and Knives of the North American Indians", Vol. 1, by Gregory Perino, page 107.
1987, "Story In Stone, Flint Types of the Central and Southern U.S.", by Valerie & D.C. Waldorf, pages 196-197.
1987, "Stone Age Spear and Arrow Points", by Noel D. Justice, pages 190-191.
2001, "Central States Archaeological Journal", Vol. 48, No. 2, page 95.
2002, "Central States Archaeological Journal", Vol. 49, No. 1, page 29.

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