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GODAR CACHE
MIDDLE TO LATE ARCHAIC
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI

EST. 3,000 B.C.
PAGE 1 OF 1 PAGE
COPYRIGHT AUGUST 31, 2005 PETER A. BOSTROM
Unnotched Godar point.
UNNOTCHED GODAR POINT
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

Abstract image Godar points.

abstract
CACHE OF UNNOTCHED GODAR POINTS
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

    This article illustrates and describes a cache of 10 unnotched Godar points and 4 early stage preforms that were found on a construction site in St. Charles County, Missouri. They appear to be associated with a Godar assemblage at that site. These points were first identified as a Godar cache by Brad Koldehoff (American Bottom Survey, University of Illinois). Unnotched Godar points were first described by Dr. Paul F. Titterington at the Godar site in Calhoun County, Illinois. It is suggested that Godar points that have no side-notches may represent a finished point type.

    "About, 75% (300) of the projectile points were of two types (on the Godar type site); an unnotched point with slightly convex sides and a bold side-notched point (Godar point) of the same basic shape as the unnotched."---1950, Dr. Paul Titterington, "Godar site," Illinois State Archaeological Society," Vo. 1 No. 1, p. 22.
    "About 75% (300) of the points were of the Godar side-notched and unnotched forms".---1963, Greg Perino, "Tentative Classification of Two projectile Points----," Central State Archaeological Journal, Vol. 10 No. 3, p. 95.

Abstract image Godar points.

A CACHE OF UNNOTCHED GODAR POINTS
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

   This article illustrates and describes a cache of 14 flaked stone artifacts that were found on May 3, 2005 by construction worker William Eilers. He found the cache on a construction site in O'Fallon, Missouri  in St. Charles County. The site and find area is near Pereque creek. He estimated the depth of the cache to be somewhere between 1.5 to 2 feet deep. The Eilers cache includes ten unnotched Godar points and four early stage preforms. This cache dates to sometime during the Middle to Late Archaic period approximately 5,000 years ago.

14 unnotched Godar points and preforms.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
CACHE OF UNNOTCHED GODAR POINTS AND PREFORMS
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

    This picture shows the complete "Eilers" cache of Godar related points and preforms. Ten of the points are finished except for side-notches. But, the lack of side-notches on so many Godar points from different sites may be an indication that the Godar knapper  never intended to put notches on these points. If that is true, they may represent a finished "unnotched" projectile point. For example: unnotched Snyders points are North points and unnotched Cahokia points are Madison points.
   The finished points in this cache are very well made. The Archaic flintknapper applied fine pressure flaking along the edges. The exception is the four early stage preforms located at the bottom of the picture. Half of the points and all four preforms are made of local Burlington chert and five of the points are made of Salem chert. They range in size from 3 3/4 (9.5 cm) to 4 (10.1 cm) inches long.

     Dr. Paul F. Titterington was the first person to describe Godar points in 1950. They were discovered on the Godar farm in Calhoun County, Illinois. Mr. Godar had found hundreds of artifacts on this site. Out of approximately 300 projectile points Dr. Titterington describes both notched and unnotched forms of Godar points. In 1963 Greg Perino also refers to them as "About 75 percent of the points (from the Godar site) were of the Godar side-notched and unnotched forms." 

Unnotched Godar point.
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UNNOTCHED GODAR POINT
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

   This unnotched Godar point is one of the longest in the cache and one of the most skillfully made. Fine delicate pressure flaking can be seen on the upper edge in this picture. This point is made of white Burlington chert and it measures 3 7/16 inches (8.7 cm) long and 1 1/8 inches (2.3 cm) wide.

     Dr. Titterington reported that Mr. Godar dug pits on the Godar site from 1 foot (30.5) to 4 feet (122 cm) deep. Some of the artifacts were found with burials but he says that "They were not always in direct association with the burials." He also reported that "The flints were found scattered throughout the dirt singly and in groups (caches), the largest cache contained fourteen pieces."

Unnotched Godar point.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGE TRIPLE IMAGE

UNNOTCHED GODAR POINT
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

     This is one of the better examples of the unnotched Godar points in the "Eilers" cache. It has very fine edge pressure flaking. This unnotched Godar point is made of Salem chert and measures 3 9/16 inches (9 cm) long and 1 3/16 inches (3 cm) wide.

   The Eilers cache site did produce at least two notched Godar points that were also found by William Eilers. In outline the points in this cache match the unnotched example that Titterington used to illustrate the type. The flaking pattern of the points in this cache also matches the notched Godar points illustrated by Gregory Perino.

Unnotched Godar point.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGE TRIPLE IMAGE

UNNOTCHED GODAR POINT
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI
WILLIAM EILERS COLLECTION

     This is one of the smallest unnotched Godar points in the Eilers cache. This one is skillfully made with uniform percussion flaking and fine edge pressure flaking. This point is made of white Burlington chert and measures 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) long and 1 3/16 inches (3 cm) wide.

   Unnotched Godar points might be compared to unnotched Snyders points that were named North points by Gregory Perino. North points have also been found in caches, either with burials or in house floors. A couple of other unnotched forms are unnotched Etleys which are called Wadlows or unnotched Cahokia points that are called Madison points. The author was informed of another cache of both notched and unnotched Godar points that were found many years ago on an Illinois lake shore. The points in the Eilers cache are very well made and seem to reflect finished points. Since there so many examples of unnotched Godar points turning up on different sites it might be desirable to give them a name. A suggestion might be Eilers points after the finder of this cache.

"REFERENCES"

1950, Paul Titterington, "Some Non-Pottery Sites in St. Louis Area," Illinois State Archaeological Society, Vol. 1, Number 1, pp. 19-23.
1963, Gregory Perino,  "Tentative Classification of Two Projectile Points and One Knife From West-Central Illinois," Central States Archaeological Journal, Vol. 10, Number 3, pp. 95-100.
1985, Gregory Perino, "Godar," Selected Preforms, Points and Knives of the North American Indians, Vol. 1, p. 151.
Personal communications with Brad Koldehoff, American Bottom Survey, University of Illinois.
Personal communications with William Eilers

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