Distribution of Kirk Corner Notched cluster projectile points (adapted from Justice 1987). Last Thanksgiving break, I wrote this post about the Early Archaic corner-notched point horizon in the Eastern Woodlands, discussing some of the things we know and pondering some of the questions we can't currently answer. As a refresher, the “Kirk Horizon” (dating to about 8,800-6,600 BC) is marked by a distribution of Kirk Corner Notched points that extends across a huge area, from the lower Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. Its existence has been noted for over four decades (i.e., at least since James Tuck’s 1974 paper “Early Archaic Horizons in Eastern North America”).
Although many authors have remarked on the striking similarity of Kirk Corner Notched projectile points from across the east, as far as I know there has never been a concerted effort to assemble a dataset of sufficient detail and spatial scope to allow us to characterize and analyze the kinds, amounts, and spatial components of variability among these points. Given how widespread Kirk is, that's a big job.
I assembled a relatively large dataset of Kirk points from the Midwest as part of my dissertation work, and have used that information in a couple of publications (e.g., this one and this one). I've now started the process of adding to that dataset, beginning with information from Kirk points in large collection from Allendale County, South Carolina, that was donated to SCIAA in the 1990's. I'm working my way through the Kirk Cluster points in that collection, adding them to my existing database and producing 3D digital models.
Although many authors have remarked on the striking similarity of Kirk Corner Notched projectile points from across the east, as far as I know there has never been a concerted effort to assemble a dataset of sufficient detail and spatial scope to allow us to characterize and analyze the kinds, amounts, and spatial components of variability among these points. Given how widespread Kirk is, that's a big job.
I assembled a relatively large dataset of Kirk points from the Midwest as part of my dissertation work, and have used that information in a couple of publications (e.g., this one and this one). I've now started the process of adding to that dataset, beginning with information from Kirk points in large collection from Allendale County, South Carolina, that was donated to SCIAA in the 1990's. I'm working my way through the Kirk Cluster points in that collection, adding them to my existing database and producing 3D digital models.
A 3D model of a Kirk point from Allendale County, South Carolina. You can see the smooth facet in the middle of the blade - that's created by the hole left by the little gripper doo-dad I'm using to hold the point for scanning. Holding the points in the middle exposes all the edges which are important for measurements. The smooth spot is annoying, however.
Second, I need to work up a battery of replicable measurements that I can take on the 3D models that will capture aspects of functional and/or stylistic variation. That's going to require learning new software (I'm currently looking at MeshLab, a free product) and doing some thinking about what makes sense. Using 3D models gives you the opportunity to do things you can't do with calipers, such as examine size/shape of a cross-section positioned anywhere on the point, accurately calculate volume and surface area of portions of the point (just the haft portion, for example), quantify arcs and curves, etc. Figuring out what information I want to extract and how I can extract it will be an iterative process.
Spatial distribution of Kirk sample by county as it currently sits in my database (889 points total). The Eastern Woodlands is big. It took me years of intermittent work with both private and institutional collections to assemble my Kirk dataset from the Midwest. It's going to take me a while to build a dataset of similar size in the South Carolina and the adjacent Atlantic Coast states. As you can see from the map, I have no data from the deep south or the Northeast.
If you're like me and are interested in questions about Kirk (including where it comes from and what it can tell us about the Early Archaic societies of the Eastern Woodlands), I ask you to think about the idea of producing the largest-ever Kirk dataset ever assembled. How similar are Kirks, really, across this large area? How does variability within Kirk break down according to space? Can we identify regional differences in "stylistic" variation? Are there discontinuities or is variability clinal? What about regional differences in the scales of raw material transport? Is morphometric variability isomorphic with lithic raw materials? Can we identify regional variation in "functional" attributes such as resharpening patterns, haft size, blade configuration, etc.? Just from looking about the first 30-40 Kirk points I've examined from South Carolina, I'm guessing there might be a higher incidence of beveling (all left hand beveling so far) here than in the Midwest.
Anyway, this post isn't supposed to be high pressure. I won't necessarily be able to devote a great deal of time to this on any given day. I'm just letting you know that if you're interested in Kirk and want to think big, I'm right there with you. Let me know if you want to participate in an effort to create a massive Kirk dataset that we can use to address all kind of potentially interesting questions about early Holocene hunter-gatherers in the Eastern Woodlands. Please pass it on to anyone you think might be interested.
If you're like me and are interested in questions about Kirk (including where it comes from and what it can tell us about the Early Archaic societies of the Eastern Woodlands), I ask you to think about the idea of producing the largest-ever Kirk dataset ever assembled. How similar are Kirks, really, across this large area? How does variability within Kirk break down according to space? Can we identify regional differences in "stylistic" variation? Are there discontinuities or is variability clinal? What about regional differences in the scales of raw material transport? Is morphometric variability isomorphic with lithic raw materials? Can we identify regional variation in "functional" attributes such as resharpening patterns, haft size, blade configuration, etc.? Just from looking about the first 30-40 Kirk points I've examined from South Carolina, I'm guessing there might be a higher incidence of beveling (all left hand beveling so far) here than in the Midwest.
Anyway, this post isn't supposed to be high pressure. I won't necessarily be able to devote a great deal of time to this on any given day. I'm just letting you know that if you're interested in Kirk and want to think big, I'm right there with you. Let me know if you want to participate in an effort to create a massive Kirk dataset that we can use to address all kind of potentially interesting questions about early Holocene hunter-gatherers in the Eastern Woodlands. Please pass it on to anyone you think might be interested.
Update (2/12/2016): Guidelines for contributing data to the Kirk Project.
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