Central Texas Clovis Cache
Posted on 04. Mar, 2009 by Shannon Graham in Artifact Finds, Flint Artifacts, Texas
In 2004, a sand mining operation in central Texas uncovered a cache of Clovis artifacts. Thirteen bifaces in varying stages of manufacture were unearthed. While this rare find was not scientifically excavated, there is much than can be learned from the assemblage.
A portion of the cache.
Clovis points are found in central Texas however, Clovis caches are extremely rare anywhere with approximately fewer than twenty documented. Caches provide a broader view of the technology and manufacturing sequence than does a single Clovis point find. Some of the more noteworthy caches are the Wenatchee Cache in Washington State (formerly called the Richey Site), Fenn, Drake, Anzick and the Mahaffey cache that was recently discovered just outside of Denver.
The large bifaces in this Texas cache were the only items recovered. It is not known if other tools were present and associated with the cache such as smaller bifaces or blades struck from cores.
All thirteen pieces are crafted from Edwards Plateau chert and several examples are from a banded variety of high quality. All are relatively close in size hovering around the 6″mark.
While they are all in various stages of manufacture, it’s interesting to note that many have been fluted and almost all exhibit use wear on the blade edges. It appears these basally thinned, unfinished late stage ‘preforms’ were utilized as knives and as they wore down and were resharpened over time, they were eventually shaped into Clovis ‘points’.
Do you have a Clovis artifact to share? Post it here!
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- A portion of the cache.
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3 Responses to “Central Texas Clovis Cache”
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Lee
27. Mar, 2010
We have the greater number of clovis points that were part of this cache, ours are more formed and are smaller
Chris ibey
23. Sep, 2010
I live in bastrop and have been walking around for years…you may run into me on the river…my favorite place…I have a few stories of when I have found pieces…drop me a line if you like.
Anonymous
10. Oct, 2011
My brother has about 60 acres in Elgin Texas. we have uncovered hundreds of clovis points, blades, drills, and other working tools. Do you think this could have been a settlement of clovis people at one time? Also, before we knew what clovis points were we found a large fire pit about 8 to 10 feet in circumference but because we didn’t think anything about it we dozed it and built a large warehouse on top of where it was. It was not until finding clovis points everywhere on the land did we do research. I would appreciate any info you could offer.
Thank you ,
Charlie
Pm2302001@yahoo.com