May
17
Genesee Clovis Cache
May
17
SANY is proud to present this cache of Clovis Points from the Genesee valley. These lovely artifacts are fine examples of Clovis stone tool culture in western New York State. The cache consists of a Clovis Blade, a basally thinned Clovis Point and a Clovis Knife with a notched side. The knife was found in two pieces, shown together. The Clovis Point and Blade are 3-9/16 inches long, while the notched point is 3-3/16 inches in length. Point and Knife are both 1-1/8 inches wide while the Blade has a width of 1-1/16 inches.
All three points are made from the same multi-colored chert, and are beautifully flaked. The points were found within inches of each other with their tips facing east towards the Genesee River.
The bases of all three points are straight as opposed to the much more common concave base found on most Clovis Points. The flutes on the bases of the Clovis Blade and Point are also much less prominent and therefore probably were not used for hafting purposes. All points of this Genesee Clovis Cache were discovered by Spiritwalker.
Photo one: The Spiritwalker Clovis Cache. Photo two: Genesee Clovis Point. Photo three: Genesee Clovis Blade, shown in horizontal position. Photo four: Genesee Clovis Knife with notched side. We know of no other Clovis Knife of this type that is side-notched.
What were these tools? Were they made for different purposes by the same person? Why are the bases straight as opposed to concave? Were the bases made for cutting instead of hafting purposes? Why were they pointed east towards the river? Was it for religious or ceremonial reasons? Did they belong to a chieftain or high priest? Did they face eastward for some 13,000 calendar years? Beautiful and mysterious, this Genesee Clovis Cache is one of the very few found east of the Mississippi River.