Stone Age New York

          Genesee Clovis tool makers manufactured an "egg" shaped point for hunting. The Ovate Clovis Point has features not readily found on the lanceolate spearhead. The ovate style creates a wider wound upon penetration, and the curved design allows the point to change direction after entry. This does two things. First, it makes a bigger wound in the prey, and secondly, the projectile becomes lodged in its victim and is not easily shed.

          Ovate Clovis Points were fluted on one or both sides of the artifact depending on the design of their makers. A third flute, which we call a "blood channel" is typically found along one side of the artifact, and a sharp "tang" or wide spot is often found on the other. The tang and flute work together, the tang cutting flesh, thus producing blood, while the flute quickly drains blood back to the entry point of the wound and out of the body of the prey. Indeed, the Ovate Point has so many advantages over the typical lanceolate Clovis Point, that they were probably more popular with hunters, and thus many more of them were made. This is a possible explanation why there are so many more ovates to be found today than (the rare) lanceolates.

          There is one more feature about Ovate Points we feel we should mention. The base of an Ovate Point is often concave in shape, and is located at the bottom of the artifact when the artifact is in its angled position. (see pictures 2 and 4).

          Photo 1: small ovate Clovis Point in vertical position. There is a blood channel on the left side and a tang on the right side of the artifact. Photo 2: angled position, the tang now forms the right side of the concave base. Photo 3: large ovate point (vertical position). Although there is no tang on this artifact, the weapon point is widest at the spot where the tang is located on the smaller artifact. Photo 4: Large ovate point (angled position). Fluted base is concave when shown in this position.