Point Type: PERDIZ a.k.a. "Foyle Flake" or "Nopal Point"
Also See: Alba, Bassett, Bonham, Cuney, Double tip, Hayes, Homan, Keota

Location: Midwest to Southwestern States

Associated Dates: 1000 - 500 B.P. Mississippian
Morphology: Stemmed

General Description: The Perdiz arrowhead has a small triangular blade and a very long stem. The lateral blade edges are usually straight, but on some specimens, they can be either slightly concave or convex. The blade edges can have serrations. The shoulders are very strong and are usually well barbed. The stem can be one third to one half of the length of the point on some specimens. The stem contracts giving it a pointed or needle-like appearance. One those points where the base is not pointed, it will have a well-rounded appearance. The Perdiz is similar in many respects to the Alba point however the Alba's stem is usually straight, shorter and not pointed or contracting.

The average size of the Perdiz point ranges from 24 mm to 46 mm in length. The point was first described and named by J.C. Kelley, T.N. Campbell and D.J. Lehmer in 1940 as the "Perdiz Pointed Stem". A subtle variant of the point was named the "Foyle Flake" by E.O. Miller and E.B. Jelks in 1952 for examples made from small flakes with one face usually left smooth and unworked. To confuse matters even further, in 1966, W.W. Taylor assigned the "Nopal Point" name to a point type that he happened upon in Northeastern Mexico. The point type is now commonly referred to as simply the "Perdiz" as further described by D.A. Suhm, A.D. Krieger and E.B. Jelks in 1954.

About the Point Above: The average sized Perdiz point (or is this a Bassett?) pictured at the top of this page, is from Leesville, Louisiana. It is made from light coffee colored flint that is speckled with light tan inclusions. It measures 39 mm in length, 17.5 mm wide at the barbs and is only 4.5 mm at its thickest point at mid blade just above the barbs. The blade edges are slightly serrated and are quite sharp. There is a small nick in the left blade edge. The flaking on the blade is well done and is parrallel on both sides. There is no basal grinding present. Catalog Number LA48-10-C

References: Davis, Overstreet

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