Point Type: VOSBERG
Also
See: Brewerton Corner Notched ,
Crooked Creek, Goddard, Jacks Reef Corner
Notched ,
Kiski
Location: Eastern New York, Lower to Mid-New England, Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.
Associated Dates:
5000-4500 B.P.-Early to Middle Archaic
Morphology: Corner Notched
General Description: The Vosberg Corner
Notched point is a medium sized, broad, relatively thin and well made point with
small to medium corner notches on a short stem which is often basally ground
smooth. The length averages about one quarter greater than the width in most
specimens. The larger points can be two and one half times as long as they are
wide. The corners of the base and the barbs are usually very sharp and reveal
delicate notching and pressure flaking. The base is often squat in appearance in
relation to the overall point size and is either straight or slightly
concave.
The Vosberg ranges in size from 25mm to 70mm in length with most
specimens falling between 37mm to 51mm. Larger points which were probably
spear points do occur with the largest being 115mm in length.
The Vosberg point was named by William
A. Ritchie in 1961 after the Vosberg complex of the Laurentian
tradition in Eastern New York. The point is often found with
Otter Creek points (Graham Cave). In Eastern New York the point
was often made of Normanskill, Coxsackie or Deepkill cherts,
while Ohio specimens are almost always made of Coshocton cherts.
About the Point Above (Left): The point pictured above on the left, is
one of the finest examples of flint knapping in
my entire collection. This point is remarkable in that it
is only 3.5 mm thick at its mid section and most of the point
is actually translucent measuring 2 mm or less, especially near the
barbs and stem. The point has a pronounced mocronate distal end (a small
sharp tang on the tip of the blade). This Vosberg is very
small and delicate in size, measuring 33 mm in length and
is 22 mm wide. The point is made of a white chert (location or type
unknown) and has a small nick on the right blade, otherwise it is
perfect. This point was found in Stratford, farmer Snapper's fields near the Bridgeport
Airport, Fairfield County, Connecticut. Catalog Number
409-10-B
About the
Point Above (Right): The point pictured above on
the right is a rather damaged Vosberg point with major trauma to the base which
is fractured resulting in the base being narrowed and irregular. The point
measures 39 mm in length and is 27.5 mm wide at the barbs. The point is made of
a white chert (probably 4 Mile Island chert). This point was found in a
corn field near Oxford, Ohio. Catalog Number
51-2-G
References: Ritchie, Fogelman, Hranicky,
Justice, Waldorf
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