Plainview point facts for kids
Plainview points are a type of ancient stone tool. They are spear tips or arrowheads used by early people in North America, called Paleo-Indians. These tools are very old, dating back about 10,000 to 9,000 years ago.
The name "Plainview points" comes from where they were first found. In 1947, many of these tools were discovered near the town of Plainview in Texas, United States. They were found at a site where ancient bison, called Bison antiquus, were hunted.
These points are long and thin, shaped like a leaf or a lance. They have a curved or "concave" base, and they are not "fluted" (meaning they don't have a long groove removed from their base). Plainview points are mostly found in the South Plains region. However, the name "Plainview" was once used more widely for similar tools across the Plains and even in the eastern Upper Mississippi Valley.
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What are Plainview Points?
Plainview points are stone tools, specifically projectile points. This means they were attached to spears or darts for hunting. They are known for their distinct shape:
- They have sides that are mostly straight (parallel) or slightly curved outwards (convex).
- Their base (the bottom part) is curved inwards, like a crescent moon (concave).
- They are considered a type of "Plano point," which means they are long and flat without a central groove.
Where Were They Found?
The first Plainview points were officially classified in 1947. This happened after archaeologists Glen Evans, G. E. Meade, and E. H. Sellards found a large group of these spear tips. They were discovered at an archaeological site along the Running Water Draw river in Texas.
At this site, at least 28 Plainview points were found. It was a "kill site," meaning it was a place where ancient bison were hunted and butchered by early people.
How Do They Compare to Other Tools?
Plainview points look a lot like another type of ancient tool called the Goshen point. However, Goshen points are mostly found in the northern Plains. They might also be older than Plainview points by about a thousand years.
The Plainview Culture
The "Plainview complex" refers to the group of ancient people and their culture who used Plainview points. This culture is similar to the Goshen complex.
Because many different kinds of tools were found at the original Plainview site, archaeologists have studied this culture widely. Plainview sites, where people hunted and prepared animals, have been found in places like New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
