Clovis (NC-24 a1)

Clovis spear points are lanceolate shaped projectile points with concave bases that often have pronounced flutes, or channel flakes, removed from one or both sides. Clovis dates to the Early Paleoindian period (13,300-12,700 BP) and are among the oldest artifacts found in North America. While Clovis points were long thought to represent the earliest human presence in North America, a growing body of evidence from multiple sites points to earlier "Pre-Clovis" occupations. This Clovis was found in Harnett County, NC (31HT1075) and was donated to the Office of State Archaeology (Accession no. 2013.0592a1). It is made out of high quality metavolcanic stone and measures 68.2mm long, 24.4mm wide, and 9mm thick and weighs 18 grams. It was apparently hit by a plow resulting in the large flake on its edge. This flake reveals the true color of the stone and shows the layer of patina that formed as the stone oxidized over time. Model by David Cranford using 54 photos with Agisoft Metashape Software. (Credit: NCDNCR/OSA)