Projectile point · Paleoindian
Scottsbluff
8000–6500 BCE, Plano
The Scottsbluff point is a stemmed Late Paleoindian point of the Cody complex on the Great Plains, about 8,000 to 6,500 BCE, associated with bison kills such as Horner in Wyoming. Its precise collateral flaking makes it one of the most admired point types. Two varieties are recognised by blade width.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 8000–6500 BCE |
| Period | Paleoindian |
| Cultures | Plano |
| Regions | North America — Great Plains |
Diagnostic traits
Stemmed lanceolate with weak shoulders and a wide, ground, straight-sided stem; collateral flaking.
Identification
Scottsbluff has weak shoulders and a broad, straight-sided ground stem, unlike Eden which is narrow with a diamond section and Hell Gap which has no shoulders and tapers to the base. Flaking is collateral or transverse and leaves a flattened lens section. The Cody knife with an asymmetrical blade is a companion form.
Reproductions and fakes
Reproductions in Knife River flint and Alibates aim at the regular flaking and can be convincing; check for grinding on the stem edges, slight asymmetry from resharpening and differential patina. Overly long, perfect examples with fresh edges are suspect.
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q138717706
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Scottsbluff" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/scottsbluff. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-scottsbluff,
title = {Scottsbluff},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/scottsbluff}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.