Projectile point · Early Archaic
Decatur
7500–6500 BCE, Archaic (Eastern)
Decatur was named by Cambron in 1957 for Decatur, Alabama, and is an Early Archaic form of the Kirk cluster that spreads through the Tennessee and Ohio valleys. The fractured base is a technological trait rather than damage and appears on most examples. Fort Payne chert and Flint Ridge flint are typical. Collectors look for pieces with the basal fracture and both barb fractures intact.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7500–6500 BCE |
| Period | Early Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Southeast, North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Corner-notched point whose basal edge, and often the barb tips, were deliberately snapped off by a burin-like blow, with a beveled and often serrated blade and a straight, narrow base.
Identification
The intentional basal fracture is diagnostic and separates Decatur from Kirk and Pine Tree; if the base is ground rather than snapped, the point is not a Decatur. Lost Lake is larger with steeper beveling and no fracture.
Reproductions and fakes
Fakers do snap bases, but the resulting scar is fresh and unpatinated; on a genuine Decatur the fracture surface carries the same patina as the faces.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Decatur" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/decatur. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-decatur,
title = {Decatur},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/decatur}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. 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.