Projectile point · Late Archaic
Elk River
2500–1000 BCE, Archaic (Eastern)
Elk River points are Late Archaic dart points of the Tennessee, Cumberland and Elk River drainages of Tennessee and Alabama, named for the Elk River in southern Tennessee. They were made mostly from coarse local cherts and are often crudely percussion-finished, which gives them a heavy cross-section for their size. They occur in the same middens as Ledbetter and Pickwick and are common in field collections from northern Alabama and middle Tennessee.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 2500–1000 BCE |
| Period | Late Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Southeast, North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Thick, medium to large stemmed point with a long, often serrated blade, weak shoulders and a straight to slightly expanding stem with a straight or convex base.
Identification
Elk River is thicker and less refined than Pickwick and usually lacks Pickwick's recurved edges; the frequent serrations and thick body distinguish it from Ledbetter. The stem is longer and narrower than on Savannah River. Small examples can be confused with Wade, which is thinner and has distinct barbs.
Reproductions and fakes
Because the type is crude, forgeries are rare, but modern makers occasionally serrate a genuine blank; look for chalky fresh scars against an otherwise matte surface.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Elk River" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/elk-river. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-elk-river,
title = {Elk River},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/elk-river}},
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.