Projectile point · Early Archaic
Kirk Stemmed
7000–6000 BCE, Archaic (Eastern)
Kirk Stemmed was named by Coe in 1964 from the Hardaway site in North Carolina, where it followed Kirk Corner Notched, and Broyles found the same sequence at St. Albans in West Virginia. It is common from Florida to the Ohio Valley on rhyolite, quartz and chert. Long examples with intact serrations command good prices.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7000–6000 BCE |
| Period | Early Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern) |
| Regions | North America — Southeast, North America — Eastern Woodlands |
Diagnostic traits
Long, narrow point with a straight to slightly expanding stem, a straight base, weak shoulders and a deeply serrated blade that often shows a distinct medial ridge.
Identification
Kirk Stemmed and Kirk Serrated are near-identical; Serrated is the name usually given to the more coarsely serrated, slightly expanding-stemmed examples, and many collectors treat them as one type. Stanly has a shorter stem with a notched base, and Morrow Mountain a contracting stem.
Reproductions and fakes
Serrated stemmed points in rhyolite are reproduced; fresh serrations are sharp and pale, and the stem edges lack the light grinding seen on genuine pieces.
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q138712804
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Kirk Stemmed" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/kirk-stemmed. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-kirk-stemmed,
title = {Kirk Stemmed},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/kirk-stemmed}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, wikidata. 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.