Thebes E-Notch

Thebes Square Notch

Thebes

(a.k.a. “Cache River Diagonal Notched,” “Archaic Bevel”)

NOTE: This first section called simply “THEBES” holds Thebes points not assigned to any particular category (see classification systems in this section, below) and Thebes where the notching is roughly parallel to the base. In addition there are examples of Thebes points from the various categories of Thebes point (Thebes Diagonal Notch, Thebes Dogleg Notched, Thebes E-Notch but sadly so far, nothing clearly identified from Thebes Square Notch), but these are clearly marked for the user; in all cases, these are duplicated in the individual Thebes sections where they rightfully belong.

Associated Dates: 10000 - 8000 Y.B.P. - Early Archaic

Also See: Big Sandy, Bolen, Cobbs Triangular, Cypress Creek I, St. Charles, Dover Hill, Expanded Notched, Hardin, Houston, Kirk Corner Notched, Lost Lake

Location: Midwestern United States

Morphology: Midwestern United States

General Description: The Thebes is a medium to large sized, thick, side or corner notched point that is usually beveled on one side (usually the left side) of each face.

The type is generally large with deep corner notches or side notches which can have one of four shape treatments. The basal edge is almost always heavily ground. The blade edges can sometimes be serrated. The blade shape varies considerably within the type due to the resharpening processes but is generally triangular in form.

The pristine form of the Thebes type has an excurvate blade edge with no beveling present. As the blade was used and resharpened and reworked, the blade outline changed and the blade edges tend to become more straight and then incurvate. The cross section tends to be flat and then as bevels are formed the cross section becomes rhomboid.

The base on the Thebes point is varied in outline and can have a straight, slightly concave or convex basal edge.

There are four subtypes or varieties of the Thebes type (BUT see an alternative classification system discussed below this section)

These are called the Diagonal Notched (so named for the diagonal notch that angles upward from the base towards the distal end, most common in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri), the Dogleg Notched (so named for the distinctive upward-curved notch shape, most common in Ohio), the E-Notched (so named for the E shaped termination of the notch, most common in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania) and the Square Notched (so named for the wide squared appearance of the notch termination). These four subtypes were the result of the University of Cincinnati Point Type Conference which was held in 1983.

Alternative Classification System For the Thebes Point