The Montgomery Site (23CE261) was discovered by
Charles Collins (a retired member of the Geography Dept. at Southwest Missouri State
University. His careful surface survey of the eroding site provided the first
clear evidence for a deeply buried Dalton Period - Early Archaic Period site
in western Missouri.
Artifacts found at the Montgomery site include
Dalton Points, Agate Basin Points, Scottsbluff Points,
Graham Cave Points, Rice Lobed Points and Cache River Points. A test pit was excavated at
the site by Dr. Donna Roper. She obtained a radiocarbon date of 7850 BC on a charcoal sample
from the site.
Color slides of the site were taken by Michael Fuller in 1976; they were digitized by
the Instructional Resources Office of St. Louis Community College. Artifact photographs
were taken by Charles Collins and loaned to Michael Fuller for digitization and use
in this website.
Dalton points of various sizes based upon their
stage of resharpening.
Two Dalton points (upper and middle)
and Scottsbluff point (bottom) from the Montgomery Site. The large Dalton (center) is unusually
large compared to most Dalton points in southwest Missouri suggesting that it could have
functioned like the Brand Site Dalton points - intended or used as a grave offering.
Two carefully flaked tools that were snapped/broken
so their base is missing. These may be the upper half of two Dalton Points. The artifact
out of white flint is finely serrated and beveled.
Dalton point a broken base and a burin
on the tip edge of the blade.
Two Hardin Barbed points from the Montgomery Site.
Five examples of Rice Lobed points at
different stages in resharpening from the Montgomery Site.
Four examples of Cache River points from the
Montgomery Site.
Two concave base projectile points with some characteristics
shared with the Graham Cave point type.
Large un-notched blade with basal grinding (indicated
by the two marker sticks) from the Montgomery Site.
Two limestone cobbles found in situ at a depth of approximately
9 ft. beneath the ground surface at the Montgomery Site.
Charles Collins examines a large chert flake that he
excavated from the vertical bank of the site.
Charles Collins examines artifacts eroding from the cutbank
of the Montgomery Site.
Charles Collins on the ground surface of the Montgomery
Site where absolutely no waste flakes or artifacts are present. The site is so deeply buried that
cultivation does not disturb the archaeological features.
Charles Collins examines the 1 x 1 meter test pit excavated
along the cutbank of the Montgomery Site by Dr. Donna Roper on behalf of the U. S. Army
Corps of Engineers.