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Name Details:
Named By:  Ken S. Sassaman
 Named For Cultural Period
 Date Identified: 1985
 Type Site: Sites along the lower Savannah River Plains of South Carolina
 MALA
 (Middle Archaic Late Archaic) / Allendale
Cluster:


Commonly Utilized Material:
Heat treated Coastal Plains cherts

Date:                   
Cultural Period:   
4,500 - 3,500 B.P.
Middle to Late Archaic
Neoglacial

Glacial Period:
Culture:
     
      


Outline is Representative of Size and Shape:



Description of Physical Characteristics and Flaking Pattern:

This is a thick medium (1.75 to 3 inches) triangular to lanceolate expanding stem point with an elliptical cross section.  The blade is narrow and slightly excurvate and may vary to straight.  The shoulders mar vary from prominent to weak and may range from horizontal to having a slightly upward angle.  The stem is broad and short and may varies from straight to slightly expanding.  The stem is formed by removing material from the corner of the preform.  The base varies from slightly convex to slightly convex and commonly has sharp basal corners.  Whatley (2003) notes that commonly one basal corner is damaged duet o use.  This point has a random flaking pattern.

Size Measurements:  Total Length - 33 to 80 mm (average 39 to 42 mm),  Stem Length - 6 to 9 mm (average 7 mm),  Blade Width - 18 to 31 mm (average 20 to 23 mm),  Neck Width - 12 to 17 mm (average 14 to 15 mm),  Stem Width - 13 to 18 mm (average 14 to 16 mm),  Thickness - 6 to 10 mm  (Whatley 2002).

Distribution:
Distribution Comments:
This is primarily found in the coastal plains of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Similar Points:
Allendale, Savannah River
Related / Associated Points:
Additional Comments:

Most professional references to this type still use the name MALA.  However, some publications from the University of Tennessee have adopted the name Allendale for this type.




Pictures:

Other points in this Cluster:
Point Validity:   Valid Type

Sassaman is a distinguished anthropologist and professor at the University of Florida.  He serves as archaeologist for the Savannah River Archaeological Program.  This type was named in a professional publication and has many professional references.  This is considered a valid type.



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Age Details:
Radiocarbon dating at the Phinizy Swamp site in Richmond County, Georgia returned dates of 4,805 +/- 139 BP (Elliott et al.l994:164, 193).  Whatley (2002) notes that no radiocarbon dating has been conducted on stratified sites containing Allendale points.  But both are now considered the same type and should have the same dates.
Pictures Provided By:
Mike
Lloyd Schroder
Johnny Williams

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References: (See Reference Page, Entry Number):

30, 162
MALA Projectile Point, MALA Arrowhead