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Name Details:
Named By:  Howard D. Winters
Named For
Date Identified:  1969
Type Site: Wabash Valley, Illinois
 Merom
(Riverton Series)
Cluster: Merom Cluster








Commonly Utilized Material:
Locally available cherts commonly utilizing heat treatment

Date:                   
Cultural Period:   
3,600 - 2,800 B.P.
Late Archaic
Neoglacial
Late Archaic Riverton Culture

Glacial Period:
Culture:
     
      


Outline is Representative of Size and Shape:



Description of Physical Characteristics and Flaking Pattern:

This is a small triangular corner notch to expanding stem point.  The cross section may vary from elliptical to lenticular.  The blade may vary from straight (more common in the related Trimble point) to excurvate (more common in the Merom point), commonly with fine serrations.  The shoulders are primarily horizontal, but may vary to a slight barb to a having a slight upward slope.  The stem is expanding and is commonly short.  The base is primarily straight, but may vary to convex with rounded basal corners.  The base is commonly beveled, but rarely has hafting region grinding present.  This point is manufactured using both percussion and pressure flaking forming a random flaking pattern. 

Size Measurements:
 Total Length - 19 to 36 mm,  Stem Length - 5 to 9 mm,  Blade Width - 11 to 20 mm,  Neck Width -6 to 12 mm,  Stem Width - 7 to 14 mm,  Thickness - 4 to 8 mm
Distribution:
Distribution Comments:

This point is primarily associated with the Riverton Culture of the Wabash Valley and into the Ohio River Valley and the Illinois River Valley.  Red is representative of the normal distribution of the Riverton culture and the distribution provided by Justice (1987).  Morrow (2016) notes that these points are commonly found in southern and southeastern Minnesota which would be represented by the yellow distribution.

Similar Points:
Keota
Related / Associated Points: 
Trimble, Robeson
Additional Comments:

The Trimble point may be types as a Merom Expanded (Justice / Kudlaty, 1999).  Both points are commonly found together.  The difference is that Trimble points commonly has a straight blade while the Merom point has a excurvate blade.  The Trimble point tends to have a longer and narrower blade than the Merom point.  Trimble points tend to have a higher quality of workmanship than the Merom point.  It is thought that the Trimble point may be an early variant of the Merom point (Justice, 1987).




Pictures:

Other points in this Cluster:
Trimble, Robeson
Point Validity:   Valid Type

Winters is a distinguished anthropologist who did extensive research in Illinois.  He identified this point during the survey of the Wabash Valley in Illinois.  This point was named in a professional publication and has many professional references.  This is a valid type.




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Age Details:
Pictures Provided By:
Mike's Tennessee Arrowheads


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References: (See Reference Page, Entry Number):

17, 23, 30, 37, 168, 179
Merom Projectile Point, Merom Arrowhead