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Name Details:
Named By: Ken Matsen
Named For: Type Site
Date Identified: 1969
Type Site: Merrybelle Site (35MU9), Sauvie's Island, Multnomah County, Oregon
Comment: See Oregon Archeological Societies: Screening, 1970, Vol 19 - 28
Merrybelle Bifurcated
(Variety III)
Cluster:
Commonly Utilized Material:
Date:
Cultural Period:
2,500 - 1,750 B.P.
Late to Transitional Archaic
Roman Warm
Glacial Period:
Culture:
Outline is Representative of Size and Shape:
Description of Physical Characteristics and Flaking Pattern:
This is a small to medium triangular side notch point with an elliptical cross section. The
blade may range from slightly excurvate to straight. Many examples have serrations on the blade. The shoulders are barbed
with a stem that is expanding and a concave to bifurcated base. This point
has a random flaking pattern.
Size Measurements: Total length - 22 to 64 mm
(average 30 to 40 mm), Stem Length - 6 to 10 mm, Blade Width
- 16 to 24 mm, Neck Width - 7 to 11 mm, Stem Width - 11 to
22 mm
Distribution:
Distribution Comments:
This point is primarily associated with the Portland Basin, and into the coastal region of northern Oregon and southern Washington.
Additional Comments:
There is a great amount of variation found within this type. Projectile points from the Merrybelle phase (2,600 - 1,800 B.P. ) progressed from larger side notch point with broad necks
into smaller corner notched point and then to smaller side notched points with a narrow neck that is diagnostic of the Multnomah phase ( 1,800 - 750 B.P. ) (Sturtevant, 1978).
This point is similar to the Priest Rapids point found further up the Columbia River Valley. These two points may represent a continuation of a single type.
Other points in this Cluster:
Point Validity: Valid Type
Matsen is a well published archaeologist who has conducted many excavations in Oregon and
is an expert on Shoto Clay Figurines in Oregon. This type was named in a professional publication It has many collector type references and limited professional references to this type. Most
professional references to the Merrybelle type reference wide necked side and corner notch points associated with the Merrybelle phase. This is considered a valid type.
.
Age Details:
These points are associated with the Merrybelle phase as defined by Richard M. Pettigrew in 1981
References: (See Reference Page, Entry Number):
5, 23, 30
Merrybelle Bifurcated Projectile Point, Merrybelle Bifurcated Arrowhead
Marybell Projectile Point, Marybell Arrowhead
Marybelle Projectile Point, Marybelle Arrowhead
