Editing Clovis culture (section)

====Clovis point====
[[File:Clovis Point.jpg|thumb|Example of a Clovis point]]

A hallmark of the toolkit associated with the Clovis culture is the distinctively shaped lithic point known as the [[Clovis point]]. Clovis points are bifacial (having flakes removed from both faces) and typically fluted (having an elongate flake removed from the base of the point<ref name=":16" />) on both sides, with the fluting typically running up a third<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last1=Buchanan |first1=Briggs |last2=O'Brien |first2=Michael J. |last3=Collard |first3=Mark |date=June 2014 |title=Continent-wide or region-specific? A geometric morphometrics-based assessment of variation in Clovis point shape |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12520-013-0168-x |journal=Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=145–162 |doi=10.1007/s12520-013-0168-x |bibcode=2014ArAnS...6..145B |issn=1866-9557|url-access=subscription }}</ref> or a half of the length of the point, distinct from many later Paleoindian traditions where the flute runs up the entire point length.<ref name=":16" /> Clovis points are typically parallel-sided to slightly convex, with the base of the point being concave.<ref name=":8" /> Although no direct evidence of what was attached to Clovis points has been found,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Eren |first1=Metin I. |last2=Meltzer |first2=David J. |last3=Story |first3=Brett |last4=Buchanan |first4=Briggs |last5=Yeager |first5=Don |last6=Bebber |first6=Michelle R. |date=October 2022 |title=Not just for proboscidean hunting: On the efficacy and functions of Clovis fluted points |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports |volume=45 |pages=103601 |doi=10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103601|doi-access=free |bibcode=2022JArSR..45j3601E }}</ref> Clovis points are commonly thought to have served as tips for [[spear]]s/darts likely used as handheld thrusting or throwing weapons (or possibly as ground-mounted pikes<ref name=":23" />) , possibly in combination with a [[Spear-thrower|spear thrower]], for hunting and possibly self-defense.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Eren |first1=Metin I. |last2=Meltzer |first2=David J. |last3=Story |first3=Brett |last4=Buchanan |first4=Briggs |last5=Yeager |first5=Don |last6=Bebber |first6=Michelle R. |date=October 1, 2021 |title=On the efficacy of Clovis fluted points for hunting proboscideans |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports |volume=39 |pages=103166 |bibcode=2021JArSR..39j3166E |doi=10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.103166 |issn=2352-409X |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Baldino |first1=Jacob |last2=McKinny |first2=Scott |last3=Taylor |first3=Jaymes |last4=Wilson |first4=Michael |last5=Buchanan |first5=Briggs |last6=Walker |first6=Robert S. |last7=Story |first7=Brett |last8=Bebber |first8=Michelle R. |last9=Eren |first9=Metin I. |date=October 20, 2023 |title=North American Clovis Point Form and Performance V: An Experimental Assessment of Spear Thrusting Penetration Depth and Entry Wound Size |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01977261.2023.2270255 |journal=Lithic Technology |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=295–310 |doi=10.1080/01977261.2023.2270255 |issn=0197-7261|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Wear on Clovis points indicates that they were multifunctional objects that also served as cutting and slicing tools, with some authors suggesting that some Clovis-point types were primarily used as knives.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mika |first1=Anna |last2=Buchanan |first2=Briggs |last3=Walker |first3=Robert |last4=Key |first4=Alastair |last5=Story |first5=Brett |last6=Bebber |first6=Michelle |last7=Eren |first7=Metin I. |date=July 3, 2022 |title=North American Clovis Point Form and Performance III: An Experimental Assessment of Knife Cutting Efficiency |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01977261.2021.2016257 |journal=Lithic Technology |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=203–220 |doi=10.1080/01977261.2021.2016257 |issn=0197-7261}}</ref> Clovis points were at least sometimes resharpened, though the idea that they were continually resharpened "long-life" tools has been questioned.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Buchanan |first1=Briggs |last2=Eren |first2=Metin I. |last3=Boulanger |first3=Matthew T. |last4=O'Brien |first4=Michael J. |date=September 2015 |title=Size, shape, scars, and spatial patterning: A quantitative assessment of late Pleistocene (Clovis) point resharpening |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2352409X15300067 |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports |volume=3 |pages=11–21 |doi=10.1016/j.jasrep.2015.05.011|bibcode=2015JArSR...3...11B |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The shape and size of Clovis points varies significantly over space and time;<ref name=":5" /> the largest points exceed {{Convert|10|cm|in}} in length.<ref name=":0" /> The points required considerable effort to make and often broke during knapping,<ref name=":5" /> particularly during fluting. The fluting may have served to make the finished points more durable during use by acting as a "shock absorber" to redistribute stress during impact, though others have suggested that it may have been purely stylistic or used to strengthen the [[hafting]] to the spear handle.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Buchanan |first1=Briggs |last2=Hamilton |first2=Marcus J. |last3=Gala |first3=Nicholas |last4=Smith |first4=Heather |last5=Wilson |first5=Michael |last6=Eren |first6=Metin I. |last7=Walker |first7=Robert S. |date=April 2024 |title=Comparing Clovis and Folsom fluting via scaling analysis |journal=Archaeometry |volume=66 |issue=2 |pages=266–281 |doi=10.1111/arcm.12921 |issn=0003-813X|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Thomas |first1=Kaitlyn A. |last2=Story |first2=Brett A. |last3=Eren |first3=Metin I. |last4=Buchanan |first4=Briggs |last5=Andrews |first5=Brian N. |last6=O'Brien |first6=Michael J. |last7=Meltzer |first7=David J. |date=May 2017 |title=Explaining the origin of fluting in North American Pleistocene weaponry |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0305440317300365 |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |volume=81 |pages=23–30 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2017.03.004|bibcode=2017JArSc..81...23T |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The points were generally produced from [[Nodule (geology)|nodules]] or siliceous [[cryptocrystalline]] rocks.<ref name=":5" /> Clovis points were thinned using end-thinning ("the removal of blade-like flakes parallel to the long-axis").<ref name=":16" /> They were initially prepared using percussion flaking, with the point being finished using [[pressure flaking]].<ref name=":5" />