Rocker Projectile Point

Description of Physical Characteristics and Flaking Pattern:

This is a medium ovoid to triangular point with an elliptical cross section. The blade is primarily excurvate, but may vary to straight with the widest part of the blade being above the shoulder. Parallel U-shaped notches enter low to the corners of the preform forming a shoulder that may vary from horizontal to being slightly barbed. The stem is expanded to expanding with a convex base. The stem is short in relationship to the Rocker Side Notch type. This point has a random flaking pattern.

Size Measurements: Total Length - 24 to 55 mm, Stem Length - 9 to 13 mm, Blade Width - 15 to 24 mm, Neck Width - 10 to 19 mm, Stem Width - 13 to 42 mm, Thickness 4 to 9 mm

This type is found in relations to other Elko type point while the Rocker Side Notch is found in relation to Northern Side Notch and Sudden Side Notch points.

Similar Points:
Rocker Side Notch, Rocker Sudden Variant

Related / Associated Points:
Elko, Elko Corner Notch, Elko Split Stem, Elko Eared

Additional Comments:
Homer (1980) first described the Rocker Side Notch as a wide point created from an ovate preform with notches placed on, or close to the corner of the preform creating a short hafting region. This description lead to many people lumping all convex base point into the Sudden type due to the lack of typological difference (Justice, 2002). This has lead to many different point type being clumped into a type that is not supported by the key characteristics of that type. Sudden Side Notches are distinguished by U-shaped notches being place high on the preform forming a large square basal area. Novotny (2007) re-defined the Rocker type by two defining features, first is U-shaped notches high on ovate preform, and second is long well rounded stems. This left two different style points previously labeled as Rocker falling outside this definition. First is a Sudden variant which has high U-shaped notches with l large square basal area and a convex base. The second is the examples recovered from Cowboy Cave by Jennings in 1980. Two Rocker Side Notch points were found, but they were fund in levels with Elko type points which are considered much newer than typical Rocker points. Also Rocker points have a much smaller stem than described by Novotny. These two examples tend to represent an Elko variant more than a true Rocker type point. Justice (2002), points out that many Elko variants have been typed as Rocker points which are much older than Elko type points. The Rocker type has been divided into three types. First is the Rocker Side Notch as described by Novotny. Second is a Rocker Sudden variant, and third is a Rocker Elko variant.

This is a variant of the Elko type and may be
found within the same distribution as the Elko
type. In the northern distributions this type
has many of the overlapping characteristics
of the Hells Canyon type.

Pictures:

Side Notch

Corner Notch

Other points in this Cluster:

Point Validity: Variant Type

Jennings was a renowned anthropologist and professor at the University of Utah. He was considered a foremost expert on Great Basin anthropology. This type was included in the Rocker Side Notch type. This is a variant of the Elko type which is a newer type than the Rocker type. This is considered a variant type.