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Pictures courtesy of Paleo Enterprises
The Ocala point was named by Ripley P. Bullen (1975) for the city of Ocala in Marion County, Florida. Part of Bullen’s research was based on the collection of Mr. Hendrix from McIntosh, Florida located near the city of Ocala. The name “Poppa Taylor” has also been applied to this type by James Gray (1975). Calvin “P” Taylor, Sr. had recovered an example of this type from the Ichetucknee River in 1968.
The Ocala is a medium to large size point measuring between 2 and 5.5 inches in length. The blade is developed through broad, shallow random flaking. The excurvate blade edges are finished with pressure flaking and meet at an acute distal and. The cross-section is fairly thin and bi-convex. The type is corner-notched, but can appear side-notched because of the expanding dovetail stem. Notching is most often rounded, but it can be angular. The basal edge is convex.
Bullen’s early description noted that these blades are “extremely well-made,” a statement that is true of some examples, but most examples appear somewhat crude. The large size, occasional excellent workmanship, dovetail appearance and Early Woodland Association may all be factors that influenced Bullen to suggest a possible Hopewellian affiliation, but no other associated cultural material has suggested this relationship.
Two controlled excavations have demonstrated the extensive use of the Ocala point in the Tampa Bay area. At the Canton Street site in St. Petersburg, Florida, three examples were recovered by Mr. Ray Robinson in association with Perco Island and St. Johns ceramics, which Bullen ascribed to the Florida transitional period. Other point types recovered at the site include Citrus and Hernando points, Lafayette, Culbreath, Broward and archaic stemmed points (Bullen 1978). The second site, which demonstrated the endurance of the type, also came from the Tampa Bay area. The Rattlesnake Shell Midden site (8HI981) contained one example in association with other late Weeden Island and Safety Harbor related materials (Estabrook and Williams 1992). One example was also recovered in association with Weeden Island materials by Percy and Jones (1976) during a survey of upland sites in Gadsden and Liberty counties, Florida. One cashe of 67 points was also recovered in Pascoe County.
Both Bullen and Gray have noted that the Ocala point is very rare in Florida. Distribution seems to center around an area from Tampa Bay to the Ichetucknee River and along the central Gulf Coast.
