Jude

The Jude is a small, straight-stemmed point with a short blade. Eight examples from the type site area and one example from Colbert County, Alabama measured a maximum of 29 mm and a minimum of 19 mm with an average of 24 mm. The cross-section is usually bi-convex; rarely, plano-convex. Shoulders are usually horizontal; rarely, tapered or inversely tapered. Blade edges are nearly always straight; rarely, excurvate. The distal and is usually acute. The stem is straight or, rarely, slightly expanded. The stem width exceeds the stem links. Side edges of the stem are straight. The sand basil edge is usually slightly incurvate but may be straight. All stem ages are usually lightly ground.

Broad, shallow, random flakes shaped the blade and stem and are followed along all edges by similar but somewhat shorter secondary flaking. All measured examples were made of local material and, except for one made of smoky courts, all were patinated.

The type was named after Jude Hollow in Madison County, Alabama, where examples were first recognized. Examples from surface collections have produced a range of cultural material including Paleo-Indian and transitional Paleo-Indian, as well as archaic and Woodland. The most frequent associations indicate Early Archaic or transitional Paleo-Indian, as do patination and basil grinding. On at least one site in Colbert County, Alabama, Late Archaic and Woodland artifacts are absent. Several examples were recovered from the Cave Springs site in association with and below Big Sandy and Dalton points. This association indicates a transitional Paleo-Indian Association at this site.

Information for this article was derived from James W. Cambron and David C. Hulse, Handbook of Alabama Archaeology, Alabama Archaeological Society