Motley

The Motley is a medium-sized, expanded stem point with broad side or corner notches and straight blade edges. Eight examples from northern Alabama and the southern part of Tennessee measured a maximum of 71 mm and a minimum of 50 mm in length and an average of 60 mm. The cross-section may be bi-convex or flattened. Shoulders may be horizontal, tapered, or inversely tapered. Blade edges are more apt to be straight but may be slightly excurvate, or one edge may be straight and the other excurvate. The distal end is acute. The stem is expanded and formed by broad deep side or corner notches. Several examples have one corner notch and one side notch. The side edges of the stem are incurvate and the base is usually straight. It is usually thinned, but rarely ground.

Shallow to deep random flaking was used to shape the faces. The blade edges are usually retouched by removal of short and fairly deep flakes. Large deep flakes were removed to form the notches, usually followed by secondary flaking along the stem and shoulder edges. Local materials were used.

The Motley point was named from the Motley Place in northeastern Louisiana. Bell (1958) states, “the type is best represented from the poverty point culture in the lower Mississippi Valley” where radiocarbon dates range from about 1300 BC to 200 BC. It is also present in the archaic sites of Kentucky, Alabama, and Illinois. The type has been referred to locally as the “Sugar Creek” point. At Stanfield-Worley Bluff Sheltered, five examples were recovered from the top three layers all as and one from level 6. At the University of Alabama site in Marshall County, Alabama, one example each was recovered from levels 3 and 4. At the Flint River Mound, two examples were taken from zone A (Woodland), five from zone B (Woodland) and one from zone C (Archaic). This evidence indicates a strong Early Woodland association with a beginning in Archaic times.

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