BIFACE
McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI
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   This early stage biface is one of 11 bifaces (see McKinnis cache) discovered during a land leveling operation in St. Louis County, Missouri. It's an early stage biface that illustrates "classic" Clovis flake removal technique. Large percussion flakes have been removed from several different directions. It has been demonstrated that a rocker-punch technique or indirect style of flaking may be the way Clovis people were making these small and the very large platter biface cores. Clovis biface reduction was achieved by removing large edge-to-edge percussion flakes from sides, corners and ends. This is a lithic technology that was no longer in use in post-Clovis cultures. The intended purpose for this early stage preform was probably to make a fluted point. This biface is made of Burlington chert and measures 4 3/4 inches (12 cm) long, 2 5/8 inches (6.7 cm) wide and 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) thick.

Cast of an early stage biface, McKinnis cache.

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