McKinnis Clovis Cache Page 1

PAGE 1
McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE
CLOVIS CULTURE
ST. LOUIS CO., MISSOURI
12,000 TO 14,000 EST. YEARS AGO
PAGE 1 OF 3 PAGES
COPYRIGHT DECEMBER 31, 2004 PETER A. BOSTROM

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGE IMAGE
BIFACES & CORE BLADES
McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI

The McKinnis cache contains 23 artifacts. Twelve of the artifacts are blades struck from cores and the remaining eleven are bifaces. All of the bifaces and nine of the core blades are made of good quality white Burlington chert. The other three flakes are made of a colorful orange chert that has not been positively identified. It has been suggested, by Brad Koldehoff that the material is Payson chert, which outcrops 100 miles to the north in Adams County, Illinois.

McKinis cache abstract.

McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE
CLOVIS CULTURE
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI

     In 1996 a cache of 11 bifaces and 12 core blades were discovered on land that was being leveled for houses. The site is located on a hill top and within 2 miles of the Missouri River in St. Louis County, Missouri. This cache was made with stone tool manufacturing technology that relates to the Clovis culture. The largest artifact in the cache is a basally thinned late stage Clovis point preform. A base of a Clovis point was also found near this cache.
    There have been two cursory examinations of this cache by two archaeologists, Mike Gramly, PhD. and Brad Koldehoff. Both have suggested that these artifacts were made with Clovis stone tool manufacturing technology.
    No more than 15 Clovis caches have been recorded to date. This cache was not scientifically excavated but it does have potential as an important study collection.

"The term cache is applied to certain forms of storage of property, and in archaeology it is employed to designate more especially certain deposits of implements and other objects, mainly of stone and metal, the most noteworthy consisting of flaked flint blades and disks."---1912, Frederick Webb Hodge, "Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico," page 178.

McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE SITE
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI

This picture shows the land leveling operation that was taking place the morning after a cache of 12 core blades and 11 bifaces were found on this site by Donny McKinnis. The find location is indicated by the arrow. The site is situated on a high hill within two miles of the Missouri River in St. Louis County, Missouri.

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGE IMAGE OF 11 BIFACES
McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE

The McKinnis cache is an important discovery for people who are interested in the study of Clovis stone tool making technology. The cache relates to Clovis tool making as evidenced by the large core blades and the very large percussion flakes or over-shot "outre passe" type of flaking that was used to shape the preforms. One good example of a late stage Clovis point preform is also included in this cache.

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BIFACE
McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI
DONNIE McKINNIS COLLECTION

This biface is impressive for its large diagonal percussion flakes that were struck off one side. Striking off very large flakes from all angles across the surface of a biface is a Clovis manufacturing technique. 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.

The McKinnis Clovis cache was discovered during a land leveling operation in 1996 by Donnie McKinnis. The site is located in the town of Chesterfield in St. Louis, County, Missouri. The McKinnis site is situated on high ground and within two miles of the Missouri River.

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGE TRIPLE IMAGE
BIFACE
McKINNIS CLOVIS CACHE
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI
DONNIE McKINNIS COLLECTION

This is the fourth largest biface in the cache. Both sides were thinned by striking off large percussion flakes. The above picture illustrates a long percussion flake that was struck off at an oblique angle diagonally across the center. This flake was originally over 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. The other side has three large percussion flake removals that cover over half of the surface. This biface was made of Burlington chert and it measures 4 11/16 inches (11.9 cm) long, 2 11/16 inches (6.8 cm) wide and 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) thick.

The McKinnis cache was discovered on the second day of a 4 or 5 day land leveling operation. Several houses have now been constructed on the site. Donnie McKinnis found the cache after a grader made a pass near where he was standing. The earth covering the top of the cache was removed, without damaging any of the artifacts. He reported that all the blades were on the top of the cache and the bifaces were situated underneath. His excavation was no more than 12 inches wide (30 cm) and 12 inches (30 cm) deep. He reported that one or two other people widened his initial excavation by approximately 4 feet (120.2 cm) without finding any more artifacts.

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"REFERENCES"

1912, "Handbook Of American Indians North Of Mexico," pp. 178, 179.
1996, Morrow, Juliet E., "The Organization of Early Paleoindian Lithic Technology In The Confluence Region Of The Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers," p. 106.
1999, Boldurian, Anthony T. & Cotter, John L., "Clovis Revisited, New Perspectives On paleoindian Adaptations From Blackwater Draw, New Mexico," pp. 38, 39.
Personal communications with Donnie McKinnis.
Personal communications with Brad Koldehoff.
Personal communications with Richard Michael Gramly PhD.

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