Abstract image of extinct bison skull.

ABSTRACT
GOSHEN POINTS &
THE MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA
PALEO-INDIAN PERIOD

This article illustrates and describes several examples of projectile points and tools excavated from the Mill Iron site. Mill Iron is a Goshen complex site located in Carter County, Montana. The Mill Iron site was discovered in 1979 by the Bureau of land Management and later excavated by George Frison with the aid of mostly volunteers. Nine radio carbon dates seem to confirm an early age for Mill Iron, placing it sometime between Clovis and Folsom. The Mill Iron radio carbon dates are supported by a Goshen complex assemblage located below a Folsom level discovered on the Hell Gap site.
There is still some disagreement as to whether or not Goshen points and Plainview points are in fact the same. Frison suggests that they should be called Goshen/Plainview points until they are better understood.

    "The identification of a Goshen culture complex on the High Plains provided Paleoindian archaeologists with a category in which to place a number of possible diagnostic projectile points from this region that heretofore were considered as Plainview, as it was known and described at the site in Texas by that name."---1996, George C. Frison, "The Mill Iron Site," p. 205.
     "In order to illustrate better the dilemma encountered in trying to distinguish between Goshen and Plainview diagnostics, it is of more than passing interest to take exact casts of both the Mill Iron and Plainview site points, mix them together, and then attempt to separate the two assemblages on the basis of technology and morphology."---1996, George C. Frison, "The Mill Iron Site," p. 207.
    "The Goshen Paleoindian cultural complex was first recognized at the Hell Gap site in Goshen County, southeastern Wyoming, in the early 1960's"---1991, George C. Frison, "The Goshen Paleoindian Complex: New Data For Paleoindian Research," Clovis Origins And Adaptations, p. 133.
    "Goshen points have been reported from other Northern Plains sites such as Jim Pitts, South Dakota, and Lower Twin Mountain in Middle Park of the Colorado Rockies."---2006, Bruce B. Huckell And W. James Judge, "Paleo-Indian: Plains And Southwest," Handbook Of North American Indians, Vol. 3, Environment, Origins, And Population, p. 158.
    "Radiocarbon dates from the Mill Iron site cluster at two different times, 11,360 & 10,840 radio carbon years before present, which could mean Goshen has a Clovis and a Folsom age."---2002, Gary Haynes, "The Early Settlement Of North America, The Clovis Era," p. 257.

GOSHEN POINTS &
THE MILL IRON SITE
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

The Mill Iron site is located in southwestern Montana about 7.5 miles from the town of Mill Iron, from where it receives its name. The Mill Iron site was discovered in 1979 during a survey of Bureau of Land Management land prior to reservoir construction. George Frison was director of the excavation from 1984 to 1988 when the project officially ended in August. Most of the workers were volunteers and funding was provided by the Bureau of Land Management, National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation.

EPOXY CASTS OF GOSHEN POINTS FROM THE MILL IRON SITE
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
GOSHEN POINTS
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

     Thirty one complete and broken pieces of Goshen points were found during the excavation of the Mill Iron site. The picture above shows several casts that were molded from 15 of the better examples. Eleven points were found in the camp area, twelve in the bone bed meat processing area and seven points were found on the surface. The projectile point assemblage from Mill Iron have a wide range of style and flaking technique. Three of the bases in this picture are almost straight (the base is missing from the point at lower left). Most of these points have bases that vary from slightly to fairly deeply concave. Three of them have concave bases but are straight at the base of the concavity, similar to some Folsom points. The sides are straight to slightly convex and one example appears to be slightly fish-tailed because the ears are projected slightly outward. Some of the points in the assemblage have no ears, but most have either squared, rounded or pointed ears. Basal thinning is observed on some points. The rest only have minor pressure flaking, not large enough to be considered basal thinning. Hafting area edges and bases are also ground.
   The flaking patterns of Goshen points also show a wide range of skill level and technique. Flaking patterns range from random to parallel transverse. The point at top center represents the most skillfully made Goshen point found on the Mill Iron site. It's the longest point in this picture and measures 3 1/8 inches (8 cm) long.
   There is still a controversy involving the comparison of Goshen points to Plainview points. The issue surrounds the fact that both point types are very similar in style and they may one day prove to be the same point type. Frison suggests that they should be called Goshen/Plainview points until they are better understood.

The Mill Iron site is assigned to the Goshen Complex. The Goshen complex is recognized as a separate cultural complex that appears to have existed in time between Clovis and Folsom. The complex was first recognized from diagnostic projectile points found in the oldest component on the Hell Gap site. The Hell Gap site is located in southwestern Wyoming and was excavated in the 1950's and early 1960's. Goshen points found on the Hell Gap site were followed in time by Folsom, Midland, Agate Basin, Hell Gap, Alberta, Cody and Frederic cultural complexes.

EPOXY CAST OF A GOSHEN POINT FROM THE MILL IRON SITE
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
GOSHEN POINT
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

This is the best example of a Goshen point found on the Mill Iron site. It was discovered in the bone bed area. This point is so exceptionally well made that it caused some speculation as to weather it was even used as a projectile point. Frison writes that, "Could it have been a ritual offering instead of a weapon used to kill animals?" This Goshen point exhibits the highest knapping skill that Paleo-Indians ever produced. It's also interesting for the rounded point. Unlike most Goshen points that have sharp points, the tip of this one was deliberately shaped with micro flaking into a rounded point. Frison also writes that "The question was raised at Mill iron if one projectile point (the one illustrated above) was used as a weapon or an offering for ritual purposes. An argument was made-----that although the quality of the technology expressed on this specimen is unexcelled in any known prehistoric flint knapping context, its morphology is not that of a functional piece of weaponry needed for killing large animals such as bison. No archaeologist can dismiss the lessons from ethnological studies which describe the ritual activities that accompany large animal procurement." This is the longest projectile point found on the Mill Iron site. It's believed to be made of Hartville chert and it measures 3 1/8 inches (8 cm) long.

A camp site and a bone bed were discovered on the Mill Iron site. Both locations were connected with a continuous scattering of bison bones. The bone bed is not considered to be a kill site but rather a meat processing site. Frison describes the bone bed as "--a pile of stacked single bones and articulated carcass parts about 4.5 meters in diameter." It's suggested that the kill site area may have been destroyed by erosion.

EPOXY CASTS OF GOSHEN POINTS FROM THE MILL IRON SITE
GOSHEN POINTS
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

    These three Goshen points were found during excavation of the Mill Iron site. Their most interesting design trait is the shape of the basal edges which are straight within the lowest part of the concavity, similar to some Folsom points. The majority of the projectile points from Mill Iron have rounded concave bases. The two points on the right were made with highly controlled pressure flaking. Frison and Bradley describe the point on the right as "an exquisite example of highly controlled pressure flaking." This point was basally thinned with the removal of multiple thinning flakes from both sides. The cutting edges were straightened and sharpened with fine pressure retouch flakes that were removed between the flake scars. This point was made from silicified wood and it measures 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) long.
   The point in the center is considered the best example in the assemblage. It has been suggested that it was not used to hunt with but instead that it was an offering for ritual purposes. It was discovered in the bone bed. It's believed to be made from Hartville chert and it measures 3 1/8 inches (8 cm) long.
   The point on the left has a damaged point due to an impact fracture. It's believed to be made of Montana Agate and it measures 2 1/16 inches (5.3 cm) long.

The camp site area produced eleven projectile points and 44 miscellaneous tools in the form of end-scrapers, raclettes, gravers, bifaces, utilized flakes, and single, double and multiple edged unifacial tools. The bone bed produced twelve projectile points and eight miscellaneous tools in the form of bifaces, utilized flakes and unmodified flakes.

EPOXY CASTS OF GOSHEN POINTS FROM THE MILL IRON SITE
GOSHEN POINTS
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

    These three Goshen points represent more typical examples. The point on the left is described by Frison and Bradley as a point that, "conforms in shape to the general description of Goshen points." The hafting area edges on this point (proximal edges) are straight but expand slightly towards the point (distal portion). Pressure flaking on both sides was selective with a wide range of flake scar widths. Pressure flakes on the base are not large enough to be considered basal thinning. The material is not identified. This point measures 2 1/2 inches (6.3 cm) long.
   The point in the center was found in the bone bed. Its greatest width is near the base. The ears are rounded and the basal cavity is ground and the edges are ground half-way up the point. This point may be made of Hartville chert and it measures 2 13/16 inches (7.1 cm) long.
   The point on the right appears to be slightly fish-tailed because the ears are projected outward. This point has one of the deepest basal cavities. Its maximum thickness is located towards the point (distal end). Pressure flaking is described as "irregular in terms of sequence, spacing, and orientation." Basal thinning is represented by one flake scar on one side and the basal hafting area is heavily ground. This point was made from a lower grade piece of silicified algae which may explain some of its irregular form. This point measures 2 1/8 inches (5.3 cm) long.

The largest stone tool discovered on the Mill Iron site was found in the main block excavation (camp & bone bed meat processing area). This tool is described as either a chopper, hammer or anvil stone. Frison writes that "The tool could have been used in the hand as a chopper or it could have been partially buried and used as an anvil over which large bones could have been broken." This tool was made on site and refit flakes were found near by. Two of its edges were heavily used.

EPOXY CASTS OF GOSHEN POINTS FROM THE MILL IRON SITE
GOSHEN POINTS
MILL IRON SITE
CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA

     These three Goshen points are described as atypical in form. Their bases have only the slightest indentation. The point on the right represents the only basal fragment found on the site. A large "flute-like" flake originating from the break indicates that this point was broken from impact.
   The point in the center was found in the bison bone bed. It's described by Frison & Bradley as being, "in some ways, an extraordinary point." They believe that it was probably made from the mid-section of what would have been the largest point in the assemblage. They also describe it as being flat lens shaped in cross-section. Pressure flaking scars are shallow and difficult to distinguish from one another on one side and slightly more distinct on the other. The edges in the hafting area, on the base and sides, are steeply retouched with pressure flaking and heavily ground. This has the effect of making it almost look stemmed. The material was not identified. It measures 2 3/16 inches (5.5 cm) long.
   The point on the left was found in the camp area. It's described as being nearly triangular in shape with slightly convex sides and that it may have been made from "the all-over reworking of a piece of a larger broken point. This point is made of porcellanite and measures 1 7/8 inches (40.7 cm) long.

The Mill Iron site produced nine radio carbon dates. Five dates were obtained from the camp site and four from the bone bed meat processing area. The radio carbon dates range in time from 10,770 + 85 years to 11,360 + 170 years. The average date from all nine dates is 11,187 + 222 years.

CONTINUE ON TO PAGE TWO

"REFERENCES"

1991, Frison, George C., "The Goshen Paleoindian Complex: New Data For Paleoindian Research," Clovis Origins And Adaptations, p. 133.
1996, Frison, George C., "The Mill Iron Site," p. 205.
1999, Stanford, Dennis, "Paleoindian Archaeology And Late Pleistocene Environments In The Plains And Southwestern United States," Ice Age Peoples Of North America, Environments, Origins, And Adaptations, pp. 305-310.
2002, Haynes, Gary, "The Early Settlement Of North America, The Clovis Era," p. 257.
2006, Huckell, Bruce B. And Judge, W. James, "Paleo-Indian: Plains And Southwest," Handbook Of North American Indians, Vol. 3, Environment, Origins, And Population, p. 158.
2006, Jeb Taylor, "Projectile Points Of The High Plains. New Perspectives On Typology Based On Examinations Of Original Type Site Specimens," pp.151-162.

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