Point of the Month for September

Our last point of the month focused on the Susquehanna Broad Point Style, a large broad knife form from the lower Northeast. This month we will look at another knife form with a varied design, distribution area, and generally a higher quality of material. This month's article will focus on tips to help the modern knapper create this classic look. Click below for more.

Flint Ridge "E" Notch Thebes

The Thebes point is an Archaic point style found in the Ohio River Valley. With 4 classic variations to challenge the beginning knapper as well as the seasoned devotee, this is a style worth learning. The Thebes point has a stout medium to large size blade with deep notches and it is almost always found to be resharpened numerous times.  The Thebes style is considered to be primarily a knife form, but was also a multipurpose tool. Thebes have been found resharpened down to a small scraper before being discarded or lost.

Dating for the Thebes style has been debated. The Graham Cave site is one of the only locations associated with the Thebes style to have been dated. C-14 dating at that site has yielded a time between 7800 BC and 6900 BC, and this is further substantiated by soil/rock strata at other locations to give a current accepted dating of 8000 BC to 5000 BC.

Illustrated example of a Thebes Style point

The materials commonly used for making a classic Thebes are: Cochocton, Burlington Chert, Flint Ridge, and Upper Mercer as well as other cherts throughout the distribution area. Many of the materials available to modern day knappers lend themselves well to creating a Thebes style point. Cherts such as Knife River Chert, Fort Payne, Buffalo River, Keokuk, Hornstone, Pedernales etc. can be used to create a great keeper for anyone's case. While heat treating was historically not used in the creation of this point style, a modern knapper will find it easier to work the materials associated with the style once they have been treated. And for those who do not have knappable rock "in their back yards" heat treated material may be the only source.

Flint Ridge E Notch by Chris Miller

The 4 varieties of Thebes points are as follows: Square Notched, Diagonal Notched, Dogleg, and Key or "E" Notched. These 4 styles are going to be the focus of the rest of the post to better help the modern day knapper create the "classic" Thebes look. The notch itself should not be the only focus when knapping a Thebes style point. Below are some key points to consider.

Authentic Thebes Cache blade

Key Points to Consider:

Thebes are Thick- Thebes tend to have a thicker blade lending itself to heavy use. Remember though, thick is relative to the width and length of the overall piece. While thick, the blade tends have a flat cross section

Bases are Heavily Ground- All Thebes points show heavy grinding in the basal area so that the lashing/hafting materials were not cut or worn through during use. Be sure to grind the finished base as well as the insides of the notches. A discarded flake works well for abrading the notched out area.

Resharpened to a Bevel- Beveling occurrs when the blade is "resharpened" by knapping the existing edge in one direction. Most bevels are "left handed". The flakes removed to create the bevel are noticeable on the left side of the blade. The aggressive angle of resharpening of both cutting edges on a flat cross section creates a shape similar to a rhombus. To better understand this, look at the photos posted here as well as elsewhere and study the edges.

Pressure Flaked Base- Pressure flaking is generally focused around the basal area with the majority of the blade consisting of larger percussion flake scars. 

Base Width- To create a classic looking Thebes, keep the base narrower than the "ears" created by the notches. 

Base Shape and Notching- The 4 general styles for notches (square, diagonal, dogleg, E Notch) each correlate with a specific incurvate or excurvate base style. Check out the illustration below.

Notching Styles, click for larger image

Going from left to right, the first style shown is the Square notched. The Square notched variety has the widest entry terminating in, as the name suggests, a squared off ending. The second is the Diagonal notched style. This style is closely related to the squared notch, but has a much narrower entry. Notice the shape of the bottom of the base curving slightly inward. The third variety is the Dogleg, building off of the diagonally notched variety, the Dogleg notch sweeps up towards the tip of the blade. The bases on this style tend to have a definitive inward concave shape. The last style and the hardest to master is the "Key" or "E" notch. The notches start much like the Diagonal or Dogleg style but the notching tool, whether it be a punch or narrow pressure flaker, is then positioned in the deepest part of the notch with the flakes being removed towards the base of the point.

The 4 drawn examples above were made from old/authentic Thebes style points. A good key to remember when trying to make an authentic looking point of any style is to have on hand examples from pictures, casts, or modern knapped points. This will allow you to be able to reference those examples and make a classic looking Thebes yourself.