SIZE: Size is quite variable. Most specimens fall within the following ranges: length, 30-55 mm.; maximum width, 20-40 mm.; hafting width, 10-22 mm.; thickness, 6-11mm.

SHAPE: The blades usually have convex lateral margins; some specimens have straight or concave margins but these are mostly re-worked and re-sharpened points. Typically the bases are straight or slightly convex. The hafting modification ranges from basally notched to almost side- notched — in fact, they tend to intergrade in form with the Brewerton Side-Notched points. In cross-section the points are often biconvex, but, owing to variable workmanship, they may be plano-convex or otherwise asymmetric.

FLAKING: The quality of workmanship varies. Most bases are slightly to heavily ground.

RAW MATERIAL: The raw material is usually Onondaga chert.

DISTRIBUTION: Brewerton Corner-Notched points are found throughout much of eastern North America, although reported under a variety of more-or-less synonymous type names.

AGE AND CULTURAL AFFILIATIONS: This type was named by William Ritchie (1961), who regards it as a minor point type in the Brewerton phase of the Laurentian tradition; however, corner-notched points of similar form, size and age are found in many non-Laurentian Archaic complexes in the Eastern Woodlands. Archaic corner-notched points have a long history but they seem to be most popular between 2500 and 3500 B.C. At the Morrison’s Island-6 site on the Ottawa River, Brewerton Side-Notched and Corner-Notched points have been carbon dated to 2750 +/- 150 B.C. by Clyde Kennedy. Closer to home, Brian Deller has found water-rolled corner- notched points in the Thedford embayment by Lake Huron: the chronology of Huron basin water levels suggests a date of about 2500 B. C., or earlier, for Deller’s specimens.

REMARKS: Many of the larger Brewerton Corner-Notched “points” may well have functioned as knives. It is not uncommon to find specimens having their distal ends retouched into scraper edges (see bottom right).

REFERENCE: Kenyon, I. – 1981 Brewerton Corner-notched Points. KEWA 81-8. ( Text of Original Publication )