Recent Radiocarbon Data For Western Clovis and High plains Paleo CREDIT: KENNETH B. TANKERSLEY Ph.D I reviewed all of the recent radiocarbon data for Western Clovis and the High Plains flaked-stone technologies, typologies, and styles. Two immediate issues came up. First, the radiocarbon data for the last century is not comparable to that in this century. The new AMS dates have a =?- precision of 40 years, and the samples are from well-known stratigraphic contexts and compositions. The second issue is time transgression. The same styles and technologies did not occur at the same time in different places. In Wyoming the point styles are older and in Texas they are younger. Plainview is a good example. Also, the folks in Texas use a different typological system than they do in Arizona and Wyoming. Unfortunately, there are no simple answers. There are two major theoretical camps--the Texas camp and the Arizona/Wyoming camps. I have always been with the later rather than the former. However, your readers are not concerned with these esoteric issues. The dates below are my time approximations based on averages across the geographic space of the Plains and the nomenclature currently in use. Western Clovis Technological Complex 10,800 to 11,400, radiocarbon age range 12,500 to 13,500, actual time, years ago Folsom Technological Complex 10,000 to 10,900, radiocarbon age range 11,160 to 12,900, actual time, years ago The Scottsbluff technological complex includes Alberta, Scottsbluff, Firstview, and Eden points, and the Cody Knife. Some people, however, have a "Cody Complex," and "Alberta Complex'" and even an "Alberta Cody Complex." Basically, it is all the same technology. Scottsbluff Technological Complex 8,450 to 9,450, radiocarbon age range 9,500 to 10,500, actual time, years ago For those who use the term "Cody Technological Complex" 8,100 to 9,300, radiocarbon age range 8,800 to 10,500, actual time, years ao For those who use the term "Alberta Technological Complex" 9,900 to 10,100, radiocarbon age range 11,100 to 11,200, actual time, years ago For those who use the term "Alberta-Cody Technological Complex" 9,800 to 10,100, radiocarbon age range 11,000 to 11,200, actual time, years ago For those who use the term Firstview Projectile Point 8,450 to 9,450, radiocarbon age range 9,500 to 10,500, actual time, years ago Midland is a major can of worms. Some people have it n a single technological complex while others out it into the Lanceolate Plano Technological Complex. In this complex, Plainview is tossed in with the Midland, Agate Basin, Hell Cap, Milnesand, Firstview, and Black Rock Concaved Base. Also, there is the issue that they date much older in the north than they do in the south. In Texas, they call Goshen Plainview. For some time in Wyoming, they called Goshen Goshen Plainview. Now it is just Goshen in Wyoming and Plainview in Texas. Midland Projectile Point 10,350 to 10,750, radiocarbon age range 12,350 to 12,500, actual time, years ago Agate Basin Projectile Point 9,500 to 10,500, radiocarbon age range 10,510 to 1,500, actual time, years ago Hell Gap Projectile Point| 9,600 to 10,000, radiocarbon age range 10,500 to 11,160, actual time, years ago Goshen Projectile Point 10,350 to 11,00, radiocarbon age range 12,350 to 12,920, actual time, years ago Plainview Projectile Point 6,280 to 10,290, radiocarbon age range 7,000 to 12,300. actual time, years ago Milnesand Projectile Point 9,300 to 10,290, radiocarbon age range 10,500 to 11,300, actual time, years ago Black Rock Concave Base Projectile Point 7,000 to 9,000, radiocarbon age range 7,790 to 9,980, actual time, years ago Rio Grande Projectile Point 9,600 to 10,000, radiocarbon age range 10,500 to 11,160, actual time, years ago The term "Yuma." originally coined by Renaud in 1937 was a mixture of lanceolate shaped points, which included a variety of manufacturing technologies. It was originally used to talk about non-Folsom Paleoindian. Later, they were separated into the Plano and Scottsbluff clusters depending upon their method of manufacture. I realize the term survives in the amateur/collector circles, professionally, however, it is an extinct term in 2004.