Intentional Nipple?

[DiversionHound]

I found these 3 points in very near the same location in a creek in Bullitt Co KY. I'm thinking they are some Big Sandy variant, not positive.
I find it uncanny how similar the bases are, especially the ears.
The damage to the bases is also similar seeing they are all missing an ear. Not sure if this is indicative of their use or from their manufacture.


The bases are all slightly concave. Or you could say 2 of them have a dimple or 2.
I think the concavity/dimples may simply be a result of basal thinning by removing flakes from the base towards the tip.

You can even see the hinge fractures on this one below where flakes were removed this way.



I wonder if the nipple remains on the one below as a result of basal thinning using the same technique? (I suppose you could say it has 2 dimples rather than a nipple...)
Maybe they thought the base was thin enough after taking a few flakes off and just stopped thinning, consequently leaving the nipple?
Or maybe that's what they were going for?

[clovisoid]

The first point, it looks like there is a little area right above that hinge that was "stacky" that the maker tried to remove with a thinning flake from the bottom. You can see where the side flake also petered out before it removed part of that "knot" in the flint.

The base- Not sure if this was the case, but if you don't want to cut your fingers, a great way to remove a point from the shaft is to cut the lashings and give it a whack to unseat it. You often end up with a ding on one ear. If you ask a good knapper to make a point and an arrow shaft/atlatl dart, and they will spend a lot more time on finding/straitening/fletching the shaft than making the tip. (Points were disposable. Just like fish hooks compared to a fishing rod today.)

The notches- The bottom two points have punch notching, I can't see the notching as well in the first point. Early archaic notch for the most part in Kentucky.

[DiversionHound]

Thank you so much for the insight! Much appreciated!

[Hal Gorges]

Makes sense to me.

[Hal Gorges]

Not sure what the ole boy had in mind but I woulda took a nipple strike before I notched it

[outlaws15]

On second point. Could it be that it's a nipple from being broke on right side? Looks like the base has been broke to cause a nipple.
The blue color in that point is cool

[DiversionHound]

Maybe? If it's broke, it was broke in the manor of a flake though as to leave a basal edge, except for the ear of course. I'll send a couple more pics of the base to see what you think.

[DiversionHound]

[outlaws15]

Good pictures. Doesn't look broke at all.
Thanks for pictures