CORNER TANG KNIVES IN KANSAS Tom Wyatt Westmoreland

CORNER TANG KNIVES IN KANSAS

Tom Wyatt
Westmoreland, Kansas

Yes, Corner Tang knives are found in Kansas. I do not know of many being found here, so they are rare in this state, and a few types appear to be very rare. Corner Tang knives have been defined as blades made of flint, chert, and some other materials that flaked with conchoidal fractures. These knives are usually bifacially flaked and have a stem or tang located somewhere along the back, lateral edge, or on the side. These artifacts were used as a cutting tool. They date from the Late Archaic through the Woodland periods.

A number of studies have been done on Tang knife artifacts. A study of Corner Tang knives was made by Dr. J. T. Patterson in 1936 with a second report, "The Corner Tang Knives in Texas," published in 1937. There are also "Supplementary Notes on the Corner Tang Artifacts" and a 1994 study by Kenneth C. Kraft entitled "Corner Tang Stone Artifacts of the Plains." Then in 1999 Dwain Rogers published his "Corner Tang Knives Across Texas," which is the definitive work to date.

The distribution of Corner Tang knives is not fully known, but the center is believed to exist in central Texas, with examples having been found in thirteen other nearby states. The abundance (and they are not abundant even in Texas) makes it difficult to maintain an accurate count, as it appears there are less than 2000 documented examples. The Corner Tang knife is certainly not common and is viewed by archaeologists and collectors as a relatively rare artifact. with the Back Tang and Mid-Back Tang as the rarest.

Above and to the left, Corner Tang knives found in Geary County, Kansas by the author. They were all made from Florence chert. They are shown actual size. From the collection of Tom Wyatt

I am fortunate to have a few Corner Tang knives found in Kansas in my collection; they are among my favorite artifacts. I was fortunate to have acquired a 3 1/3-inch Mid-Tang knife made from Foraker chert found in Douglas County, Kansas. In addition, I have my personal finds. In July, 1997, I found my first Corner Tang knife. It is made from gray Florence chert and is 5 inches long. In April 1998, I found a 4 1/4-inch Corner Tang knife made from light gray Florence chert. Then in February 2000, The "BIG ONE" joined my collection: a 4 1/4-inch-long Back Tang made from gray Florence chert. All of these artifacts were found along the Republican River in Geary County, Kansas.

Left; Back Tang knife found along the Republican River, in Geary County, Kansas by the author. Right: Back Tang knife made from Foraker chert found in Douglas County, Kansas. Both are shown actual size. From the collection of Tom Wyatt.

Since they were found along a river, they are out of context and no other data is available. In the formal archaeological mindset they are irrelevant, but these artifacts still have something to say. They help formal archaeology in determining distributions and ranges of acknowledged point types. REFERENCES Perino, Gregory 1985, Selected Preforms, Points and Knives of the North American Indians, Volume 1. Points and Barbs Press, Idabel, Oklahoma. Rogers, Dwain 2000, Corner Tang Knives Across Texas. Personal Press, Houston Texas.

HOME