Definition: Fishtail points are to South America what Clovis points are to North America: associated with the earliest occupations in South America that everybody agrees on. They are called Fishtail because of the shape, which includes a narrow double-in-curved stem that looks, uh, like a fish. Fishtail points are dated roughly about the same time as Clovis (11,000-11,500 years ago); and there is overlap between Fishtail points and Clovis in the midlatitudes of Central America.
A photograph of a handful of fishtail points from Fell's Cave in Chile can be found here on Flickr.
Sources
For an update on the latest information about fishtail points see Clovis No Longer First.A photograph of a handful of fishtail points from Fell's Cave in Chile can be found here on Flickr.
Gnecco, Cristobal 1994 Fluting technology in South America. Lithic Technology 19(1):35-42.
Morrow, Juliet E. and Toby A. Morrow 1999 Geographic variation in fluted projectile points: A hemispheric perspective. American Antiquity 64(2):215-231.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Examples:
Fell's Cave, Chile
