Thank you for that, and for being truly interested in more than a Texas hamburger.
Apparently Clovis were also found at the Hell Gap site? I would be curious which was stratified deeper if you happen to know?
I can see a possible transition from the Hell Gap points to Clovis or vice versa in some of the Thrall points. The Hell Gap design is interesting because it is no nonsense and appears to be a much sturdier shape than just about every other shape found. Stubby, practical and solid rather than intricate with possible vulnerabilities to being fragile like the Solutrean leaf points.
But there are some strange things going on with all these finds.There have been Western stemmed points found at Paisley Caves dated to before Clovis yet no Clovis. Yet at Hell Gap there has been Western stemmed points found above Clovis indicating a later West to East migration.
Then there is the Solutrean that indicates an East to West migration. And the fact that South American Clovis are older than the North American Clovis indicates a South to North migration. The Santa Rosa Channel Island Finds indicate a Coastal Route by watercraft and the pre-clovis age finds in Brazil indicate a possible connection with Africa across the Atlantic.
To me this all adds up to several migrations from different directions at different time periods. I think to try and limit migrations to just one possibility from only one direction and try to discredit all the other possibilities is holding us back from recognizing the true complex possibilities.
It is ignorant to assume with a closed mind that all early man were hydrophobic and were not smart enough to float. Or that it was impossible to skirt along ice packs like Antarctica and find enough calories to make and survive a trip like that from Australia and New Zealand to South America. We are failing to give early Hominids the credit of being much smarter than we think.
There cannot be a total sum without more than one factor. And we are always trying to limit everything to just one factor. We will never find the true sum if we don’t stop recognizing all the possible factors in the whole equation.
As a knapper I might see things a little different than standard thinking. I’m not sure why some assume that certain cultures only made one style of point. I’ve worked material that is almost impossible to flute so instead make another style point, both being used for the same purpose. Here in west TX we see allot of Plainview, Yuma style points but from time to time fluted points are found. I really like the Hell Gap style point because it’s a great representation of a transition maybe not from a certain period but simply because of the material. With lets say gem quality chert I have a pretty good success ration with fluting points. Lower that quality of material and that ratio goes way down. So instead of coming from the end to thin the point down I have to come in from the sides creating a completely different style point. I know I’m not doing a good job of explaining myself here but I guess I’m trying to say that for one culture to make several style points just doesn’t sound unreasonable to me. The Clovis and the Solutreans made a wide variety of points and tools.