Buttermilk Creek complex

The Buttermilk Creek complex, at the Debra L. Friedkin site near Salado, Texas, is a Paleolithic archaeological site whose artifacts have been dated to roughly 13,200 to 15,500 years ago, beneath a later Clovis horizon. Excavated beginning in 2006 under Michael R. Waters, it yielded a large pre-Clovis stone-tool assemblage, including blades, bifaces, modified tools, and polished hematite, with some wear indicating work on hard materials. Researchers argued that stratigraphy, artifact sequence, and OSL dating showed a long occupation sequence extending into later periods. The site became central to debates over the “Clovis First” model, while some critics questioned its dating and deposit integrity.

Texas · United States