While Agate Basin and Folsom’s final products don’t stylistically look similar, some theorize that early production stages (preforms) show similar flaking techniques between the complexes – this would imply that Agate Basin evolved from Folsom. Based on radiocarbon dates, the two traditions did overlap chronologically, but more evidence is needed before anything can be said with certainty. ¹ ²

The Agate Basin complex shows an increase in communal hunts of bison throughout the plains. Still, there is some discussion about the social organization, and food procurement strategies of these people. Two different suggestions are: that communal hunting was the main form of subsistence. The other camp believes that the small family structures had a broad spectrum of subsistence, and they supplemented their diets with communal hunts when they could organize larger groups together. A mixture of both theories was likely the reality.⁵

Agate Basin Points

Agate Basin are long lanceolate points which lack flutes. They are created from a large bifaces by reducing their size using percussion flaking, then shaping the sides using pressure flaking. This shape is postulated to have been good for reworking – especially in the case of breakage. The majority of found points are reworked, and there are examples of bases, tips, and midsections being remade into new points.³