This is what made the chronological question — whether Western Stemmed Tradition was contemporary with Clovis, or older, or younger — scientifically significant rather than merely taxonomic.

If the two traditions co-existed, they represent two distinct technological solutions to the same ecological challenges, developed by populations that may have had different origins or different histories.

If one preceded the other, that precedence carries implications for understanding the sequence of human movement through the Americas.

The Buhl point measures approximately 97 millimeters in length, which is at the upper end of the size distribution for Western Stemmed Tradition points from the Snake River Plain region.

Similar large points — sometimes called oversized or Parman-type — are known from several other sites in the region and have been discussed in the literature as potentially representing a specific functional variant or a specific time period within the tradition.