Widely distributed prehistoric culture of North America characterized by leaf-shaped flint projectile points with fluted sides.
The complex also includes bone tools, hammerstones, scrapers, and unfluted points. It derives its name from the first site examined, in 1932, near Clovis, N.M. Clovis projectile points, dating from с 10,000 BC, have been found in association with mammoth bones and indicate the existence of a big-game hunting tradition among the earliest settlers of North America. See also Folsom complex .