Flintknapping
The manipulation and working of stone is one of the oldest practices in human history. The earliest stone tools ever recovered in the archaeological record date back to about 3.3 million years before the genus Homo arose. Early stone tools are very crude and exhibit a flake patterns that can be difficult to spot due to sand blasting from winds. Around 800,000 years ago when people began to cook food brain development began to evolve and stone tools became more elaborate. Thousands of years later when people became sedentary art forms and stone tools hit an apex of complexity.
In this workshop we will take a step back in time and flintknap stone blades, arrow-points, and dart-points.
When and Where?
On Saturday February 10th 2024 starting at 11:00am and ending around 3:00pm we meet at Lake Weatherford in Weatherford, TX. We will first meet in the main parking lot on the side of the road (look for the Primitive Lifeways truck) After that, we will take a short hike into the wilderness and start our class. Lake Weatherford will come up on GPS when using Google or Apple Maps to navigate.
Cost?
Cost for this workshop is $55.00 per student covering all materials.
What to Expect?
Each student will have a precise understanding of how to manipulate volcanic stone into sharp projectile points. Each student will understand the basics and advanced techniques of flintknapping. As always, we encourage students to ask questions throughout the workshop.
What Will Be Covered In this Class?
Like bow making, flintknapping is an extensive and complex skill that takes time from start to finish. Any instructor that can guarantee a student wont fail and break a point is not doing service. The fact is volcanic stone is fragile and breaks will occur. However, we will spend the entire time taking you through the process of flake removal, platform setup, percussion and pressure flaking, and notching. At the end of the day all students will have the knowledge and understanding it takes to flintknap points of their own.
