Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Wolfie on June 03, 2021, 02:22:34 pm
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Hi to eveyone out there...This is my first post, I'm from the U K. I've been scratching around In the dirt, finding flints and stuff for many .... With the lockdown over here, I thought I'd start a blog about my finds....Only some of the points I I'm not sure about. I thought as there are people on here making stuff, at the sharp end ,so to speak, maybe posting some pics would help me get a better idea, and hopefully be of interest to folks. I don't work flint myself, but I have tried making a bow out of yew.
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Hello Wolfie, and welcome to PA. I, for one, would be interested to see any pieces you have found. I have family in London and a sister who enjoys mudlarking in the Thames. Amazing, the things that she has found over the years. More common pieces of pottery, pipe bowls, and such...but, also a jewel, Roman coin, and a flint tool. I'm always curious about the subject of stone points and tools from the "Old World".
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Welcome aboard, Wolfie! How about some pictures? Parnell, maybe your sister could post some, too!
Keep us scrounges happy!
Hawkdancer
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I enjoy looking at artifacts. Post away. And Welcome.
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What is the point? https://imgur.com/gallery/jIOQjlE
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Thanks for the welcome, bear with me while I try resizling images. . .Here we go, this first one I found donkeys years ago but didn't twig it was a point...the shape with tang/assymetry/lateralised on one side, suggests its from the late glacial Hamburgian culture, 15-13k B.P. They were reindeer hunters, tracking across the North sea from present day Germany. This is on the cusp of when the bow and arrow is known for sure...Its 90mm long, is that too big for an arrowhead? I believe they had composite atlatls with an antler foreshaft, so maybe a dart from one of those?
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Well, I’ll speculate first. My first thought was how similar that piece is to what my sister found in the river. It does look like a spalled piece of flint. What’s catching my attention, though is the base in your palm. I am figuring that is where the impact point was that knocked this piece off from its core. What’s odd, I think, is that sharp triangular point protruding in the opposite direction. It’s atypical, in my mind from how the breaking pattern should be. Also, it appears like maybe a flake was driven on that base triangular area to try and thin that ridge line? Any shot at seeing the other side, Wolfie?
As for what it is? I don’t think a projectile point. Maybe just a spalled piece that was a useful tool...or simply just left aside?
Curious if others will have thoughts.
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https://i.imgur.com/IfbAo1G.jpg
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Speculation is a good thing, just what we need to try and learn about this stoney stuff...Some more pics of this one here we go...the ventral face, no clues here though it seems, and an angle to show the bulb/scar/radial fissures. I think because of the granular inclusions, pics don't show features very well. The bulb of percussion looks quite broad here.
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Ventral https://imgur.com/gallery/VRG3d1o
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Platform, bulb, fissures https://imgur.com/gallery/jBbAVNp
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Here's a trio from nearby...the first has impact damage on the tip, the second has an oblique truncation.
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Threesome https://imgur.com/gallery/gOC00VW
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Alongside the points, I found a number of these distinctive tools, 'curved tip beaked burins' known as 'Krombekstekers"...associated exclusively with the Hamburgian, so they're a useful diagnostic indicator. Known to be curated, in the first picture you can see how some have been repeatedly resharpened.
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Krombekstekers https://imgur.com/gallery/eW1tD4h
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Antler foreshaft test!
https://youtu.be/lXw-K6DR7RU
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I think watching this helped me answer some questions, and has given me some fresh insight...
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This is a good video. I always sort of scratch my head when academics search for how “exactly” things were done or used. Clearly there was a technique shared by people to spall out these types of sharp flakes capable of possibly being good for a point or possibly used as a knife...or, scraper. They are tools.
When people hand make objects there are subtle differences between each persons work. It would have been the same 12,000 years, ago. My point is, I don’t think there is an “exact” way. People just make it happen for use and we also consider aesthetic beauty in the process, if we have the time and energy.
Will you learn to knap, Wolfie?
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When you consider the environment at this time, trees would be few and far between, making wood a scant resource. Adding an antler foreshaft means that if your shaft breaks, it would be at the join...So perhaps it was a strategy to try and ensure retrieval and reuse of valuable wood. As a bonus, it also leads to a far superior projectile - the density of antler at the front means it flaps about less, has a better flight path so is more accurate. Also, better penetration of the target. It occured to me that carrying both a bow and atlatl would be a wise move...if your bow breaks, a replacement could be tricky=no food+death, but you still have the thrower... Adopting a composite projectile means you can adapt your strategy as needs be. One final thing, on the point I found, I always thought the triangular base looked odd compared to other definite tangs...Seeing the foreshaft in the video, with a slot cut at the tip, you can see how it fits. Clever stuff, and deep respect for those hardy ice age hunters...
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I agree with you about that video, definitely a well thought out bit of experimental archaeology, ruth less German efficiency wins again.... Also, I think you hit the nail on the head with your point about multi purpose tools...A highly mobile hunter-gatherer has to travel light, so dual use would be an imperative...though with a trade off. If it breaks, you lose 2 tools!
I think its not surprising academics often struggle to grasp the mindset of the people who made these tools...That rigid, overly analytical mode of thought seems diametrically opposed to the wonderful pragmatism, the on the fly adaptability you get a sense of by looking at flint artefacts. I guess sometimes form follows function for sure...Other times it won't be pretty, but still do the job. Actually, what you mentioned was part of why I wanted to post on here, with some of the more ersatz/ad hoc type stuff that I found.
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To answer your question about knapping, I think I simply have to learn in the very near future...The next stage for me!
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I’m glad to read you are considering picking up some rock! I hope you do, I know the message board will be supportive. Have you researched or are you aware of locations to access that nice flint you all have, over there?
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Well...locally, its not so much that flint is a part of the landscape...it IS the landscape! A walk along the beach here would often find you with 6ft or more of cobbles under your feet...
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Load of Cobblers https://imgur.com/gallery/MyRry02
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...Should I post some more pics, anyone inteterested ???
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An interesting video. What I thought different from the many other videos using the same blade shape is the foreshafts carved to fit the blade core instead of mounting a blade in a simple notch. Most of the time you see people trying to replicate this style of blade try to straighten the core blade instead of cutting notches in the shaft at angles to utilize the blade curvature.