Programs and Events

Ancient Technologies Revealed
Knap-in and Primitive Arts Meet
March 31 - April 2, 2006

Stone toolmakers and primitive artists and technologists demonstrate and sell their works at this year’s meet, March 31 - April 2 at Moundville Archaeological Park. Demonstrations include bow and arrow shooting and atlatl, knife and tomahawk throwing. Visitors can enter an atlatl (spear throwing) contest or buy one-of-a-kind items at our annual Saturday auction made up of donated stone points and knives, raw materials, tools, t-shirts and more.

Finely crafted knives by Dale Cannon features hand chipped stone blades with silver wrapped marble handles (photos courtesy of Future Artifacts)

Flintknapping is one of man’s oldest crafts. All around the earth humans have chipped rocks into tools and weapons for thousands of years. Until Europeans came to the Americas, Native Americans knapped stone arrow and spear points, knife blades, scrapers, drills and many other tools and weapons.

A common misbelief is that Native Americans made arrow points by heating rocks and dropping water on them. In order to make a stone arrow point, several principals are put into practice. First, the proper type of stone is chosen. Only rocks that break like glass can be used. Think of a BB pellet as it hits a pane of glass. Where the BB goes into the pane the hole is small; where it exits the hole is large. The piece of removed glass resembles a cone in shape.

Keeping the above in mind, a knapper reduces a stone’s size and shape by systematically removing flakes. The knapper hits the top of a piece of rock; the largest part of the flake falls off the bottom of the rock. Ancient humans mainly used antler and stone for knapping. There are two ways flakes are commonly removed. A flintknapper percussion flakes when he hits the edge the piece of flint with an antler or hammerstone, driving off the flake. Pressure flaking is when flakes are pried off with an antler’s small end or metal tipped tool.

Different types of stone flintknappers use include flint, chert and obsidian. Obsidian is a natural glass formed by volcanoes. Very similar in mineral content, flint and chert are commonly found mixed in with limestone deposits. However, you don’t have to look high and low for knapping material. Old porcelain sinks and tubs or even the bottom of a soft drink bottle will chip readily. Knappers coming to Moundville sell raw material of all different sorts, shapes and sizes. They also vend raw materials like antler and leather and all sorts of knapping tools. For more information on flintknapping visit Knapper’s Corner at http://www.eskimo.com/~knapper/.

Demonstrations of the atlatl and bow are featured during the event. Derived from the Aztec language, the atlatl is a spear throwing device apparently first invented in Europe, where the oldest archaeological evidence suggests they may have first been used 19,000 years ago. Either by word of mouth or by independent invention, the spear thrower found its way to the farthest reaches of the world. In some areas, such as Australia, Mexico, the Arctic, and portions of Asia, its use has continued until the present day, although the bow and arrow eventually replaced it in most locations hundreds or even thousands of years ago. For more information, visit the International Atlatl Society at http://www.internationalatlatlsociety.org/ or the World Atlatl Association at http://www.worldatlatl.org/.

The atlatl is a device used to throw spears (photo courtesy of the World Atlatl Association)

If you’re interested in learning to knap, or you just want to watch the best stone craftsmen from around the country, you don’t want to miss the Moundville Knap-in. These fine artists have taught hundreds of people this craft and welcome anyone interested in the art. Registered student/participants can camp in the park during the event, learn one-on-one with knappers, and join in a private dinner. Download the registration form here, fill it out and send it in with your registration fee to reserve your place at this exciting event.

Moundville is located 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa off State Highway 69. Knap-in hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday. Admission for this event is $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for children.

For more information call (205) 371-2234.

Flintknapper Jim Redfearn fashion a large stone blade from obsidian (volcanic glass)

Ray Madden of Missouri shows the proper form for using an atlatl (photo courtesy of the World Atlatl Association)

If you would like to attend special one-on-one knapping classes and a private dinner with the knappers, download the registration form here, fill it out and send it in with your registration fee.