Pictured, is a selection of Susquehanna points made for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pa.
A Flintknapping Workshop, “Pressure Flaking” will take place on June 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bement-Billings Farmstead in Newark Valley, N.Y. The cost is $45, and $40 for Newark Valley Historical Society members. You can register by calling Leslie at (607) 642-5412.
Since the dawn of people’s existence, shaping and flaking stone tools has been important to survival and defense. The long history practicing this survival skill has left billions of artifacts in the form of projectile points, or what many folks refer to as “arrowheads”. True arrowheads are actually quite small and lightweight so most of the larger projectile points found are atlatl dart points or knives.
Flintknapping gets its name from the old practice of making gunflints. German gunflint makers were referred to as flintknappers. This art was almost lost until two California professors were able to obtain custody and eventually befriend a Yahi Indian who they named Ishi. Much of what we know today was obtained from watching and documenting how Ishi practiced the art of flintknapping.
Today there are only an exclusive 100,000 or so flintknappers on earth that know and practice this ancient skill. Most of the modern flintknappers today practice knapping as a hobby or to produce pure artwork, but there are many who do it for survival skill building or replication work. In New York State there are only approximately 40 known flintknappers practicing this skill today. Learning this primitive skill will place you in an elite group of people not only in New York State, but throughout the entire earth. It is a skill few know, and even fewer who become masters of it.
The Flintknapping Workshop – “Pressure Flaking” class will start with the fundamentals of flintknapping by Instructor Michael McGrath, flintknapping artist. This is an opportunity for introduction to the art and skills of flintknapping, which includes tools and instruction for beginning pressure flaking and the making of an arrowhead.
Participants take home their new tools and any flint flakes remaining at end of the day. He will explain why and how a good flake is removed from flint, and how each pressure flaking tool is used correctly. Though the skills taught are the same skills used by the ancient knappers, the tools will be copper tipped pressure flakers and modern grinding stone materials instead of deer antler pressure flakers and common stone abraders.
Modern tools will allow attendees to focus more on their skill building. Flint knapping by its very nature can be dangerous, since one is hitting or flaking a stone that removes razor sharp piece of flint that can cut, get in the eyes, or even pierce a bare foot. So gloves, lap pads, and safety glasses are a must for beginners and working with a mentor or instructor is preferred.
With that said, if the proper precautions are taken flintknappers will have little trouble with such injuries over a lifetime practicing this craft. Books and DVD’s will also be available to purchase in class.
Later on in the fall of 2016, a separate class will be offered to provide additional basic skills, “Percussion Flaking”, removing a flake from a larger piece of flint.
McGrath lives in Central New York State and has flintknapped since 2001, specializing in many Northeastern point styles using authentic Northeastern and North American materials. He discovered this ancient skill after wondering just how the ancient ones made the projectile points and later benefited from working with mentors.
Today he is keeping very busy creating replicas and artwork for customers and museums that stretch from coast to coast and as far away as South Korea. That includes replicas for the following museums: Carnegie Museum of Natural History San Diego Zoo, The California Museum, Ipswich Museum and is known around New York State and perhaps around the country for his skills and love of making the Susquehanna Point type.
He is found yearly at the Letchworth State Park for the annual Stone Tool Craftsman Show, this year Aug. 26-28, and will demonstrate at the Apple Festival in Newark Valley on Oct. 1-2 in 2016.
“There is nothing more unique than the sound of a percussion tool removing a flake from a large piece of flint. It awakens the DNA our ancient ancestors bequeathed us through blood, sweat, and survival,” said McGrath.
