Turn Ordinary Rocks into Arrowheads, Tools in UA’s Moundville Park Flintknapping Class July 14

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Some of the Southeast’s best stone crafters will teach participants how Native Americans transformed ordinary rocks into useful tools and arrowheads during the July 14 Flintknapping Class and Gathering at The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park.

Flintknapping is one of man’s oldest crafts, said Betsy Gilbert, education outreach coordinator for the park. 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 numerous other implements, she said.

The annual summer event, which is open to participants 12 and older, is one of the park’s most popular workshops, said Gilbert. Class size is limited. Registration is $35. For more information or to register, contact Gilbert at 205/371-2234 or bgilbert@ua.edu.

A common misbelief, Gilbert said, 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, Gilbert said. First, the proper type of stone is chosen. Only rocks that break like glass can be used, she said.

A knapper reduces a stone’s size and shape by systematically removing flakes. There are two ways flakes are commonly removed, Gilbert said. A flintknapper percussion flakes when he hits the edge of 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, a natural glass formed by volcanoes, Gilbert said. Very similar in mineral content, flint and chert are commonly found mixed in with limestone deposits, she said. However, old porcelain sinks and tubs, or even the bottom of a soft drink bottle, will chip readily.

Most of the knappers arrive and set up on the Friday before the class. All supplies for the class are provided for the day, but many participants opt to purchase a starter tool kit, Gilbert said.

The general public is invited to visit Moundville Archaeological Park and watch these skilled artists at work. In addition to selling one-of-a-kind stone points, knappers coming to Moundville sell raw material of all different sorts, shapes and sizes. They also have antler and leather and other knapping tools and supplies. General admission to the park is $3 for students 5 and up (including UA students), and $5 for adults.

UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park is located 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa off I-20/59 on State Highway 69. Described as the Big Apple of the 14th century, Moundville was America’s largest city north of Mexico. Located near the Black Warrior River, this National Historic Landmark is the best preserved archaeological site of the Mississippian culture in the United States. There are 320-acres with more than 20 preserved prehistoric Indian mounds, campgrounds, picnic areas, boardwalk nature trail, theater, river bend lodge, and a museum housing the finest Mississippian-era artifacts ever found in North America.