Table of Contents
Chipping Flint Or Obsidian Tools
| Field | No longer necessary for daily life |
| Went Obsolete | Varied from place to place in the world; copper smelting in Near East ca. 4200 BCE; trade in New World say 1800 CE |
| Made Obsolete By | Metallurgy |
| Knowledge Assumed | Field geology (location and recognition of appropriate materials) learning to hit just right, and what constitutes 'just right,' when a flaw is insuperable; reworking and resharpening; uses of exhausted first incarnation (from projectile point to scrape to incisor) |
| When useful | very useful, highly admired among archaeologists who deal with the original artifacts. Familiarity with the technology allows greater understanding of its intermediate stages and end-product, not only interesting in itself but useful for cultural identification. Flint flakes also make great box cutters, obsidian blades can make clean enough surgical incisions to heal without visible scarring |
Then enter a description of the skill, and include a photo using the 'attach' link in the header for this page. Links page: http://flintknapping.com/Links.htm(approve sites)
