THE PLATFORM
-a publication of the Minnesota Knappers Guild-
Editor: Gene Altiere
4329 Peabody Lane
Duluth, MN 55804
VOLUME 3, NO. 2
May, 1991
NEW MEMBERS
MKG member Frank Bera has been busy once again recruiting
new members. He has signed
up Larry Nordstrom, 709 Columbus Ave., Albert Lea, MN 56007. Apparently, Larry
has just started working with glass and Frank is trying to help him along.
Welcome to the group, Larry.
We also received dues money from LeRoy Gonsior,
87 West Oak Ave., R.R. 2 Delano, MN 55328. LeRoy is an archaeologist who
works with the
Minnesota Historical Society. His major interest is
in the native lithic materials of Minnesota. Have we found someone to write "the
rest of the story"
on Minnesota lithics? This month's issue has the second installment of Tony Romano's
Northern (Minnesota) Lithics. Maybe we can get LeRoy to write about Southern
(Minnesota) Lithics???????? How about it, LeRoy?
If any of our members
live near the fellows just joining, be sure to get in touch with them to
form local knapping groups. Working together generally improves the technique
of both the beginner and the more advanced knapper.
RENDEZVOUS NEWS
Our
resident rendezvouer,
MKG member Frank Bera has requested that we pass on the following list of dates
to our members. If any of you are in the vicinity, these are fun events to
take in as you will usually run into other knappers. Anyone who wants more information
can call Frank at (507) 889-8891:
May 17-19, Cedar Grove, MN
(S of Mankato on 169)
June 15-16 Forest City, IA (Pammel Park - in town)
Sept 28-29 Three Rivers Rendezvous Rochester, MN (Historical Center Co.22)
NEW
PUBLICATION
The
last issue of "CHIPS" talked about a new flint knapping newsletter
that is being printed. Steve and Jeff Behrnes have begun a newsletter called
"The Exchange". We here at the Platform haven't seen it yet but
the editors at "CHIPS" seem to feel it was well done. Anyone interested
can write to Jeff Behrnes c/o The Exchange, 769 Bret Drive, Denham Springs,
LA 70726.
3rd ANNUAL MKG KNAP-IN
Well gang, this
is the last newsletter before our July 6-7 Knap-in at the North West Co. Fur
Post. Now don't forget how disappointed you were last year when you couldn't
make it. MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! Tent and camper sites are available but there
are no hook ups. The only facilities available are latrines and drinking water.
So bring whatever you'll need to be comfortable. Most knappers will bring
some sort of "fly" to keep the sun off their heads (it wouldn't dare
rain) and to provide a site for
the public to watch them work. Food is not available at the Fur Post so you'll
have to cook your own meals or eat in town (there are some small restaurants
as well as fast food places). There are local motels in Pine City which is 3
mi. from the Fur Post (Gail Motel 612 629-2559, Schwartzwald Motel 612 629-2511).
There is also a motel 13 mi. away in Hinckely (Americ-inn 612 384-7451).
If you plan on staying at a motel rather than camping, we would suggest making
reservations EARLY. Some of our
knappers had troubles getting rooms last year because they waited until the last
minute.
For those of you who have not been to a knap-in, be sure to
bring your tools, stone, books, trading items, a stool to sit on, a plastic or
canvas ground cloth to catch the waste flakes (archaeologists do NOT appreciate
these "artifacts") and plenty of curiosity. DON'T leave your stuff
at home because you think your too new to the game. There will be a lot of beginners
there!
ANY QUESTIONS
CALL: JIM REGAN (612) 462-5568
STONE ARTIFACT REPLICAS
A couple of months ago the editor
received a catalog on museum quality replicas of North American prehistoric stone
artifacts. We had the opportunity to examine some of these reproductions some
time back. They are incredible. Visually, they are exact duplicates of some
of the finest examples of various point types. The coloring and surface texture
is superb. The catalog itself
is almost 40 pages long and is full of life size photos accompanied by extensive
information on the original artifacts from which the reproductions were cast.
Anyone interested (if you chip stone you're interested - believe me - Ed.)
in obtaining one of these catalogs should write to Lithics Casting Lab, Route
1 Box 102, Troy, IL 62294. The catalog we reviewed was No. 3 and the cost was
$3.00.
MKG PATCHES
The Minnesota Knappers Guild logo (front
page of the newsletter) is being
made into embroidered patches. They should be ready in time for the Knap -
in. The color will be blue on a white background. The cost will be $3.00 /
patch. After the Knap - in, we will make the patch available through the newsletter.
ARTICLES
Please
keep those articles coming in. The newsletter
can never have too many. How to's, where to get's, what you saw's and
what is it's are always appreciated. -Ed.
DEMONSTRATIONS
Occasionally
the editor will receive
a call or letter from various groups requesting our assistance with flintknapping
demonstrations. We will usually try to accommodate these requests if the
time permits. Several months ago we received a call from Jim Cummings (PARK
NATURALIST, MILLE LACS KATHIO STATE PARK, HC 67 BOX 85, ONAMIA, MN 56359). Jim
talked about some sort of knapping event at Kathio State Park on June 2. We
asked him if he would send details to the Platform before the May mailing but we
haven't heard from him. Anyone
who lives near there or knows Jim might want to call him to see what's up and
if he needs any help.
We did receive a very nice letter from
Clarissa Ellis of the Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone, MN (612)
245-2648. She would like to have someone put on a knapping demonstration at the
Center. She is teaching a class called Exploring Native American Crafts (and
Technologies) on June 18-22. If anyone can make one of those dates (daytime
or evening) to put on a knapping
demonstration it would be appreciated.
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HEX-WRENCH TOOL
We
received the following letter from Gary Neuenschwander of Sparta, MO. I
have tried the tool it performs very well. Thanks, Gary, for sharing this with
us. And thanks to Jim Regan of
Bethel, Mn for making the drawings - like Gary, I can't draw either. - Ed.
Dear
Gene,
I thought your readers might be interested in this easy
to make pressure flaker. I am sending you the tool because I can't draw. It is
made from a 1/8" Allen Handi-hex Key that should be available at your local
hardware store. It has been drilled out with a #18 drill bit and the 1/8"
hex key replaced with a #6 copper wire. It may not have the traditional "look"
of copper mounted
in deer antler but it is easier to make. For me a trip to the hardware store
is easier than getting a buck to give up his antlers.
The following article is the second
in a four part series discussing the native lithic materials of Northern Minnesota.
- Ed.
NORTHERN LITHICS - PART II
by Anthony Romano
There
is a group of high-silica
rocks utilized by early man in Northern Minnesota that can be considered as a unit.
These would be Kakebeca Chert, Taconite Jasper and Gunflint Silica. They
should be considered together for two main reasons: they were formed during the
same geologic time period (about two billion years ago) and they were formed
in the same Northeastern Minnesota iron ore bearing areas. Although characteristic
representative specimens can be routinely described, there are gradations
between types that sometimes make
identification very confusing.
The geology associated with these rocks
is interesting and informative. Even though there are several theories concerning
the iron formation of Northern Minnesota, the following brief description
is comfortable for me. After the Early Precambrian Laurentian Knife Lake time
periods, a great mountain building activity again took place in Northern Minnesota.
Geologists call it the Algoman Orogeny (meaning Algoman mountainbuilding).
These were huge granite mountains
that once again were eroded away into quartz, feldspar mica and other components.
The sandy mineral grains reassembled and metamorphosed to form a relatively
thin geologic layer or unit called the Pokegama Quartzite. This Pokegama
Quartzite became the floor of the Mesaba and Gunflint iron formations. (For
some reason only geologists can answer, the equivalent formation in Canada
is
called the "Kakebeca Conglomerate or Quartzite"). During
the MiddlePrecambrian period, these
basins were flooded by the ancient Animikian (Ojibwe for "thunder")
Seas. It is theorized by some that algae began to grow in the shallows of
the sea profusely enough to add significantly more oxygen (remember: CO2 in, O2
out) to the existing low-oxygen atmosphere. This created conditions favorable
for the oxidation of the pre-existing iron carbonates (siderite, FeCO3) to present
day iron oxides, hematite (Fe2O3) and magnetite (FeO-Fe2O3 or Fe3O4). At
the same time, under special climactic
conditions, great amounts of "ground silica" (a concentrated
solution of SiO2 probably derived from feldspar break-down) engulfed the iron precipitates.
These composite (more than one material bonded together chemically
and physically) materials solidified to form the rock types we observe today.
After around two billion years of weathering, one cannot help but wonder if they
didn't knap better in earlier times.
The rational for considering these
Animikian silicates together
is easily understood by using a good hand lens (magnifying glass) to examine
thin knapped sections of each type. Under the magnifying glass, Kakebeca Chert,
Taconite Jasper and Gunflint Silica are made up of two visible phases. There
is a continuous phase or matrix that is chalcedonous (glossy, high grade quartz)
in nature and has a faint bluish tinge. Embedded in the chalcedonous matrix
is a dispersed phase made up of grains or particles that vary in size and shape
and have various dispersion patterns
and degrees of concentration. Although, as mentioned before, there are
gradations between the materials, classic examples of each material have unique
and identifying characteristic size, shapes and arrangements of the particles
or grains. All three, however, exhibit the same continuous chalcedonous background
or matrix.
As an example, in a desert of jello filled with raisins,
the jello is the matrix or continuous phase and the raisins are the dispersed
phase. However, the raisins can
be whole, chopped, randomly spaced or in a pattern. Also, for a truly analogous
example, the raisins would have to be physically and chemically bonded to
the jello so it would part uniformly as does a homogeneous, isotropic, micro or
non-crystalline material (flint, chalcedony, chert, agate, jasper, opal, obsidian,
etc.)
Kakebeca Chert
I assume Kakebeca Chert is the
oldest of the three materials being described because I understand it is found
immediately on top of the basal
Kakebeca formation (equivalent to Pokegama Quartzite) at Kakebeca Falls, Ontario,
Canada. The chert is actually thought to be a "chert-carbonate"
because of the metamorphic inclusion of limestone. Kakebeca Chert is uniquely
formed, made up of alternating shared layers of a grayish chert (carbonate origin)
and blue-black chalcedony. Throughout the entire mass of the material one
encounters 1 mm or smaller needle-like inclusions along with finely ground particles
that are arranged in defined
planes parallel to the layering. The parallel orientation to the inclusions
themselves appear to be caused by the same forces which caused the banding or
layering.
Kakebeca Chert is a commonly used material in the northern area.
I have found a projectile point tip in the Lac La Croix area and many discarded
cores at sites around Pine City, especially the older aceramic (without pottery)
sites. It also occurs frequently in the glacial till. I have never found
a piece that flakes without
disintegrating into numerous "check" chunks and my heat treating does
not improve it.
(Part III will continue in the next newsletter)
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"I
wonder..."
"I
wonder
what would happen with indirect percussion...have you tried using a piece of bone
or antler with a point to direct the force of a blow from a hammerstone? You
can get blades that are much longer and thinner that way."
Jondalar
speaking to Wymez in Jean Auel's The Mammoth Hunters
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