THE PLATFORM
-a publication of the Minnesota Knappers Guild-

Editor: Gene Altiere
712 MEDICAL ARTS BUILDING
DULUTH, MN 55802

GUILD NEWS

We were extremely happy to receive Kent Bakken's article on Western Minnesota Lithics as it completes the Minnesota Lithics series we wanted to present in the Platform. Next year we hope to maintain a permanent column in the Platform dedicated to discussing and refining the information that has been presented and any new data which may emerge on the subject.

We received a note from Bob Keiper thanking those members of the MKG who helped him in his efforts at flint knapping. Bob talked about the need for beginners to purchase good stone and to deal with reputable dealers. He also wanted to thank the members who let him take video footage of them at last summer's Knap-in. Bob does a lot of video work and wanted to remind everyone that if you want to film someone, it is only good manners to ask first.

Please remember that we are always looking for more material for the newsletter. We've always been very fortunate to have some excellent contributors but we're always looking for new material. If you have something you would like to share with other members, jot it down and send it to the editor. For those of you who are into computers, the Platform is printed using WordPerfect software. Feel free to send your article in on notepaper, typing paper or disk (3 1/2 or 5 1/4).

One of our newest MKG members, Ted Nemec, Jr, sent us some details about the knapping material from the Nemec Stone Company, Box 178-A, Jarrell, TX, (512) 746-5221. Ted deals in Texas Flints, (Georgetown and Pedernales). He has nodules in gray, brown, black and blue and offers them for sawing or spalling. Sawed and heat treated, crack free slabs are available also. This is very nice material to work with and you may want to give him a call (evening hours)

Jim O'Brien sent a note in reference to the last segment of LeRoy Gonsior's article on Southeastern Minnesota Lithics. LeRoy had made reference to the more subtle approach necessary for flaking and edge preparation when working obsidian and Jim wanted to know if he was referring to any special techniques. Basically the knapping principals are the same but considerably less force is usually necessary with obsidian and frequently the knapper will discover that the billet they chose for working obsidian will be very different from the one they use on cherts and flints (especially those that haven't been heat treated. Jim also asked for directions to the Hadland Site. Can anyone out there, who is familiar with this site, send him some directions? Thanks. Jim's address is 5247 Roselee Circle, Byron, MN 55920, (507) 775-6392.

Guild member, Darrel Schmidt, has made an interesting geological discovery regarding Gunflint Silica. Watch for a future Platform article from Darrel and Tony Romano.

We've received a lot of positive comments regarding the copper tool article, "If They Had It They Used It" which appeared in the last issue. Hopefully this article will be picked up by "CHIPS" or the "Flint Knapper's Exchange" as it is something that should be shared with the whole knapping community. MKG member, John Whittaker, of the Anthropology Department at Grinnell College in Iowa sent us a note with a positive comment on the copper pressure article. He also made reference to an article in the literature which makes reference to a "rather fancy copper tool from the Early Woodland" that was found in New York and which is probably a pressure flaker. (see W. Ritchie, The Archaeology of New York State, 1969, Natural History Press, pg 185). Thanks for the reference, John. Tony and the editor (read that as "Tony" since he is now officially retired and has nothing to do with his time) will have to check it out.

About the following article:

Minnesota may be divided into three raw material resource regions; west, northeast and southeast - each containing a different set of raw materials. Each region contains different kinds of lithic raw materials, and different kinds of raw material sources. The Platform is the first publication to provide descriptions of the raw materials in each of these areas. Tony Romano, an MKG member, provided the first installment with a description of "Northern Lithics" in 1991. Leroy Gonsior continued the series with "Lithics of Southeast Minnesota" in 1992. This paper completes the series and will be published in four parts in Vol 5. For those of you who may have an academic interest in Kent Bakken's complete manuscript (6 pages) it can be obtained by writing the editor. Please send a SASE (two stamps, typing paper size envelope) -Ed.

The idea of three lithic regions for Minessota is based on the state's geological history. The state contains a variety of rocks and sediments which range from recent to over 3 billion years in age. The surface of most of the state has been shaped by the recent (geologically speaking) actions of glaciers, which tore rocks from their original contexts, mixed them together and spread them over the state. In some areas, such as northeastern Minnesota, the removal of rocks and sediments left bare rock, including exposures of flakable raw materials. A relatively small part of southeastern Minnesota which was not affected by recent glaciations also contains bedrock exposures of raw materials. In the western region, however, bedrock exposures are uncommon and glacial till provides the only substantial raw material source. Because the glacial sediments are well mixed, generally speaking the same raw materials are spread throughout the western region.

There are no precise boundaries between the western region and the other regions. Roughly, it includes northwestern, west central and central, and southwestern Minnesota. Although the same till and lithic materials are found over much of southern Minnesota (except for the southeastern corner of the state), the bedrock-related raw materials found in southern Minnesota are generally a more important resource than these till derived materials.

The raw materials which occur within the western lithic raw material region are not all equally important or equal in quality. The primary materials are Red River Chert and Swan River Chert. In some areas, especially parts of central Minnesota, Tongue River Silica is also common. Quartz is also abundant but, as anyone knows who has tried to flake quartz, is not well suited to most kinds of tool making. The same is true of the quartzite which is found in the glacial till in western Minnesota; it is extremely brittle. Rhyolite is less common, but better suited to flaking. In addition, small amounts of chalcedony, jasper, Jasper Taconite, Knife River Flint, silicified wood and other materials may be found. However, these usually occur in very small, difficult to knap pieces and are not an important raw material source.

At least one prehistoric "quarry" site has been found in the western region. The Greenbush Borrow Pit site, 21RO11, is located on one of Lake Agassiz's larger fossil beaches in extreme northwestern Minnesota. Apparently, cobbles were being dug from the beach ridge and made into tools on the spot. The primary materials extracted from the beach ridge were Swan River Chert and Red River Chert. The Greenbush site contained stemmed projectile points similar to the type called Scottsbluff, which indicates that the site may be 7,000 or more years old (Peterson 1973).

Last week, Dr John Leuth, Star Route Box 151, Bemidji, MN 56601 stopped by the Platform office (which also happens to be the editor's dental office) and got absorbed in the last issue of the Platform. Before you could say "gotcha", he was putting his membership money down and asking questions about materials and techniques. We gave him the names of some of our members in the Bemidji area who should be able to get him off on the right foot. Welcome, John -good luck getting started.

We received dues money and a check for an ad to be placed in the Platform from Ted Nemec, Nemec Stone Company, Box 178-A, Jarrell, Texas 76537. Although the Platform can always use the cash we sent Ted's check back to him. The Platform's policy on advertising has been to allow members to make "announcements" free of charge. As long as they are offering a quality product and we don't start getting complaints, we will continue to mention whatever services they have available. Many of you are familiar with Jim Regan's copper tools, Sage Junction's Knife River Flint, the Waldorf's outstanding newsletter - "CHIPS", Jeff and Steve Behrnes' "Flint Knapper's Exchange" as well as numerous other goodies that we've mentioned in the Platform as being available from MKG members. If you are a MKG member and want us to let our readers know you have flint knapping related products for sale, just send us a note. We'll be happy to do it. Also, please remember that we have a "Resource" list available for our readers. This list gives the names, addresses and phone numbers for buying stone, tools, videos, books etc. Currently the list is about five pages long. If anyone is interested, send a business size SASE and $1.00 to the editor. Ted, welcome to the MKG. Hopefully some of the guys will contact you for stone.

Seppo Valppu, 311 E Mankato St, Duluth, MN 55803 has joined MKG. You may recall that Seppo was the professor from Fond du Lac Community College who invited members of the MKG to put on a knapping demo for his class. Just like Dr. Leuth mentioned above, it was a case of "gotcha". Let's face it knappers, we are involved in a very interesting hobby (?) that is going to attract a lot more people as time goes on.

MKG had another new member from southern Minnesota join its ranks. Randy Kottke RR 2, Box 155, Tracy, MN 56175 wrote and told us that MKG member Vern Lauer had told him about the guild. Randy started knapping two years ago and displays all the enthusiasm of a new convert! He mentioned that he was looking forward to the Pine City Knap-in. Don't forget to reserve June 26 & 27 for the Knap-in!

A growing number of Canadians are joining the ranks of the guild. Last spring a few guild members had the opportunity to participate in the Lake Superior Basin Archaeology Workshop held in Duluth. One of the archaeologist we met was Mike McLeod, 122 College St, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 5J5, CANADA. Mike recently sent in his membership dues along with a copy of the "Wanikan" which is the newsletter for the Ontario Archaeology Society. ("Wanikan" is an ojibwa word meaning "hole in the ground"). The newsletter had an interesting excerpt about a chimpanzee at the Primate Language Lab in Atlanta that is showing signs of primitive toolmaking using pieces of chert! We wrote to the editor asking for more information and hope to be able to put together an article on the subject in one of the future Platform issues. Thanks for the information Mike, and welcome.

In Volume 4, No. 3 we gave a brief report on correspondence received from MKG member Hugo Nami who is an archaeologist from Argentina. Hugo followed up on his original correspondence and sent us a report on some of his flintknapping activities from last year. The following article is based on a brochure that accompanied an exhibit that Hugo helped to put together. Hugo provided us with a partial English translation and Tony Romano provided additional translation from the original Spanish version. Hopefully the editor has accurately correlated the two versions and presented something that is of interest to our members. -Ed.


A REPORT ON AN EXHIBIT:

"THE PAST IN THE PRESENT, KNAPPED IN STONE"

presented at the

FIRST INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY FLINTKNAPPERS
ARGENTINA 1992

reported by Hugo G. Nami


INTRODUCTION

Between past and present archaeology there is a breach. One useful new tool of modern archaeologists is "experimental archaeology" which serves as a vehicle for the advancement of working hypotheses.

Experimental archaeology is a discipline that includes replication, analysis and/or interpretation of archaeologic materials by way of scientific experimentation. Some modern archaeologists have adopted experimentation as a work-method approach in seeking new lines of investigation in a hope to go further than past traditional field archaeology in contributing solutions to numerous problems that need to be resolved.

In the past, many groups of aborigines subsisted mainly on the basis of hunting animals and foraging. The progress of "technology" in relation to their mode of subsistence seems very simple from our point of view, even though there are some examples of more complex techniques. Many of their implements were strictly related to their mode of subsistence and their living environment. This is the reason for their rather limited "tool kit" composed of instruments of wood, bone, horn, vegetable fiber and stone. The majority of these materials were perishable and, therefore, the greatest number of archaeological "finds" are made of stone.


BRIEF NOTES ABOUT SHAPING STONE

Stone artifacts have varying degrees of complexity in their manufacture due to the varying techniques and steps necessary in their production. For instance, scrapers are less complicated to make while projectile points necessitate more intent, tools and technique.

In order to make stone tools one needs a special type of rock. The special attributes of these rocks include the phenomenon of conchoidal fracture as well as particular types of texture and toughness. These qualities are necessary to insure the utility of the instruments to be made. Basically, these tools are meant to cut, scrape, penetrate, and puncture. Such suitable rocks are usually silicates (agates, jaspers, chalcedonies, etc.) and obsidian (a volcanic glass). Some silicates can be heat-treated to enhance their workability and texture.

Once the stones are selected, there are two basic ways of shaping them. The first is by percussion, where a hammer-like tool often composed of stone or antler is used to strike off flakes. This can be done by the direct method or the indirect method (using a punch or bar). These tools are called "percussors". The second method is done by pressure. The tools used for removing flakes by pressure are called "retouchers" (flakers) and are usually made of longer pieces of bone sharpened on one end to focus the force. In a sense, one could say that a percussor drives off the flake, whereas the flaker pushes off the flake.


SHAPING OF STONE AND UNDERSTANDING THE PAST

There are two broad categories of flintknappers in the contemporary world. One group is comprised of those indigenous people who are part of technologically traditional societies. These societies include (but are not limited to) the tribal peoples of Australia, the Lacandon natives of Mexico, and the survivors of the Patagonian Tehuelches in Argentina. It is worth noticing that in order to make their tools out of stone or similar raw materials (glass, for example) these flintknappers depend on traditional knowledge.

The other category consists of the increasing number of flintknappers who conduct their lives in the Western world. For these flintknappers, manufacturing stone tools can be a research activity, a hobby or just plain business. Scientists devoted to flintknapping generally view the manufacture of stone tools as an experiment. For them, the flintknapping carried out by hobbyists and entrepreneurs provides useful data relating to the manufacture of archaeological tools. Western flintknappers have helped spread the knowledge of the past technologies among elementary, high-school and college students. Flintknapping has proven to be a useful educational tool suited to varying educational levels.

A group of western contemporary flintknappers recently held their first exhibition. In July and August of 1992, the National Institute of Anthropology and Latin American Thought, located in Buenos Aires, hosted an exhibit titled "The Past in the Present, Knapped in Stone". The exhibition was sponsored by the Argentine Anthropological Society and was organized by Liliana Lorenzo, Maria J. Cardinal, and Manuel Cespo. I provided technical-scientific support.


THE PAST IN STONE, KNAPPED IN THE PRESENT

"The Past in the Present..." is a display of reproductions and photographs of lithic artifacts produced by Western academic and amateur flintknappers presented in a historical perspective. Various flintknapping techniques are shown, as are several stages in the manufacturing process. The exhibit consists of a wide variety of stone tools similar to those used by Old World Paleolithic peoples and by present-day hunter-gatherers of the Americas.
One of the main purposes of the exhibit is to display the process involved in the production of lithic artifacts, starting from the collection and sampling of raw materials up to the finished tools. For this purpose raw materials of diverse quality from various locations are included in the exhibition: obsidian from Argentina, Ecuador, the United States, and Russia; flints and similar stones from Argentina, Denmark, Russia, the United States, and other countries.

The exhibit is organized according to differences in technique, and a great variety of techniques are evident. Samples were selected from the collections of a group of Argentine archaeologists (Escola, Flegenheimer, and Nami). The samples include reproductions of the simplest artifacts manufactured by hominids ("choppers"), bifacial artifacts from the Paleolithic era, blades and microblades from the Old and New World. Technical types are related to those of the Dyuktai from Eastern Asia, the Neolithic of the Orient and Scandinavia, and the Aztecs of Mesoamerica. Argentine examples come from the early occupations of the middle Chubut River and from the Piedra del Aguila in the Province of Neuguen.

Reproductions of Paleoindian projectile points from North and South America have been also included. The most remarkable are the Folsom, Clovis, Cody, Dalton, and Fell 1 or "fish-tail" points. The flintknapping of the United States is also represented by artifacts of the North American Archaic period (such as the Snyder projectile point) and other reproductions of tools found in Texas, California, and elsewhere. The Southern Cone of South America is represented by artifacts such as the Ayampitin and other projectile points from the Northwest of Argentina as well as from Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Some of the most impressive ones are the Traful I, Rio Pinturas I, Fell I, IV and V, the Patagonian, and a series of bifacial artifacts from Tierra del Fuego's latest occupations.

In recent years, especially during the second half of the 1980's, some flintknappers started developing original artifacts such as knives, combining a variety of techniques used during various periods in the past. Some of these artifacts, displaying Danish and Egyptian Neolithic techniques as well as North American Paleoindian retouching are also a part of the exhibit. An eccentric artifact manufactured by Gene Titmus resembles the great mastery of the peoples of Mesoamerica and is of particular interest.

The following flintknappers contributed to the exhibit:

Rick Antonelli (New York, U.S.A.)
Erret Callahan (Virginia, U.S.A.)
Dale Cross (Kentucky, U.S.A.)
Joe Dabill (California, U.S.A.)
Patricia Escola (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Nora Flegenheimer (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Jeffrey Flenniken (Idaho, U.S.A.)
Ted Frank (Illinois, U.S.A.)
Terry Frederick (California, U.S.A.)
Ariel Gherardi (Misiones, Argentina)

Greg Greger (Washington, U.S.A.)
Ray Harwood (California, U.S.A.)
Ivan Imel (New Mexico, U.S.A.)
Hugo G. Nami (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
James Regan (Minnesota, U.S.A.)
John B. Sollberger (Texas, U.S.A.)
Gene Titmus (Idaho, U.S.A.)
John Wellman (California, U.S.A.)
Phillip Wilke (California, U.S.A.)
Jim Winn (California, U.S.A.)
James Wood (Idaho, U.S.A.)

The exhibit also features photographs of artifacts and techniques taken by Eugene Gryba (Alberta, Canada) and Peter Kelterborn (Switzerland) as well as by some of the above mentioned flintknappers.