BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Native American Knapping and a new friend

Last week I was in Charleston, SC for a dear friend's funeral. It was a sad time, but I got to meet a self-taught flint knapper. He had several points in his pocket and found two pieces of quartz in a pile of fill dirt at the house. In less than 5 minutes the bottom half of an arrowhead was roughed out. It was amazing and I came home with both pieces of quartz. He also knaps glass. I had no idea you could do that.

Driving home I thought about the flakes my new friend left behind. Would they be uncovered many years from now in that pile of fill dirt and their date misinterpreted as much earlier than the 21st century?

Now you know the basis behind this week's article. Some people have the "touch" and can easily learn this ancient skill. Here's a video featuring Johnny's work in stone and glass. He also makes lovely dreamcatchers. It's a little long, but the beautiful flute music was most relaxing after a long drive.

Knapped Glass - Johnny Reb

Beautiful video, beautiful work. Thank you, Jane, for sharing this with us. I love your article, too.

Jane, I found it fascinating that the knappers used a softer material against the rock that is knapped. This was an interesting article.

Thanks for the link to the video. The music was sooooo soothing.

Hi Jane,

Six miles from where we live is the small town of Zinaparo. The surrounding hills are a major Mexican source site for obsidian. I am friends with three brothers who live there that not only are the areas leading collectors of indigenous artifacts (their collection far surpasses the one in the museum in nearby La Piedad), they are also excellent self-taught knappers. It is amazing how quickly that they can craft quality "reproductions" from that volcanic glass. One of the brothers also does excellent lapidary work both by hand and now by machine since he has gotten start-up money from the state of Michoacan.

There is a very fine book on knapping that I have- it's
titled Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools by John C. Whitaker. The author tries to keep it as untechnical as possible but it is still somewhat technical. You really have to know what you are doing as it can be quite dangerous but it's an amazing craft to learn.

Thanks for the reference Les! I just got a long bow in April and have been trying to learn how to use one. I've been practicing with our "teaching bow." When one learns to shoot a bow, I guess the next lesson should be making arrows and points.

With all that obsidian in your "backyard," have you ever tried to knap any?

All over the little mountain where I live are large rocks studded with obsidian. I would love to get some of the obsidian out but do not have the tools required to do so. I read somewhere that obsidian can explode if one does not know how to work with it properly.

Sometimes, if one looks very hard around here, we can find Apache Tears which are obsidian chunks lying loose.

Did you get some arrow points from Johnny Reb, Jane? What a treasure that would be.

I did come home with the two pieces of gray quartz; the one used as a "hammer stone" and the one he knapped out. I need to get back with him to see if he has a small arrowhead in green glass. That would certainly compliment my Creek cloth dress.

Many years ago, my stepson gave me an Apache Tear he had found somewhere in Texas. It is one of my "treasure" rocks.

I don't know why I didn't make the connection sooner. Obsidian is volcanic glass, not really that different from the thick bottom of a glass bottle or jar. Johnny was telling us about a large glass table top he found at the dump. He was so excited to get started on it. I'll be returning to Charleston soon and hope to get with him. Those beach scenes at the end of his video are on Edisto Island. It's one of my favorite places on Mother Earth, and I could sure use a few hours there to recharge. It is one of those places where you can actually feel the energy of the ocean and the Earth and soak up as much as you want.

That sounds wonderful Jane. I loved the video. Isn't it great that your friend can rescue and reuse materials to make objects of beauty?

Edisto Island must be a paradise on Mother Earth. It is a good and spiritual place for you, Jane. That is so wonderful.

Hi Jane,

I am providing a direct link to an article that I wrote, "Obsidian Use in Prehispanic Mexico," that you may find relevant to your conversation here.

Mexico site