knapping
Prehistoric toolmaking technique
Knapping is the craft of shaping stone by striking it to remove flakes, producing sharp edges for tools or weapons.
The technique was essential for making prehistoric implements like arrowheads and hand axes: He spent the afternoon knapping flint into spear points.
Modern knappers practice it as a survival skill or archaeological recreation.
Striking stone to shape tools
- arrowheadsSharpened projectile tips
- obsidianGlassy igneous rock
- chertFine-grained siliceous stone
- flintSpark-producing sedimentary rock
pressure flaking · lithic · preform · workbench · abrader · notching · primitive skills · archaeological
Spark-producing sedimentary rock
- chertFine-grained siliceous stone
- obsidianGlassy igneous rock
- noduleRounded small lump
- coreCentral essential portion
cortex · chalcedony · jasper · quartzite · rhyolite · basalt · agate · glass
Sound through impact
- pressureForce upon contact
- flakingShedding in layers
- reductionMaking something smaller
- conchoidalCurved fracture surface shape
platform · bulb · preform · retouch · thinning · shaping · striking · indirect
Archaeological stone implements
- ClovisFirst Merovingian ruler
- PaleolithicEarliest archaeological era
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
- assemblageCollected group of things
stratigraphy · excavation · artifact · site · typology · scraper · point · burin
Thin detached fragment
- bladeFlat cutting edge
- pointExact location or meaning
- arrowheadPiercing end of projectile
- spearpointSharpened projectile tip
handaxe · scraper · knife · burin · awl · adze · chopper · preform
Stone-shaping striking implement
Skilled manual tradesperson
- skillAcquired ability through practice
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- primitive skillsPre-industrial survival abilities
bushcraft · replication · experimental · demonstration · hobbyist · practice · learning · mastery
flintknapping
Striking stone to shape tools
- arrowheadsSharpened projectile tips
- obsidianGlassy igneous rock
- chertFine-grained siliceous stone
flint · pressure flaking · lithic · preform · workbench · abrader · notching · primitive skills · archaeological · knapper
flint
Spark-producing sedimentary rock
core · cortex · chalcedony · jasper · quartzite · rhyolite · basalt · agate · glass · silica
percussion
Sound through impact
conchoidal · platform · bulb · preform · retouch · thinning · shaping · striking · indirect · direct
lithics
Archaeological stone implements
- ClovisFirst Merovingian ruler
- PaleolithicEarliest archaeological era
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
assemblage · stratigraphy · excavation · artifact · site · typology · scraper · point · burin · awl
flake
Thin detached fragment
spearpoint · handaxe · scraper · knife · burin · awl · adze · chopper · preform · projectile
hammerstone
Stone-shaping striking implement
artisan
Skilled manual tradesperson
- skillAcquired ability through practice
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
- traditionCustom passed through generations
primitive skills · bushcraft · replication · experimental · demonstration · hobbyist · practice · learning · mastery · handmade
- archaeologyexcavation, dig site, archaeologist, dig, archaeological digs
- Stone Agecave painting, paleolithic, hand ax, handaxes, hand axe
- chippingflaking, cracking, spalling, nicking, chip shot
- flintknappingflintknapping, pressure flaking, flaking, chipping, hammerstones
- Knappingpercussion, hammerstone
- Paleolithichand axe, handaxe, stone tools, flint, Neanderthal