LITHIC RESEARCH: Revised Vol.1

by Ray Harwood

In this In 1982, a series of experiments were conducted to determine something about arrow shaft variability affecting the breakage patterns of projectile points. Thirty identical points were made from fused shale (a local meta-sedimentary SiO2), and then hafted to three different types of 1) One-piece solid hardwood (Self arrow with the nock cut into the shaft), b) two piece hardwood “footed arrow”, hardwood spliced or inserted into the pile end as a fore-shaft, for durability and balance, glued in hardwood nock, and two-piece hardwood and cane (also a footed arrow). The three groups of arrows, ten of each type, were shot at identical wood plank targets with hand held bow from a distance of 25 feet (8 m). More than 90% of the points broke on impact leaving the broken tip imbedded in the plank. Breaks occurred either at the tip or midsection, sometimes accompanied by basal fractures (broken tangs). Both hinge and languette (tongue like projection) fractures were generated but no burinations or spiral fractures occurred in the thirty trials conducted. Fracture type and location appear to be strongly correlated with hafting form and style of shaft. Compound shafts of wood and cane seem to absorb more shock on impact and therefore fewer points are broken. Also, breaks tend to occur closer to the tip with compound shafts. Points with broken tips are easily re-sharpened and reused, whereas medial breaks usually render the point useless as a projectile point (Knetch 1997, Kelterborn 2001, Titmus and Woods 2006). Broken projectile points from archaeological contexts may be understood more clearly if the cause and mechanisms of use-fracture are better understood. Ray Harwood has always been a flintknapper, at least as far as he remembers anyway. The art of making stone tools such as arrowheads, knife blades, spear points, atlatl points, scrapers, etc, by remove flakes from concodial stone via percussion or pressure flaking. Ray’s father dabbled with obsidian ( A glass-like rock formed by volcanic activity (volcanic glass)). On occasion and when his brother Ted saw the Crabtree film in college and came home with new enthusiasm, the race was on. Ray began experimenting with additional methods, as he was addicted. On a trip to northern California the family procured a small load of small obsidian boulders. Ray proceeded to reduce one core but somehow managed to cut off one of his toes. With no medical insurance in the family, Ray’s dad sewed the toe back on, it survived but never moved after that. Ray made extra money selling modern arrowheads and doing minor artifact restoration and replication all through school, having classified adds in many magazines. He attended CSUN where he studied under Clay Singer in the Lithics lab at the Northridge Archaeological Research Center.In 1983 Ray wrote “How to Make Bottle Glass Arrowheads” started the flintknapping newsletter; Flintknapping Digest. Later that year Ray founded the California Flintknapping Rendezvous and the following year started the Wrightwood Knap In with his long time friend, Dr. Alton Safford. The Wrightwood Knap In Video was the first or one of the first videos ever sold. Since the early 1980s Ray has written the self published book,” The History Of Modern Flintknapping” and had dozens of articles published concerning lithics and/or flintknapping. He also helped knapper Gary Pickett with starting the world’s longest running monthly knap-in, “The Bakersfield Knap-in” , where he just returned from the 15 year celebration*. He also has several knapper blog sites including a fairly popular one

42 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2020

About the author

Ray Harwood has spent a lifetime in property development related corporate situations. Writing as a hobby fits in with photography, painting, golf and family. Ray and his wife, Dean, live in Surrey. Last Sardana and Sardana Encore are the first two books in a six-part ‘Sardana Series’, all written in holiday mode, and Ray intends that Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, will benefit through publications.