Ohio Series Introduction
Channel: Prehistoric Living
Date: 2020-02-14

This video shows you the stone I will be using for my next big project, producing a representative projectile point typology for the prehistoric/precontact periods of Ohio. The spalls and bifaces on the bottom and in the middle are from Flint Ridge, Ohio, a chert/chalcedony deposit that has been exploited for over 15,000 years. I will make a range of bifaces and points from this material, spanning all the major archaeological sequences of the Fort Ancient area. The large nodules on the top are Kentucky Hornstone, which I will spall down, or take large flakes off of, to get some large pieces that I can turn into nice points. One of them I will reduce down as a flake/blade core to demonstrate the more utilitarian side of prehistoric tool making. 

I'm working with colleagues from the University of Ohio who will be running a public outreach program this year. They asked me to make them some items for their activities, and I am happy to oblige, using all natural materials to make this process as authentic as possible in modern conditions. I hope these videos help the members of the public who participate in this program understand what goes into making the tools they will be holding in their hands, and get some more people interested in the art of flintknapping. 

Now I'm off to hit some rocks.