Obsidian, a glassy rock, is a favored material but only found on the West Coast. A number of other states have flint. Here, in North Carolina, there is no flint. The local material in this region is quartz that is tough to knap and can be found in various shades of white. However a similar material to flint is found on the Southern boarder of the state that is called rhyolite and is usually greenish-gray in color. When this material is found locally you know that it was “imported” and is referred to as “trade stone” because Indians would trade goods to obtain this nicer material to fashion into arrowheads.

Local arrowhead hunters recommend that one of the best places to look for arrowheads is in a freshly plowed field after a heavy rain. The artifacts in the photo were not found in a field but rather in the mulch beds around an apartment complex that I tend. Fortunately for me the general public does not recognize these as artifacts and have been left as “rocks”. Having done some flint knapping I can recognize the signs of man-made shapes created by hammer stones, billets, and pressure flaking.

The two quartz pieces are rough compared to the finished points using trade-stone. Arrowheads can have different shapes based on tribes and differing eras. Some artifacts that are roughly shaped mid process are known as pre-faces. The rhyolite shown here is a piece off of a stone as it was reduced to the final shape. This is known as a spall from the spalling process. It’s not an arrowhead but a byproduct of the process to make one.

My guess is that the grounds where the mulch was processed happened to be located over old Indian campgrounds and were picked up when they loaded their trucks for delivery. It’s a delight to discover these bits of history in the course of tending the landscaped grounds. What can you find in your gardens?

Throughout the day I met CTA members and some had traveled from as far away as Maine. From my area I could watch activities underway such as trap shooting and static clay pigeon target shooting. There were special events for kids as well. It was a treat to see the variety of bows, arrows and associated equipment made by vendors and members alike.

At each event that I attend where I set up a campfire, I like to start the fire using different techniques. This particular morning I used a “trash” broken car headlight reflector. By placing tinder where the bulb used to be and pointing the reflector at the sun, I was able to get a coal burning in short order. I also demonstrated this method using a metal mixing bowl as a reflector as illustrated in the photo.

In keeping with the genre of the event I demonstrated a more traditional fire method using the bow and spindle. The first demo went fast and easy but a second demo later in the afternoon was hampered by windy conditions. I made several attempts while a group of volunteer firemen watched. Growing tired, I offered one of the fellows a chance to continue the process. On his second try he created a beautiful coal and was successful in achieving his first bow and spindle fire. Now he can make fire AND put it out!

I enjoyed myself at this great event and look forward to participating next year. You can check out the Carolina Traditional Archers website at: http://thecta.org

I’ve always maintained that indigenous people would have used Bic Lighters if they were available, but, alas, they used the resources that were available to them at the time. As I watched a circle of flint knappers at work, I noticed some of the materials that they used. Although I saw some antlers traditionally used as billets, most used modified copper capped pipes that had been weighted with lead. Although there was obsidian piled in a box, I also saw some white material that was unfamiliar to me. I asked what the material was and the response was “John” stone… which was the porcelain from broken lids of toilets (or “Johns”). One knapper said that, outside of the wilderness, you could always find this resource to use. I also saw some arrowheads that were knapped from beer bottles.

It pleases me to see primitive skills kept alive while incorporating modern materials and resources. It’s the gift of ingenuity that helps us to adapt and survive. By continual practice and evaluation, we can improve and build our skills to better prepare us for emergencies and challenges that may lie ahead.