On the 8th and 15th February we were fortunate enough to be visited by an Archaeologist from Manchester University, John Piprani.
John was keen to offer flint knapping sessions to people who wouldn’t normally get the chance to experience and learn more.
The earliest flintknapped tools were simple flakes used by Stone Age man for cutting into the hides of animals. These developed over hundreds of thousands of years into more sophisticated tools and weapons.
John explained the more recent history of knapping using glass, which has similar properties to flint. It came from the Aborigine people in Australia, who ingeniously found a use for the discarded bottles brought to Australia from the British, turning the bottles into arrowheads and spearheads.
John has been keen to replicate the skills using similar tools that the Aborigines would have used. As you can see from the photos we also had the opportunity to step back in time and try to learn these skills!
If you would be interested in future flint knapping sessions, or would like to hear about other sessions being organised by Whitworth Men’s Shed, drop us a line or follow our social media channels.
