At Kent State University, Metin Eren, Ph.D., the associate professor and director of archaeology, is actively involved in flintknapping. Credit: Kent State University. Across the world, numerous enthusiasts of stone artifacts devote their time to chipping stones using specialized tools with an aim to create perfect arrowheads or knives. This craft, known as flintknapping, is widely considered an intricate hobby or artistic endeavor, assumed to occasionally demand bandages or stitches due to minor injuries.
However, recent research suggests that the dangers associated with flintknapping may have been underestimated. Early humans, devoid of modern medical resources like hospitals, antibiotics, clean water, and adhesive bandages, could have faced life-threatening complications from even mildly severe wounds due to infections.
“Injuries from knapping were a risk our ancestors willingly accepted,” stated Metin I. Eren, Ph.D., associate professor and director of archaeology at Kent State University.
Eren, alongside his colleague Stephen Lycett, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology at the University at Buffalo, and also an adept flintknapper, were curious about the risks and injuries associated with flintknapping. Over a decade ago, they conceived a study that aimed to systematically document the injuries of modern flintknappers.
“While we have long understood that flintknapping can lead to injuries, this hasn’t been quantitatively assessed on a large scale,” Eren noted. “What is the injury rate? How severe can these injuries be? We needed a large sample size to answer such questions.”
They collaborated with Nicholas Gala, then an undergraduate anthropology student at Kent State working in the Experimental Archaeology Lab, who was searching for a senior honors thesis project. Gala conducted a survey that culminated in his first article in North America’s leading archaeology research journal, American Antiquity. The article, “The Injury Costs of Knapping,” also featured Eren, Lycett, and Michelle Bebber, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Kent State as co-authors.
Lycett praised Gala’s work, recognizing the skill and organization needed to successfully coordinate the many elements of the project, from creating a questionnaire to compiling and analyzing the data from numerous flintknappers.
After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Anthropology at Kent State in 2022, Gala is now pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Tulsa. Here, he is studying lithic technology after securing two fellowships.
Flintknapping is a process of breaking, flaking, and shaping stone tools like arrow points or sharp blades for axes or knives. Evidence of this practice dates back over 3 million years.
The research team discovered that the dangers of knapping were more severe than they initially believed. Flintknappers reported severe injuries, including cutting deep into the bone’s periosteum, requiring a tourniquet after accidentally piercing an ankle, and stone flakes flying into their eyes. A historical account of William Henry Holmes, who lost the use of his entire left arm due to flintknapping in the late 1890s, is also cited.
Despite these risks, early humans continued to create stone tools due to their immense benefits. A seemingly insignificant injury today could have been fatal back then, potentially impacting a person’s ability to gather food, water, and perform other vital activities.
This research has major implications for evolutionary models, and the researchers also investigated how these injury risks might affect ongoing debates about the probability of ancient species (Homo erectus, Homo habilis) engaging in social learning during stone tool production.
Table of Contents
What is flintknapping and why is it important?
Flintknapping is the method of breaking, flaking, and shaping stone to make tools such as arrow points or sharp blades for axes or knives. It’s an important practice that our ancestors have been engaging in for over 3 million years. It represents an essential aspect of early human technology and survival.
How dangerous is flintknapping?
Flintknapping can be quite dangerous, as demonstrated by the injuries reported by modern flintknappers. Injuries range from minor cuts to more severe ones, such as deeply cutting into the bone’s periosteum, accidentally piercing an ankle, or having small stone flakes fly into the eyes.
What is the relevance of flintknapping to early humans?
Flintknapping was a vital skill for early humans, as stone tools were critical for their survival. Despite the potential for injury, early humans continued to produce these tools, reflecting the immense benefits these tools provided.
How does flintknapping relate to social learning in early human species?
Researchers believe that the risks associated with flintknapping may have encouraged early human species to engage in social learning. Rather than learning individually through trial and error, early humans might have copied the outcomes or actions of more skilled individuals to reduce the risks.
Who were the researchers involved in this study of flintknapping injuries?
The research was conducted by a team including Metin Eren, Ph.D., an associate professor and director of archaeology at Kent State University; Stephen Lycett, Ph.D., an associate professor of anthropology at the University at Buffalo; and Nicholas Gala, an undergraduate anthropology major at Kent State University at the time of the study.
Related links:
- Flintknapping: Understanding the Basics and Beyond
- Injury Risks in Ancient Stone Tool Production
- Kent State University – Department of Anthropology
- The Evolution of Social Learning and its Economic Consequences
- American Antiquity Journal
5 comments
wow didn’t even kno flintknapping was a thing, let alone dangerous. whole new perspective now!
So cool to see studies on such niche parts of our history. flintknapping – the hidden hazards of the past. I’m impressed.
As a flintknapper, can confirm it ain’t easy. Got more than a few scars from my hobby. The more we learn, the better we get tho.
Great article! Its makes me wonder how much our ancestors risked just to make basic tools. Appreciating my pocket knife a lot more now…
Reading about the dangers of flintknapping really brings home how tough it was for early humans. hats off to them!