From an early age I was fortunate enough to have an excellent introduction to history and archaeology; as a child I visited many British places of historical interest, museums and fossil beds with my parents. At this point I was bitten by a bug that would grow for many years before directing me to flintknapping. This interest was fuelled almost twenty years ago by an introduction to archaeology; starting with evening courses for GCSE and A-level, followed by membership to several archaeological associations. A new career path was chosen? After some time collecting flint tools in the field I began producing replicas of my own for museums. This was the beginning of an eight year adventure that would not only lead me into flintknapping professionally, but also to return to education. After obtaining a degree in archaeology at the University of Wales College Newport, I was lucky enough to be accepted as a research student working on an archaeological PhD; also with the University of Wales.
I then became a full time primitive technologist, a strange term and in many ways a contradiction as prehistoric skills are anything but ‘primitive;’ imagine perhaps a lifelong city worker was stranded in the middle of nowhere with only the clothes they stood up in, they then had to muddle along to try to survive. Assuming they had managed to figure out some basic food resources and make some form of shelter, imagine then how primitive prehistoric skills would look to them after such an experience.
I have accumulated a great deal of experience lecturing on and demonstrating flintknapping and many other prehistoric technological skills to schools, colleges, museums and universities around Britain. I have also provided extensive teaching collections for several British universities including Bristol, Liverpool, Durham and branches of the University of Wales, and have carried out demonstrations and experimental research for the British Museum, London. It is my aim to continue my research into the production of prehistoric stone tools and primitive replications and to produce quality items for the education of future archaeologists at all levels and the general public of all ages. I am passionate about what I do and also about passing this knowledge on a new generation. I also think myself incredibly lucky to be able to pursue what began as a rather ‘geeky’ hobby, as an occupation; something I hope that shines through in demonstrations and workshops.
The manipulation of flint and other similar types of stone is the oldest and longest continued form of technology known to man. The first known stone tools date back well over two million years; although crude in appearance, these early tools possessed the single characteristic that was to ensure the use of flint until relatively recent times. Flint and other similar types of stone could be fractured to produce an extremely sharp edge, and it was this characteristic that was so important to our prehistoric ancestors.
Although first used to cut meat, over hundreds of thousands of years stone tools were developed for many other specific uses, such as hunting tools to provide meat, cutting tools to process meat and sinew, scraping tools to work tough hides for clothing, footwear and shelters. Even carving and engraving tools were developed for carving bone, antler and wood.
Some cultures, from different periods of prehistory around the world, refined Flintknapping to such a degree that the tools could be classed as works of art in their own right; it is this level of perfection that modern ‘purist’ flintknappers strive to attain, hoping to master even a fraction of an art that was millions of years in the making.
Karl demonstrating at Kent's Cavern, Torquay.
