Period: Early Bronze Age (c. 1700-1000 BC)
Project title: Mesterlære og individuelle færdigheder i den ældre bronzealders flinthåndværk.
Researcher: Berit Valentin Eriksen, Moesgaard Museum, Aarhus
E-mail: berit.eriksen(at)hum.au.dk
Year: 2007
Abstract:
Although bronze out-competed flint as the most important material for tool-making in the course of the Bronze Age, the craft of flint-working did not disappear completely. The tools were generally more crude and plain with the exception of the asymmetrical sickles. These sickles are often of good workmanship and have obviously been made by accomplished flintknappers.
In continuation of previous years' experiments, the ability to differentiate between material produced by different flint knappers was to be tested. Two professional flint knappers participated and also functioned as masters to a flint knapping apprentice, i.e. the researcher herself.
In the course of a week the two flint knappers produced 11 new functional asymmetrical sickles. All the production waste, fragments and semi-manufactures were collected and are to be analysed in order to determine the degree to which the waste products from different flint knappers differ.
The immediate impression was that the waste products from the two flintknappers were clearly distinguishable. These preliminary results are based on observation and documentation of the working processes. The results are expected to be substantiated by the further analyses of the experiment material. Furthermore the waste products from the apprentice were - as expected - clearly different from the other material.
This experiment forms a part of an experimental series.
Reference number: HAF 14/07
Project title: Fra mesterlære til klamphuggeri i den ældre bronzealders flinthåndværk
Researcher: Berit Valentin Eriksen, Moesgård Museum, Århus, Denmark
E-mail: berit.eriksen(at)hum.au.dk
Year: 2006
Abstract:
During the Bronze Age, flint was outflanked by bronze as the most important material for production of tools. The craftsmanship of flint knapping did not disappear completely but the tools generally became more crude and simple. There are exceptions for this rule e.g. the so called specialized asymmetrical flint sickles dating to the early Bronze Age. The sickles are normally very well-made, probably made by skilled flint knappers. From contemporary settlements on the other hand, traces of an ad hoc production of simple tools has been found, probably made by flint knappers without specialized craftsmanship. Finally, a range of tools of which the quality is in a “middle-position”, which probably both have been made by skilled as well as less skilled flint knappers.
The aim of the experiments was to test these archaeological observations on a material that had been made experimentally. By letting different – more or less experienced – flint knappers reconstruct the asymmetrical sickles, it was possible to investigate the difficulties in the craftsmanship of flint in the Bronze Age. From this, the degree of specialization of craftsmanship could be discussed.
During the week, six new asymmetrical sickles were produced of four different flint knappers. Additional, three preparatory works were made which broke during the knapping because of unforeseen problems with the raw material. All debris, broken sickles etc. were collected and will be analysed to investigate whether it is possible to identify the debris of the individual flint knapper or not. The experiments will be continued to create a statistical, significant material.
The experiments are part of the research project "Produktionsstrategier i bronzealderens flinthåndværk (Production Strategies of Bronze Age Flint Knapping)", which is supported economically by the Danish Research Council for the humanities.
Reference number: HAF 05/06
