Experimental archeology... do you do it?

Codger_64

Codger_64

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I've tried to learn a variety of skills practiced by ancient man. Some I had acceptable results and some not so much. There are still a lot I want to learn. Do I think I will need those skills because I expect some calamity in the future? No, not really. But I have always had an interest in history. My great aunt and her son encouraged it. He was the curator of the Peale Museum in Baltimore and lived in the top floor of the Carroll Mansion (signer of the Declaration). While staying with him during the summer, he gave me access to the mansion during the hours it was closed. And to the basement of the Peale museum. They took me to the Smithsonian, to Gettysburg and many other historic sites.

Having grown up not far from Missisippian Culture mounds, I've always had an interest in the artifacts, skills and way of life of the early native people, so it was natural for me to try to replicate them.

I've made replica pottery of the Caddoan design, dart points, knives and other acoutrements. During the time I was involved in the Muzzleloading fur trade reenactments, I tried my hand at reproducing and using the later plains tribes artifacts. That was a bit easier because of surviving examples of softgoods in decent condition.

Now I am back to the pre-Columbian period with my experimentation. I'm just starting to do my research and gather materials as I lay out particular projects that interest me based upon surviving archaic examples. Some of them are:

Make cordage from local natural materials (I suck at this one)
Make and use an atlatl and darts (interesting artifacts recovered in the last few years)
Make more functional pottery (previous examples were more effigy display items)
Make a flint bladed knife and other tools (previous examples were functional, but too crude compared to recovered artifacts)
Make woven baskets and other containers (even a caveman could do it?)
Make and successfully use a fireplow (patience, practice and endurance)
Make a small shelter using wattle and daub with thatching (crowning achievement if I can pull it off)

I am going to purposely handicap myself by refusing to use modern tools and materials in the construction. Artificial sinew and jute cord are tempting as are using a power drill and a metal knife.

I know that there are a few here who see value in learning these skills such as Coote and Paelojoe, DocCanada and others I can't name off the top of my head. I may even come up with a few skill project challenges in time. Anyone up for an atlatl deer hunt next fall? :D

Yeah, I'll get a camera and share as I learn.
 
Well, I had an astounding anthropology course in college. In addition to teaching me detailed anatomy--a massive portion of which I still recall--the instructor taught us to make cutting edges out of rocks by bashing big ones against flat ones at the right angle. Even regular rocks come out really, really sharp.
 
Number me among those who are fascinated by those older skills. I have been since I was a child, actually, and I've been trying to learn them for over fifty years. I first became interested when one of our teachers took us to a museum, and pointed out many of the artifacts. That was followed by a number of books which, of course, led to a number of experiments.

Over the years I've tried virtually all of the things on your list, and I've accomplished most of them, too. I have to admit that I haven't necessarily accomplished them well, but I've done them, nevertheless.

Like you Codger, I haven't necessarily learned them because I fear the end of civilization, but only because I found them interesting: something to do just because I like learning that type of thing.

There are any number of people who can do any one of them better than I, but that wasn't the point, for me. The point was in the trying, and having fun. I didn't set out to master the entire skill set, it just happened one thing at a time over a lot of years.

Good luck, and have fun... one thing at a time.
 
Definitely! I'm currently going to school for anthropology, and my main area of interest is experimental archeology... I just got a book called Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills. It's a collection of article written by archeologists recreating the artifacts and dwellings found on their digs, and shows a variety of techniques for doing everything from hafting stone blades to building semi-permanent shelters. If you have an interest in primitive skills, I would definitely suggest it.
 
dawsonbob said:
... one thing at a time.
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Abso-lutely!

First, I want to make a good knife to use in gathering the materials for the other projects. My early effort used willow bark for the hafting and it came out so-so. The blade loosened while cleaning a deer. But I didn't do it right. I didn't use a glue. And my willow bark wasn't processed right. I think I can do better now. I may even use sinew. I have several deer leg bones that would make a good handle. I'll have to practice on my flint knapping again. It has been almost twenty years since I did that. And find good instructions for making glue (thought there was a post here on that not long ago).

Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills
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Hmmm.... looking now...

Woof! That led me right to the Society Of Primitive Technology! Mo reading!
 
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I've done a few of the things you have listed and they can be an absolute blast provided you are patient :p. Having had the opportunity to participate in several survival classes years ago only helped to foster my appreciation for all things "old-school," whether it be tracking, atlatls, fire-building, shelters etc. If you are interested in this aspect of learning I'd highly recommend Tom Brown's books, as they are a huge wealth of knowledge. Nothing quite like making an atlatl and darts from the ground up and chucking em 100-150 yards. :D Just be extremely careful with the darts..the weight behind em makes them extremely potent as they will easily punch through a safety net at an archery range, even with a rounded off tip.

Edited to add: If your interested in "flint type" knives/blades Google "pressure flaking." It is much more controlled than conventional flint knapping and can produce some astounding blades that are wicked sharp and as a bonus you can practice on broken glass bottles or any peice of broken glass. For a finished item look into using agate for some astounding results.
 
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i do not really practice old methods like that but i do love to find artifacts. i found a round stone along with some spear heads 2 years ago that i swear was used for a bow fire. the round creek stone has perfect grip and in the middle of both sides is worn out in the dead center. at first i thought it was for cracking nuts until i learned more about bow fire making. if i remember ill take pics and start another thread.
 
I sure would like to see some pics of your Atlatl and darts, and learn how you made them.
 
Good stuff Codger!


I would definitely recommend Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills.

It is a compilation of issues from the Bulletin of Primitive Technology, a magazine funded by the Society of Primitive Technology. It's more than a magazine though, really well put together.

Very top notch! :thumbup:

I know the guys that put it out well, great group of people that have been doing and living this for decades. I'm contributing some articles and pushing them to look into more online resources for this info as well.


They do have a separate website called PrimitiveWays, with many of the articles and ideas in there too...
 
It's great stuff, though I've only recently become familiar with the term. I have always kind of reverse engineered almost every thing I get into. For example I started weaving a few years back and that led to carding and spinning with a drop spindle, the next step is make rope or yarn out of natural fibers gathered locally. I want to grow flax in the back yard, process it into fibers then linen yarn, weave it and make it into a shirt.

Yeah, I'll get a camera and share as I learn.
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Shouldn't that be charcoal, red ocher and cave wall :)
 
hushnel said:
...Shouldn't that be charcoal, red ocher and cave wall :)
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I could do that but it wouldn't fit into my CPU CD drive.


Bannerstones and boatstones?

Boy is this subject contorted. You would think they were discussing Infi knives vs. Sebbies!
 
I can certainly appreciate the things they made with the few tools and materials they had to choose from but I'm more on a 1850 to 1910 mentality.
Kinda like my neighbors grain grinder which one of his kids powers when he is grinding corn or removing coffee or macadamia bean husks. that sort of thing.
Old Schwinn with a chain running to an axle, on pillow block bearings, on a block of wood, with a sprocket on one end and a pulley on another.
The belt goes from there to a pulley that was brazed onto the shaft where the handle was on the grinder.
You can grind 100 kilos of corn in around 20 minutes.
Fresh grits ! A beautiful thang.:cool:
I also often hire guys with Oxen and a cart to do some things modern equipment is absolutely incapable of.......maybe if you had a good helicopter.
I'm ona those TEOTWAWKI kinda fools, and plan accordingly. Plus it's just flat out fun.
It makes me appreciate my great grandparents accomplishments. It flat out works. One problem. IT'S WORK !:)
 
Sadly my darts and atlatl are in another state and I don't have pictures of them. Mine were extremely unrefined. They are quite easy to make once you have a basic picture of them and an understanding of how they work. Google it and you will get a ton of nice references. Search Youtube as well, there are quite a few vids up on em.
 
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Figured this thread needed some pictures.

Kenthrowingdart.jpg



Some of you might remember that this was the day kgd accidentally nailed Pierre.

dazedPierre.jpg


Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Figured this thread needed some pictures.
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Doc,

This thread needs you provide again your excellent "Reverse twist cordage" tutorial.
I own a printed version but can't find the web link.
It would be of a great benefit for those who don't know it.

Thanks.

dantzk.
 
dantzk8 said:
Doc,

This thread needs you provide again your excellent "Reverse twist cordage" tutorial.
I own a printed version but can't find the web link.
It would be of a great benefit for those who don't know it.

Thanks.

dantzk.
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Hey dantzk8,

Thanks for the kind words. Here's the link. BTW, do you tie the Perfection (Angler's) Loop? I found, what I think is a neat way of tying the slippery version.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
do you tie the Perfection (Angler's) Loop? I found, what I think is a neat way of tying the slippery version. Doc
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Hi Doc,

Thanks for the link. The Angler's loop is also properly named "Perfection loop", not without reason. I do like that knot, i learnt it for fishing lines but it works too on medium sized ropes. What do you call the slippery version?

dantzk.
 
dantzk8 said:
Hi Doc,

Thanks for the link. The Angler's loop is also properly named "Perfection loop", not without reason. I do like that knot, i learnt it for fishing lines but it works too on medium sized ropes. What do you call the slippery version?

dantzk.
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Slippery perfection loop? :rolleyes: :D
 
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