January 30, 2012 Miniature Arrowheads

[CaliforniaMama]

I was going to start off the week with a "Monday morning" kind of image. Then, I remembered I promised footfootfoot that I would post the arrowheads.

Meet Dan White and his art form of miniature flint-knapping (shaping stone by breaking off chips).



My favorite is in the upper left corner, 2nd one from the left, that looks kind of like a tree.

Over the last few years Dan has made over 100 miniature stone arrowheads. He uses a stereo microscope to reproduce the stone-age technology of flint-knapping in miniature. After months of experimenting, headaches, and stabbing himself in the fingers, he has been able to develop a technique where he can make miniature stone arrowheads the size of a grain of rice that have all the same proportions and flaking as the full-size originals. Each miniature takes between 1 and 2 hours to complete.

Arrowheads have always fascinated me. My dad did some archeological digging when I was small and saved a display case of arrowheads for me (which my father-in-law proceeded to break every single one of them on "accident"). When I was a child, I played around with flaking some obsidian, a common material around here. I never got into precision flaking, but can definitely appreciate the work Dan put into making these arrowheads.

Many thanks to 3foot for the suggestion.

[Happy Monkey]

Should be useful for the Indian in the Cupboard.

[bbuilder]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Should be useful for the Indian in the Cupboard.

Hahaha. I'm imagining myself little at my keyboard just now hopping on the letters to type.

Also good for "Night at the Museum" - another favorite.

[ZenGum]

Over the last few years Dan has made over 100 miniature stone arrowheads.

Pictured are the ones he hasn't yet lost.

[footfootfoot]

He made a miniature arrow. I wonder if he shot a mouse?

[SPUCK]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama

Meet Dan White and his art form of miniature flint-knapping (shaping stone by breaking off chips).



My favorite is in the upper left corner, 2nd one from the left, that looks kind of like a tree.

I'll go for the Space Shuttle - left bottom area.

[infinite monkey]

The one right above the 'of' looks like a slightly deformed goldfish cracker.

[Sheldonrs]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

The one right above the 'of' looks like a slightly deformed goldfish cracker.

Maybe that's what it's used for. :-)

[monster]

Originally Posted by Sheldonrs

Maybe that's what it's used for. :-)

[monster]

The one second right from the pencil looks more like a chess king. Is that one to decapitate the miniature prey?

[CaliforniaMama]

Originally Posted by monster

The one second right from the pencil looks more like a chess king. Is that one to decapitate the miniature prey?

I was pondering that one, too.

I wonder if it was a tool, that when turned in circles, was used to make holes in something.

[Sheldonrs]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama

I was pondering that one, too.

I wonder if it was a tool, that when turned in circles, was used to make Gloryholes in something.

That was my guess too. ;-)

[infinite monkey]

The one above the pencil eraser looks like Michael Myers' knife!

[infinite monkey]

I must be off today.

Please to 'splain the joke?

[Sheldonrs]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

I must be off today.

Please to 'splain the joke?

As a "goldfish cracker". A tool for cracking goldfish crackers. :-)