Reproduction Native American knives

 These artifacts are stone age hand tools that are hand-made by present-day Utah artisans using knapping techniques similar to techniques used by ancient Native Americans.  Through research done by  studying  genuine artifacts found in the American southwest we have made these items from obsidian and flint stone found in Western North America. 

The ancient paleo humans made their tools using several different techniques.  One was to do pressure chipping using a deer antler point.  Another was to ‘bop’ or percussion chip the material using a dense moose antler or stone hammer.  It takes many weeks or years of practice and advice from others to get proficient enough to make a good stone tool.  Modern flint-knappers still haven’t quite figured out how the ancients consistently made some complex blades and points such as the Folsom and Clovis points.  Bryan Burrell learned some of his technique by watching other master knappers  and researchers and then added his own ideas.  Special thanks to Bo Earls and Bill Davis of Utah for their friendship and help. Bryan also was born and raised on a ranch in the four corners area of New Mexico where he saw thousands of authentic stone tools in the local museums.  These tools were mostly by ancient so-called Anasazi, Navajo, Apache, and Ute  as well as some tools that surely pre-dated these tribal traditions.  He likes to copy the flaking techniques from many of these artifacts.

Ana and Bryan use only very quality and beautiful natural stone from sources that he and Ana has encountered in their years of rock-hounding in the Western United States. These sources were also used by the North American ancients.  Our favorite blades are made from obsidian found mostly in ancient Native American sources near Milford Utah and also from the Glass Buttes area of central Oregon.  Obsidian is a natural glass found near ancient volcanoes.  It is relatively hard yet easy to work and has the sharpest edge of any naturally occurring earthly material known to man.  It is said that the sharp edge of Obsidian can go to one molecule thick.  This is why it was used for special medical scalpels before the invention of the laser scalpel.

The Utah obsidian is our favorite for a very opaque black blade that has an almost waxy look and feel .  The Oregon obsidian comes in beautiful variations of black, red, and brilliant orange mahogany colors.  When black, red, and clear obsidian is swirled it produces what is called horse tail or flame obsidian.

When the ancient southwestern Indians fashioned knives they would sometimes attach them to a handle made of a cottonwood root.  The Cottonwood root could have been a religious requirement that grew out of the practicality of a local material which resists cracking and yet is fairly easy to carve.  Note that the Hopi will only make their Katchina dolls from the cottonwood root per religious tradition.  Ana and Bryan prefer to make their handles from native Cottonwood material for these reasons.  Some of his knives are also made with elk or deer antler for a more decorative but less authentic knife.

These knives are hand-made by Ana or Burrell or one of the knappers mentioned above and can be purchased from Ana Maria’s Online Store or from any of the stores that feature her art or jewelry

 

Various colors of obsidian knives and antler tool that ancients used for flaking the obsidian blades.

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Horsetail obsidian blade with native cottonwood handle

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