Anthropology club explores ancient craft of flintknapping

LBCC’s Anthropology club had a meeting where students had the opportunity to do flintknapping lessons and eat pumpkin bread at the Liberal Arts campus on Thursday, March 19. 

Flintknapping is the act of taking hard rocks, usually obsidian, and hitting them against a stone or horn to shape the material to make tools. 

^{John Reidy, (left), working on breaking down a stone while anthropology professor Carmen Diaz, (right) observes during Flintknapping with the Anthropology Club held on Thursday, March 19 in the B-building at Long Beach City College’s Liberal Arts campus. (Alex Pina)}

While the event had a handful of students in attendance, everyone participated in the activity of flintknapping.

The Anthropology club president, Libby Loveridge, who was involved with the event and participated as well, spoke about how events similar to this are to people’s benefit.

“I think stuff like this is great, everyone likes to hit rocks, it’s fun. It helps get other people involved with anthropology and archaeology,” Loveridge said.

The event was taught by Anthropology professors Carmen Laguer Diaz and Michael Robertson.

Robertson talked about his introduction to Anthropology. 

“When I was a freshman in college, I took Introduction to Cultural Anthropology at Cal State Long Beach. I fell in love with the content, it was something I always wanted to do, but I didn’t know Anthropology existed,” said Roberston.

As flintknapping was used to make spearheads and other hunting tools, participants attempted to recreate them.

^{During the Flintknapping exercise provided by the Anthropology Club, a sample display of stones in different shapes and sizes was shown on Thursday, March 19. The workshop was offered in room B-211 at Long Beach City College LAC Campus. (Alex Pina)}

Many participants found it challenging, yet rewarding enough to continue to shape their rock of choice.

Anthropology club treasurer Aminah Rashid commented on the club’s overall struggles.

“As of right now, (it’s) trying to get more people in. It’s hard, with it being in the middle of the day and people having classes,” Rashid said.

Even with the setbacks they’ve faced, the flintknapping workshop shows that the club can still draw interest and be fun at the same time.

^{Students carving and shaping stones during Flintknapping with the Anthropology club. The workshop was held in the B-building at Long Beach City College’s Liberal Arts campus on Thursday, March 19. (Alex Pina)}