Clik here to view.
Starting a Beothuk Bow Reproduction
Is there a bow somewhere in one of these sticks?I've been working on a reproduction of a Beothuk bow for less than a week and my impressions of the bows are changing quickly. I collected a big fir...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Roughing out a few Atlatls
Maple atlatls with antler spursI set aside the Beothuk bow project for the day and switched to atlatls and ochre staining. I have a couple quick jobs that I want to finish up before I return to the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Finished Atlatls
Four new atlatlsI finished up those four atlatls that I started on Monday. The bodies of each one is more or less the same, but I played around with different spur and finger loop designs as well as...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Beothuk Bow Blanks
Ochre stained arrowsIt didn't really seem like one of those weeks, but in retrospect, it was one of those weeks. The time I spent in the workshop was productive enough, but I had lots of computer time...
View ArticleClik here to view.
...seasoned over a fire.
Beothuk bow reproduction, ready to tillerI was back to the Mountain Ash Beothuk bow reproductions today. I've been going back and forth between the spokeshave and fire trying to trim the wood down and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
String of plaited deer skin
Two strands of rawhide twisted into a cord for a bow string. The sheet of rangifer tarandus rawhide that the strips were cut from is in the backgroundI've taken the Mountain Ash Beothuk bow...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tillering and some fall scheduling
Tillering a bow with a stone flakeI spent a few hours working on the Beothuk bow reproductions today, although the rainy weather has kept me inside for most of the tail end of this week. I'm still...
View ArticleClik here to view.
...flattened away towards either end...
Drawing the Beothuk bowBoth reproduction Beothuk bows can be fully drawn now up to 30 or 32 inches. I haven't checked the draw weight lately, but I can tell that its going up as they continue to dry....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Signal Hill, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Lori and I went out for breakfast downtown on Sunday and took a drive up Signal Hill.Panoramas always look better if you click to enlarge themPhoto Credits: Tim Rast
View ArticleClik here to view.
October 19th is International Archaeology Day
Is there an archaeology site in Newfoundland and Labrador that you have always been curious about? Perhaps there's an artifact in a museum display that you'd like to know the history of? Have you...
View ArticleClik here to view.
NLAS update
Our new logo!The Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeological Society is picking up steam. We have our first public event coming up at The Rooms on October 19th for International Archaeology Day and have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The sticks are not selected with any great nicety...
Ochre staining the bows and bow stringsI've been test shooting and ochre staining the Beothuk bows over the past week. They still need a bit of time to dry, so I'll have to save the final reveal for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Beothuk Bows - Finished!
A Beothuk Bow and ArrowThe Beothuk bow reproductions are all done now. Both bows are made from Mountain Ash saplings and are each less than an inch wide - one is approximately 22 mm wide and the other...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Happy Thanksgiving
Thinking of home.Thinking of family.Whatever your harvest I hope it's a bountiful one.Photo Credits:1,3: Tim Rast2: Ragna Schnell
View ArticleClik here to view.
Preparation and Maintenance
NLAS Membership CardsI've been doing a lot of prep work for upcoming workshops and demonstrations this week. I have an all-day school visit coming up on Friday where I'll be demonstrating...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Demo Days - See you Saturday?
Everything has its placeThe first day of back-to-back flintknapping demonstrations went down without any major injuries to report. Today I was working with grade 8 and 10 students at their school here...
View ArticleClik here to view.
International Archaeology Day Success!
A glimpse from the VaultsWe had a really great day at The Rooms on Saturday in celebration of International Archaeology Day. The Rooms organized and advertised the event and provided volunteers and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Beothuk or Little Passage Flintknapping Sequence
Knapping sequence, from core to finished arrowheadThis stone and antler set illustrates the stages and tools that would have gone into making a Beothuk or Little Passage arrowhead from chert. Its...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Puttering away
A cluttered toolboxWith a half dozen small projects on the go and no deadlines looming until early November, I've been a little scatter-brained in the workshop lately. I'm starting new projects faster...
View ArticleClik here to view.