Charles P. Acuña

Charles Acuña calls himself a "neolithic technician" because he recreates today what prehistoric peoples prized the most, sharp knives and weapons made from lithic materials.

Charles Acuña"I'm preserving a lost art" he said. "Native American tribes never had a written language to chronical the process of Flint Knapping and with the advent of iron, much of those older skills were lost."

Using methods prehistoric people developed to a fine skill and with the same materials traded extensively throughout North America, Acuña has recaptured the essence of a real stone tool or weapon made by hand.

"There are three basic techniques used in the art of Flint Knapping", he said. "The first is called the percussion method, the second is called the pressure-flaking technique, and the third is the indirect-pressure technique."

Born and raised in California, Acuña is of Native American and Hispanic descent. He graduated in 1980 from California State University Chico with a degree in communications.


Mr Acuña is holding a large piece of flint between his knees and knapping it by using the pressure flaking technique. Photo taken at 1998 Angel Fire Living History Days.


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