FIRE-AND-WATER KNAPPING: ORIGINS OF A LITHIC FOLK TALE

Abstract

Anthropology is not immune to the processes of folklore, and some “old wives' tales” have surprising endurance, especially in popular culture. The belief that arrowheads were made by dripping cold water on heated stone is a good example. Searching early references shows that this story probably originated in the early years of the last century and was popularized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but its ultimate origins are obscure. The enduring popularity of this misinformation probably results from widespread ignorance of real knapping processes, and a certain plausibility in the minds of non-knappers.