The 19th annual Flint Ridge Knap-in

GLENFORD, Ohio-  The 19th annual Flint Ridge Knap-In is going on this weekend at Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries and Nature Preserve.

The largest flint knapping festival, in the entire world, featured over 250 vendors. Flint Knapping is when striking flint with a rock, or something similar, to make a stone tool or weapon such as an arrowhead. Craftsman from across the world demonstrated how to make arrowheads, spears, and more. Flint Ridge Site Manager, Tim Jordan, said Flint Ridge has about a ten-mile radius of usable flint buried just below the topsoil of the ground. He said this area is important to the history of flint making.

“This site, as an ancient Native American flint quarry, has been of interest to people for 14,000 years,” said Jordan. “It’s been used as a source of technology for their tools. There’s an art form that goes with the creation of those tools.”

Jordan said this community of flintknappers helps preserve history. Flintknapper, Ed Moreland, said he has been working with flint for over 20 years. He said the reason why he knaps flint is to make sure the history of tool making is maintained.

“The native people here (Flint Ridge) came to get stone tool material to make tools for survival, hunting, warfare,” said Moreland. “We’re doing it more in an art form, but in the same breath were showing the people how it was done that many years ago.”

The Knap-In will continue Sunday at Flint Ridge. The final day of the event starts at 9 A.M. and ends at 2 P.M.