For Immediate Release
January 29, 2009

Learn the art of "flint knapping" in UCR Extension's new weekend class at the Desert Studies Center

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Flint knapping is the ancient technique of transforming pieces of stone into arrowheads, ax heads, spears and other sharp objects. It attracts artisans and archeologists alike. Spend the weekend in UCR Extension's new class, The Art and Science of Flintknapping, offered from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22, 2009 at The Desert Studies Center near Soda Springs, California.

The class meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22. Students stay in dormitory-style accommodations at the Desert Studies Center, where meals will be catered.

Instructors Jeanne Day Binning and Charles Bouscaren will spend the weekend taking students through various field activities such as the heat treatment of siliceous rocks, basic percussion biface reduction, basic pressure flaking, the use of an atlatl and the use of a single stave and self bow. The raw material and basic tools needed for making stone tools will be provided. Students have the opportunity to haft what they make, which includes a choice of an arrow point, dart point or knife.

The class fee is $325 per person, or $305 each for couples and family members, or $295 each with PINE discount.

For more information, call (951) 827-5801 or e-mail arts@ucx.ucr.edu. To register for classes, visit www.extension.ucr.edu or call (951) 827-4105. To receive a free UCR Extension catalog, which includes a complete listing of all our current courses and certificate programs, call (951) 827-3806.

UCR Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California, Riverside. Extension offers more than 1,800 courses and certificate programs in a variety of academic programs, including agriculture and landscape, arts and humanities, business and management, education, teacher's credentialing, English, environmental management, geospatial analysis and technology, health services and behavioral sciences, information technology, languages, law and public policy, Native American studies, natural sciences, forensic investigations and public safety, and yoga.