Field Finds III

Field and Beach Flint

Flint is a mineral found in Europe and North America. Because of its hardness it has been used in the making of weapons and tools ever since the Stone Age. On the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness, where 10 is the highest level (diamonds reaches level 10), flint reaches as high as level 7. The color varies between different shades of black, brown, grey and white and when correctly knapped it can get real rasor sharp edges. Unlike its neigbour countries in the south Norway has no natural sources of this mineral. This means that the flint that is found here was either brought here by man, or in some cases, like on the south east coast of Norway, it might have drifted over here across the sea stuck to the withdrawing ice from the past ice age. Some flint also crossed the sea as ballast on trading ships. Ships that had unloaded their cargo abroad and were about to sail 'empty' back home needed what we call ballast on their return journeys to make the ships sail deeper and steadier in the water. The ballast consisted of whatever was available from the harbor they were leaving - usually stone - and it was dumped again in the next harbor they arrived to pick up new cargo. This way many different kinds of minerals traveled long distances and could end up even in other continents. These days ships use water instead of stone as ballast. 

Whether in fields or on beaches I have always loved finding flint! Apart from a few flint stones that were once used on flintlocks from the 17th to the 19th centuries (see middle row far right), I have yet to find some really old artifacts of flint though. One day, however. One day... :)