The Flint Knapping Day Course with Dr. James Dilley offers a rare opportunity to step back into deep time and learn one of humanity’s most fundamental technologies. Long before metal, pottery, or written language, stone tools shaped the survival, movement, and evolution of our species. On this immersive day, participants explore that legacy through direct, practical experience.
Delivered in partnership with Dr James Dilley, experimental archaeologist and master craftsman specialising in prehistoric technologies, this course provides expert-led tuition in the principles and practice of flint knapping. Participants are guided through the controlled shaping of stone to produce functional cutting tools, gaining an appreciation not only for the skill involved, but for the intelligence and precision of our ancestors.
This is a hands-on, tactile experience rooted in archaeology, craftsmanship, and human history. No prior experience is required.
OPTION 1:
Buy this course as a gift voucher for someone else. Valid for 18 months.
BUY GIFT VOUCHER
OPTION 2:
Choose the number of places, pay a deposit now and the balance 8 weeks before the course starts or pay in full now.
Select from the dates below.
The Flint Knapping Day Course with Dr. James Dilley offers a rare opportunity to step back into deep time and learn one of humanity’s most fundamental technologies. Long before metal, pottery, or written language, stone tools shaped the survival, movement, and evolution of our species. On this immersive day, participants explore that legacy through direct, practical experience.
Delivered in partnership with Dr James Dilley, experimental archaeologist and master craftsman specialising in prehistoric technologies, this course provides expert-led tuition in the principles and practice of flint knapping. Participants are guided through the controlled shaping of stone to produce functional cutting tools, gaining an appreciation not only for the skill involved, but for the intelligence and precision of our ancestors.
This is a hands-on, tactile experience rooted in archaeology, craftsmanship, and human history. No prior experience is required.
Flint Knapping Day Course
Flint Knapping Day Course
Flint Knapping Day Course
Flint Knapping Day Course
Flint Knapping Day Course
Flint Knapping Day Course
Arrival and Woodland Setting
On arrival, participants are welcomed by the instructional team in the car park and briefed on the structure of the day. From there, the group walks into the woodland to our expedition-style camp, where the course will be based.
A fire will be lit, creating a comfortable and atmospheric learning environment. Hot and cold water are available throughout the day for refreshments, and a base-camp style toilet is provided. This is a non-catered course, so participants should bring a packed lunch and snacks.
Before work begins, safety considerations are covered in detail, including eye protection, hand positioning, and controlled striking—ensuring participants feel confident and well supported from the outset.
Understanding Stone and Technique
The morning session focuses on building a strong foundation in flint knapping principles. Participants are introduced to:
- The properties of flint and knappable stone
- How stone fractures and why conchoidal fracture occurs
- Tool selection and use, including hammerstones
- Core preparation and platform creation
James demonstrates each technique clearly, explaining not just how something is done, but why. Participants then begin working with flint themselves, learning to remove controlled flakes and shape stone deliberately rather than randomly.
Discussion weaves together practical instruction with archaeological context, exploring how these tools were used for butchery, hide working, woodworking, and everyday survival.
Tool Creation and Refinement
As the day progresses, participants build on their morning skills to create a range of functional stone tools. These may include cutting flakes, scrapers, simple blades, or hand axe forms, depending on individual progress and interest.
The emphasis remains on control, accuracy, and understanding material behaviour. Instructors provide close guidance throughout, helping participants refine their technique and troubleshoot challenges as they arise.
By the end of the afternoon, participants will have produced usable stone tools, gaining both confidence and a deep respect for the skill involved in prehistoric toolmaking.
All flint and specialist tools are provided, and participants are encouraged to take home the tools they create as both functional items and tangible reminders of the day.
About Dr. James Dilley
James is an experimental archaeologist, master flintknapper, and founder of AncientCraft UK, an organisation dedicated to bringing prehistoric technologies to life through rigorous research and hands-on practice. He holds a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Southampton, where his research focused on Stone Age and Bronze Age technologies, with particular expertise in lithic production and use.
James has worked extensively with leading heritage institutions including The British Museum and Stonehenge, and regularly collaborates with museums, archaeological sites, schools, and universities across the UK. His work has featured in projects with organisations such as the BBC, National Geographic, New Scientist, and Dorling Kindersley, reflecting his ability to communicate complex archaeological knowledge to a wide public audience.
As an instructor, James combines deep academic understanding with exceptional practical skill. His teaching style emphasises experiential learning, precision, and context, allowing participants not only to learn how tools were made, but to understand why they were made that way. Through his guidance, students gain rare insight into the technologies that shaped human survival, creativity, and culture for thousands of years.
In Summary
The Flint Knapping Day Course is an absorbing and thought-provoking introduction to prehistoric technology. Participants leave with a practical understanding of flint knapping, a collection of self-made stone tools, and a deeper appreciation of the ingenuity that shaped human survival for hundreds of thousands of years.
This course appeals to those interested in bushcraft, archaeology, anthropology, primitive technology, and traditional skills, and offers a powerful reminder of how much can be achieved with knowledge, patience, and stone.
