The Dun Eistean Gunflint Workshop, Lewis (pre 1650?)

by Torben Bjarke Ballin Lithic Research / Hon Res Fellow, Univ of Bradford

A presentation of early gunflints and evidence of early gunflint production

Location map- Dun Eistean, Lewis, W Isles

Typical spall and blade gunflints from c. 1800, Antrim, N Ireland

The various elements of a typical blade gunflint

The lower face of a NI gunflint with groove and ‘powder burn’

Anvil-struck pebble and the resulting ‘orange-segment’ flakes

The principle behind the production of gunflint blanks at Dun Eistean, Lewis – at Dun Eistean, bipolar flakes, as well as bipolar core segments (eg, terminals) were used as gunflint blanks

Dun Eistean: Micro-waste from gun-flint production

Dun Eistean: Various bipolar cores (waste and blanks from the prod. of gunflint flake blanks)

Dun Eistean: Broken-off bipolar terminal- gunflint rough-out?

Dun Eistean: Two D-shaped gunflints- one large and one small

Dun Eistean: Almost oval gunflint with polished/’powder-burnt’ corners

Dun Eistean: Assorted gunflints with chipped leading edges

Dun Eistean: Highly expedient ill-shaped gun-flints with chipped /abraded edges

Dun Eistean: Broken-off heels and leading edges (heavily abraded)

Dun Eistean: Gun-flint chip with high-gloss abrasion