Hands-On Archaeology: How to Make a Tabular Saw

Preservation Archaeology Blog
Allen Denoyer, Preservation Archaeologist and Ancient Technologies Expert
Allen Denoyer - blog

(January 8, 2024)—In today’s post, I’ll show you how to make a simple agave-processing tool. Although archaeologists generally call these “tabular knives,” experiments indicate that people probably used them more like saws. In her seminal guide to ground stone analysis, Jenny Adams also calls them saws.

OUCH! Why did people need tabular saws? Agave thorns have a particularly painful sting, and the sap inside the plant is caustic on bare skin—almost like an acid burn. (Owies enhanced by me!)
OUCH! Why did people need tabular saws? Agave thorns have a particularly painful sting, and the sap inside the plant is caustic on bare skin—almost like an acid burn. (Owies enhanced by me!)

Tabular saws are common in Hohokam archaeological sites, and are occasionally found at Mimbres sites, too.

That being said, there is quite a bit of variation in terms of their forms and how they were made. Most are made of tabular stone—think schists and rhyolites. The stone is typically soft enough that it would not be suitable for chopping, as with an axe. Sometimes, the working edges have been pressure flaked to shape, and other examples have been ground to a sharp edge and flaked to create serrations.

Some basic examples of variations we see in tabular saws. (Illustrations by me.)
Some basic examples of variations we see in tabular saws. (Illustrations by me.)
This example—an actual artifact, not one made by me—is made of rhyolite. Note the minimal flaking to shape across the cutting (upper) edge.
This example—an actual artifact, not one made by me—is made of rhyolite. Note the minimal flaking to shape across the cutting (upper) edge.
I used sharp flakes to score my limestone slab.
I used sharp flakes to score my limestone slab.
I incised a line a few millimeters deep on either side of my slab to ensure that it would snap cleanly.
I incised a line a few millimeters deep on either side of my slab to ensure that it would snap cleanly.
Incised slab.
Incised slab.
I aligned the incision over the straight edge of an under-slab.
I aligned the incision over the straight edge of an under-slab.
I aligned another slab on top of my incised slab. Firmly placing my weight on the upper slab, I used my other hand to snap the incised slab along the scoring.
I aligned another slab on top of my incised slab. Firmly placing my weight on the upper slab, I used my other hand to snap the incised slab along the scoring.
If the stone they were using had enough silica in it, people could pressure flake them into shape. Here is a snapped slab prior to pressure flaking.
If the stone they were using had enough silica in it, people could pressure flake them into shape. Here is a snapped slab prior to pressure flaking.
Here I used antler tine to press small flakes off the back edge to help shape it.
Here I used antler tine to press small flakes off the back edge to help shape it.
Now it’s time to grind the edge to make it even thinner and sharper. I ground the edge against a flat, coarse-grained sandstone slab. It’s important to keep your grinding surface wet; this cuts down on the fine dust and washes away clogged material.
Now it’s time to grind the edge to make it even thinner and sharper. I ground the edge against a flat, coarse-grained sandstone slab. It’s important to keep your grinding surface wet; this cuts down on the fine dust and washes away clogged material.
I angled the saw at about 30 degrees to the sandstone slab.
I angled the saw at about 30 degrees to the sandstone slab.
Grinding in progress! I tried to maintain that 30-degree angle throughout the process.
Grinding in progress! I tried to maintain that 30-degree angle throughout the process.
It took 31 minutes to sharpen the edge. After 16 minutes, I switched over to a finer-grit sandstone piece that I used in the hand. The coarser-grit slab was causing the edge to chip a little bit, so it made sense to do the finishing work on the finer-grained piece.
It took 31 minutes to sharpen the edge. After 16 minutes, I switched over to a finer-grit sandstone piece that I used in the hand. The coarser-grit slab was causing the edge to chip a little bit, so it made sense to do the finishing work on the finer-grained piece.
The handheld sandstone piece helped with the delicate finishing work that created a very sharp edge.
The handheld sandstone piece helped with the delicate finishing work that created a very sharp edge.
I used a sharp flake to make tiny serrations down the sharp edge of the blade. I pulled the sharp edge of the flake down across the sharp edge of the blade to make shallow notches. It took just a few downward pulls to create a serviceable notch.
I used a sharp flake to make tiny serrations down the sharp edge of the blade. I pulled the sharp edge of the flake down across the sharp edge of the blade to make shallow notches. It took just a few downward pulls to create a serviceable notch.
These serrations really help the saw grip the fiber strings of the plant, making cutting much easier.
These serrations really help the saw grip the fiber strings of the plant, making cutting much easier.
Two saws made from that first limestone slab.
Two saws made from that first limestone slab.

I have never seen an example that is preserved with its handle intact, but I have seen an example from a site in the Tucson basin that had some kind of resin where it had been hafted to a handle. There are several probable means of making and attaching a handle, and here’s what I decided to try.

I split a desert willow branch with a sharp flake, using one of my flintknapping tools as a hammer. I like to do the when the wood is still green, as it is more pliable for creating the haft and bending over the saw blade.
I split a desert willow branch with a sharp flake, using one of my flintknapping tools as a hammer. I like to do the when the wood is still green, as it is more pliable for creating the haft and bending over the saw blade.
I pulled the split apart, creating an opening about twice as long as the saw blade I planned to haft.
I pulled the split apart, creating an opening about twice as long as the saw blade I planned to haft.
Here you can see how the fatter end of the split will lie over the back of the saw (opposite the blade). I also left room at the top of the split—enough to wrap the blade into place, as seen in the next image.
Here you can see how the fatter end of the split will lie over the back of the saw (opposite the blade). I also left room at the top of the split—enough to wrap the blade into place, as seen in the next image.
I used a thick piece of cordage to tightly wrap the distal end (top of the handle/haft).
I used a thick piece of cordage to tightly wrap the distal end (top of the handle/haft).
I used a long-enough piece of cordage that I could run down to the other end of the saw and tightly wrap there, too. The idea is to have a tension hold on the blade secured at either end.
I used a long-enough piece of cordage that I could run down to the other end of the saw and tightly wrap there, too. The idea is to have a tension hold on the blade secured at either end.
Here is the finished hafted saw. It may need to be rewrapped after the wood dries and shrinks a bit, loosening against the cordage wrap.
Here is the finished hafted saw. It may need to be rewrapped after the wood dries and shrinks a bit, loosening against the cordage wrap.
Here is the other blade, which I wrapped with a leather strap.
Here is the other blade, which I wrapped with a leather strap.

Did you notice the green on some of the saw blades in this post? Those have already been used to successfully cut agave!

Want to learn more with Allen? He’ll be teaching two classes soon at our Tucson headquarters: Jan. 20, How Did People Make Stone Tools?, and Feb. 3, How Did People Haft a Knife? 

 

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