In alot of the post's here there are question's about, fire, shelter, food, defense, etc. and I find my-self thinking of another consuming passion/addiction of mine, hunting and collecting arrowheads and other Indian relic's, and how knowledge of ancient life ways can help in a pinch. Getting food, plant and animal/fish procurement and preperation, making shelter's, making/using weapon's/ traps/ tools. If there is any interest, I will post a thread on various subjects and show the tool's/methods used to make tools, weapons, work hides, grind grains/herbs and other aspects of daily life.

We've lost most of the ancient skills of using nature's medicine cabinet, which could mean the difference between life and death in a world without the big pharma-corps/NHS.

In any prologed survival situation, the biggest threat to life I can imagine would be from infections arising from a cut injury, or other bacteriological-based illnesses from contaminated food/water.

Without pharmacy anti-biotics to depend on, what could be used as an alternative? Is there a safe way to make your own Penicillin for example?

[edit on 9-10-2007 by citizen smith]

To a limited extent the Amish are pretty close on many counts.

I'd be interested in this.

I really admire how ancient peoples had to be tough and use their wits in order to survive.

I've been reading a series of books by William Sarabande. They're fictional stories about the early peoples who lived in north america but alot of it he got from actual research into how early people lived and survived.

He describes firebuilding, shelter, and even how to flintknapp (sp?) throughout his stories.

Good thread, OP. Your ideas will be welcome here, as we all want to learn.

The more we know, the better our chances of making it if the SHTF in a big way.

Yarcofin, great link there. I'll bookmark that one.

I read some years ago about the use of sugar in a laceration over time to heal it. Used it on my dog and seemed to work fine. Petroleum type coverings seem to work great, like bagbalm or neosporin for that matter. What would be a natural equivalent I wonder, without petroleum I mean? Because I do agree with citizen smith about lacerations being a majority concern in a sit x.

What would be a natural equivalent I wonder, without petroleum I mean? Because I do agree with citizen smith about lacerations being a majority concern in a sit x.


How about Aloe Vera? Aloe Vera is a wonderful plant that is hardy and fogiving to the novice plant owner. It's health benefits are huge and it can be used topically and also internally.

Ray Mears has done several TV series shown on the BBC and I guess BBC America about living off the land.

The last one was "Wild Food" and based on the food stuffs the ancient Britons ate. They did survive without supermarkets but it was interesting to see how much work and energy needs to be exspended to eat.

Something I fear, many of us are unprepared for. Whom among us has killed and then prepared a carcass of any kind in the last year?

Certainly not me.

Thanks to this forum, and the likes of Ray Mears on the TV, I am more aware of natural lader around me but still not sure how long I would survive in sit X. There seems to be not dress rehearsal to iron out things out.

When my father was in the Russian army, he told me how they taught them to use a pit oven to bake potatoes. They also taught them how if you take a scorpion and surround it by a ring of fire, it will sting itself and die. Not sure what the latter is supposed to teach, but the former made me think how many other armies are also taught these survival techniques. It would be necessary knowledge in my opinion.

Originally posted by HimWhoHathAnEar
I read some years ago about the use of sugar in a laceration over time to heal it. Used it on my dog and seemed to work fine. Petroleum type coverings seem to work great, like bagbalm or neosporin for that matter. What would be a natural equivalent I wonder, without petroleum I mean? Because I do agree with citizen smith about lacerations being a majority concern in a sit x.

Fresh rendered animal fat perhaps? Mixed with garlic or marigold petals for the antibiotic properties. Or any other kinds of herbs that have germ killing effects.

I've heard about the sugar being used too.

Would definitely be up for a more historical look into survival.
Especially into arrowheads/bowstrings etc.

Maybe even a blog site with subheadings for each 'department'.

I've thought a constructing such a site but it would take longer to refine my webpage making skills than it would to combine all the research.

Maybe a combined project for people with the know-how.

Not Ignoring you folk's...just had to get away for a few days of Salmon fishing...I'll do a dealy on Stone Tools in the morning...Follow the Bee's back to their hive, two ways to do that... #1: catch a bee and put a small stick up it's butt( hey no time to worrying about a bee's feeling's) they fly REAL bad with stick inserted but are easyer to see...#2: have another person put Anise oil on the bee, in the woods that scent carry's forever.. To remove said Honey, time of year controlls how many times you are going to be stung(You WILL be stung, it's just a matter of HOW much), mid summer, warm spells in fall are the best times to collect wild Honey, slow easy movements, short breaths of air, most will land on you but not sting. Early spring or in Winter are the worst, their suppy of honey is at it lowest and is not being built up(winter Bee's wont fly very good and alot will die trying to get at you, make sure pant legs are tucked in, lower leg stings hurt hehehe). Hopefully the hive will be a height that is comfortable to get at, usually in a hollowed standing tree trunk of some type(knot-holes, limb loss/lightning damage). To harvest the Honey.... make a cut above and below the largest/most used enterance hole, if you hit the tree with an axe from the side, like joining the 2 first cuts, a chunk of wood will come out and the hive will be exposed. NEVER take all the Honey, maybe half at most in Fall, the Bee's will need their food also, put the chunk you cut out back in place and tie on, mark tree so you can find it again for next harvest. You will have a wad of bee's wax, Honey and a grainy substance(???) all mixed up, squeeze it throught clothe to seperate Honey from Wax....Honey will be dark from the crude method of seperation, but is still good and keeps well. I havent tried to clean the Wax, but I'm guessing a combination of heat and pressure would seperate out the purer wax for other use's..... Another Glorious Day to Excel....

Freedom ERP...I live 70 miles from NYC, I can and do walk out my front door with a loaded gun to hunt from rabbits , ducks, to deer. Everything has a "trick" to complete a task, if you know the "trick" your on your way. Getting game on the ground comes first, think small game(mice even) not deer. Dang....I'm fading fast...more in the am...

Originally posted by Oneshot1
Follow the Bee's back to their hive, two ways to do that... #1: catch a bee and put a small stick up it's butt( hey no time to worrying about a bee's feeling's) they fly REAL bad with stick inserted but are easyer to see

Genius idea! if you used a longer stick you could use the bee as a homing antennae...just sweep back and forth and listen to see in which direction the bee buzzes loudest and walk in that direction

I'd have just asked it for directions by running around in a figure 8 and shaking my butt

Making stone tools starts with a cobble/rock of hard stone. Hammer Stones make the other tools needed, the one in the center of photo is river polished Quartz, was hand held, and ends were the working part of tool, the other's are granite with finger divots added for better tool controll, edges are the working part of tool, see photo for size (hand held pic). After a proper stone is found it is put to work by " pecking", hitting hammer-stone to mother stone to remove material a little at a time, roughly shaping to final outline wante, see close-up pic of "peck marks".
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Well chit the pic didnt work... be back soon....

Group of Hammer Stones...