From spear tips and knives to arrowheads and gun flints, early civilizations mastered the craft of knapping to make weapons and tools. Teaching contemporaries the art of knapping is a goal of the Meeteetse Museums.

On Saturday, June 18, the musuems will host a stone tool knapping workshop. The event takes place beside the First National Bank Museum at 10 a.m.

The workshop will be led by Dr. Lawrence Todd, professor emeritus of Anthropology at Colorado State University, and special guest John Kiernan.

Kiernan studied Experimental Archaeology at the University of Exeter with a concentration on lithic technology/evolution of lithic technology, as well as the development of weapons from prehistory until Viking age archaeology.

Stone tools have been in use for an extraordinary 3 million years. In this workshop, Todd will introduce participants to knapping basics, key terms and tool use. Kieran will join the workshop to guide participants through the manufacturing of two projectile points: the Rosegate (Late Prehistoric arrow point) and Pahaska Side-Notched (Early Archaic dart point). Both the Rosegate and Pahaska Side-Notched points were excavated from local archaeological site 48PA201, sometimes referred to as “Mummy Cave.” As a rock shelter, 48PA201 represents almost 9,000 years of continuous occupation. 

After a half hour break for lunch, participants will learn about cross-dating, which played a crucial role at 48PA201, why context matters, and the secrets of debitage. 

Participants will receive a Georgetown flint nodule/core and hammerstone for the workshop. The program is free to attend and does not require an RSVP. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes, bring a lunch or snack, and are encouraged to bring water and sunscreen, as it may be hot. The event will last from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.

This program was made possible by a grant from Wyoming Humanities.

For more information, visit www.meeteetsemuseums.org, email programs@meeteetsemuseums.org, or call 307-868-2423.