UW Anthropology Department to Have Big Presence at Archaeology Fair Sept. 13

If you’ve ever had the urge to hurl an atlatl, whittle an arrowhead or make pottery, the Archaeology Fair may be something you can dig. And several University of Wyoming faculty members and students from the Department of Anthropology will be on hand for many of the demonstrations.

 

The event, in its 10th annual rendition, will take place 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, located at 975 Snowy Range Road in Laramie. The event is free and open to the public.

 

Organized by UW’s Department of Anthropology, the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office and the Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist, the event offers a myriad of hands-on activities, including flint knapping, cordage making, blacksmith demonstrations, rabbit hide painting and living history.

 

"The Archaeology Fair provides an accessible avenue for the public to interact meaningfully with archaeology and anthropology, whether that is through creating their own arrowhead or having the opportunity to see the Wind River Dancers perform. There is something for everyone at the fair,” says Gwendolyn Kristy, chief of the Planning and Historic Contexts Development Program at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office. “There are opportunities to engage with professionals from around the state to learn about why preserving our past is important for understanding our future, and to bring attention to the importance of protecting and preserving Wyoming’s archaeological heritage.”

 

Several faculty members and students from the UW Department of Anthropology will be on hand. They include:

 

-- Wyoming State Archaeologist Spencer Pelton, an adjunct professor in the UW Department of Anthropology, will show attendees how to conduct an archaeological dig during a mock excavation in the prison yard. This is a new event.

 

-- Marcia Peterson, a UW adjunct professor of anthropology and assistant state archaeologist, will run the atlatl station.

 

“Throwing the atlatl is a skill that takes practice,” Kristy says. “We do have it set up so there is an easier station where the thrower targets a stuffed animal up close, whereas the 3D hunting targets are farther away and are more challenging to hit. After a few tries, participants often get the hang of it.”

 

-- Melissa Murphy, a professor and head of the UW Department of Anthropology, will run the hominin evolution booth. Hominin evolution refers to the evolutionary history of humans and their extinct bipedal ancestors.

 

-- Allison Mann and Briana Doering, both assistant professors of anthropology, will host a UW recruitment booth for students interested in anthropology.

 

-- Additionally, between 10 and 15 UW undergraduate and graduate anthropology students run several of the booths each year as volunteers, Kristy says.

 

Other fair booths include:

 

-- Robert Martinez, an artist from Riverton, will run a workshop, titled “In the Tradition of Ledger Art.” He will share his approach to the genre of ledger art. Participants will learn about the history of the form while also exploring their own visual narratives using mixed media to express stories that matter to them.

 

-- Lapita and Dan Frewin, who teach Native American crafts each year at the Green River Rendezvous, will demonstrate and teach attendees how to make traditional crafts.

 

-- David Ian Howe will teach how to use natural pigments, such as ochre, to create art in a technique known as “hand-spraying,” which is often seen in cave paintings. 

 

The Twaynes will provide musical entertainment all day, and the Wind River Dancers will perform from 1-2 p.m. Food vendors include Oompah Fry Bread Tacos and The Soda Pit.

 

For more information about the Archaeology Fair, email Kristy at gwendolyn.kristy@wyo.gov.