Center for Experimental Archaeology
2007 Course Dates will be available soon.
Please contact CEA with any specific requests.
Hands-on, investigative classes led by CEA provide a unique environment to explore different types of primitive technologies from identifying plants to making a traditional self bow.
Courses Offered by CEA:
- Introduction to Flintknapping
- Self Bow Classes
- Primitive Arrow Building
- Fire Building
- Cordage
- Edible Plants
- Utilitarian Uses of Plants
- Prehistoric Pottery Production & Use
In addition to the aforementioned dates and class descriptions, any class can be initiated by a minimum of three students. In this case courses can occur on mutually agreed upon dates and can be customized to meet the needs of the group.
Introduction to Flintknapping
This two-day course is designed to introduce students to the art of creating stone tools through controlled fracture. Topics include proper tool stone selection, identification, and quarrying; basic fracture mechanics; discussion of the pre-history of stone tools; and hand’s-on instruction in various technologies with an emphasis on basic bifacial reduction. This is an ideal class for those interested in learning the basics of stone tool production as well as archaeologists looking to better understand the archaeological record preserved in stone.
Self Bow Classes:
During this 2 day workshop, students will be brought through all the stages of bow making by bowyer, Bill Schindler, including:
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Bow layout and design |
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Roughing out the stave |
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Tillering and bow weight |
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Shooting in |
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Finishing |
Students will begin with a seasoned stave and utilizing hand tools, transform it into a self bow suitable for hunting or target shooting. Wood selection, procurement, splitting and seasoning will be discussed.
There will be enough tools for each student to use, but students are encouraged to bring their own. The class will primarily use:
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drawknife |
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cabinet scrappers (pen knife will suffice) |
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spoke shave |
White woods, primarily hickory and ash are recommended for beginners. Students need to bring or purchase their own staves. Unique staves such as Osage orange and black walnut will be available for sale. Students are encouraged to place an order at the time of scheduling to ensure stave availability.
The goal of the weekend is to understand and experience all the steps of the self bow process, so the students can complete a bow on their own. Ideally, every student will complete their self bow over the 2 days, but this can not be guaranteed.
Primitive Arrow Building
Believe it or not, primitive arrow building from scratch is just as difficult and time consuming as bow building. In this 2 day workshop, students will participate in all of the aspects of building an arrow from scratch -
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seasoning |
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straightening |
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scrapping and spining natural shafts such as southern arrow wood and red osure dogwood |
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making hide glue |
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making pine pitch |
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processing sinew |
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basic flintknapping |
Students will leave with a useable work of art suitable for the field or to display on the wall.
Primitive Fire Building
In a 3 hour class, students will construct their own fire building kits and learn the basics of primitive fire building techniques. Focus will be on the hand drill, but bow drill and flint and steel fire building instruction will also be available.
Fiber Technology
Students will learn how to make cordage from materials available in the tri-state area during this 3 hour course. A variety of materials will be available to work with, such as dogbane, cattail, nettle, daylily, etc. Weaving techniques and uses of cordage will also be discussed.
Edible Plants
Look what happens when you eat a persimmon before it's ripe!
Edible Plant Tours will be undertaken at two different levels
Children's Level - This 2 hour hands-on, walking tour will discuss numerous topics:
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Recognition of prevalent, poisonous plants |
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Timing of harvest |
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Safe, easily identifiable plants like cattails, which have multiple uses |
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Uses of plants often found in suburban backyards |
Adult Level - This 3 hour hands-on, walking tour will include all the topics in the children's program, but they will be explored further. These courses will vary according to season. For example, a course in early spring will highlight the uses and identification of shoots and basal rosettes (day lily, dandelion, evening primrose, etc.), a theme that many identification guides do not address. Collection and preparation of edible plants will also be discussed.
Utilitarian Uses of Plants
Making a mat out of cattail reeds and cattail cordage.
This 2 day course will offer a whole new look on the outdoors for outdoor enthusiasts by focusing on the possible utilitarian aspects of local flora. While the edible aspects of many plants are evident, their many utilitarian uses are often overlooked or poorly understood. For example, while evening primrose and cattails are nutritious food sources, they have many other uses such as hand drills, cordage, insulation, mats and even floatation devices.
The first day will focus on the overall perspective of utilitarian uses of plants. A walking tour will be given that highlights the uses of local plants in a nontraditional manner.
A project-based approach will be taken on the second day, where participants will complete a project using natural materials. This may include, but is not limited to, arrow building, a fire making kit, etc.
Prehistoric Pottery Production & Use
This two-day course is designed to expose students to the technologies involved with all aspects of prehistoric ceramics. Students will learn through hand’s-on instruction: clay acquisition and preparation techniques; temper selection, preparation, and addition; pinch, slab, and coil construction methods; outdoor firing; cooking with and cleaning clay pots. Clay vessels must be completely dried before firing; therefore, the two classes are separated by a minimum of two weeks. The first class will cover aspect of vessel construction and the second will include firing and vessel use.
NJ Facility
213 Regina Ave.
Mercerville, NJ 08619
908.627.1568
VT Facility
7240 Route 30
Jamaica, VT 05343
802. 297.9929
Center for Experimental Archaeology © 2004
info@experimentalarchaeology.org