Off to Maine

The Thunderbird Atlatl staff will be in Maine this weekend for the University of Maine’s third annual knap-in. The event will take place April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Maine campus at Gorham, Maine. The program takes place in and around Bailey Hall. Check out the website at

Admission is free to the public. Donations are welcome to help out with the event. For more information contact help@usmknapin.com or call the Geography-Anthropology Department at (207) 780-5321.

Here is a schedule of events:

SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH, 2008

All Day Flintknapping

FREE Richard Doyle and John Cross will be giving flintknapping demonstrations (and advice) in 321 Bailey Hall. Anyone interested will have a chance to make their own stone tool and to purchase raw material or finished pieces! While everyone is welcome to participate, children MUST be supervised by an adult.

All Day Atlatl Demonstrations and Beginners’ Range

FREE Don’t worry if you’ve never done it – we’ll show you! Demonstrations will be given behind Bailey Hall and the range will be set up on the soccer field. Stop by the main table for maps and more information about atlatls.

All Day Pottery Making

FREE Head down to the Ceramics Studio and make your own prehistoric pottery. Charlie Paquin from the University of Vermont will be working with U.S.M. Art students to show participants the basics of pottery making. Pieces will be pit-fired on site and can be taken home.
Great for kids!
Hourly

Beginning 11:00am GIS (Geographic Information Systems) “Scavenger Hunt” and Presentations

FREE We have a list of locations on campus logged into our GPS units (global positioning system). Borrow one for an hour and take a tour of U.S.M.! While you’re in room 302 in Bailey Hall, check out some of the places in the world where U.S.M. students are doing research.

All Day Kid’s Room

FREE Not all activities are appropriate for small children. We are creating a kids’ room with coloring, yarn basket weaving and some other fun activities for those too young to participate in other events. Feel free to visit Room 319 in Bailey Hall with the kids!

Beginning 11:30am Picnic Style Buffet Lunch

$5.00 Cold cuts, salads, chips and dessert will be offered. Lunch is free for volunteers!
Contact us for details.

All Day Make Your Own Atlatl Workshop

$25.00 Bob Berg (Thunderbird Atlatl) and his wife, Cheryll, will be outside Bailey Hall giving instruction on how to make an atlatl. Make your own to take with you or purchase one ready made.

12:00pm to 2:00pm Friction Fire Workshop

FREE Representatives from the Maine Primitive Skills School be showing us how to make fire using a friction bow. This will be taking place outside, behind Bailey Hall.

2:00pm to 3:00pm
Presentation: Edible Plants

This presentation by the Maine Primitive Skills School will address ways to identify edible plants (and look-alikes), uses and foraging techniques.

3:00pm to 4:00pm Fiber Workshop

FREE The Maine Primitive Skills School will also explore the fibers available locally, what they are best utilized for, and spend some time making cordage.

All Day Presentation:
Zooarchaeology Dr. Dinah Crader and her Zooarchaeology II class will be presenting their research on horse remains from Aissa Dugjé, an archaeological site in Cameroon.

All Day Artifact Displays Dr. Nathan Hamilton will be displaying artifacts from archaeological excavations, including sites from Casco Bay and southern Maine.
All Day Student Research View posters created by our majors to display current research. Look for us in the hallways on the third floor of Bailey Hall.

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