This semester, I primarily worked on education and outreach projects to connect the Archeology Program with the wider Wesleyan community.  My largest project this semester was preparing stone tools for the October “Pumpkin Carving with Stone Tools” event organized by Dr. Wendi Murray and co-hosted by the Archaeology and Anthropology Collections, Archaeology Program, Environmental Archaeology Lab, and Olin Library.  I made over forty stone tools for students to use for carving pumpkins, as well as a number of educational pieces for other participants to observe.  During the event, I demonstrated basic flintknapping techniques, while also answering questions about the archeological significance of lithics and modern knapping experiments.  Other work this semester included organizing and cataloging collections in the lab, making and planning stone tool teaching collections and kits for use in archaeology classes and public outreach endeavors, and teaching knapping techniques to some of my fellow lab members.
The “Pumpkin Carving with Stone Tools” event was covered by Wesleyan press, feel free to check it out here.