FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — From prehistoric spear throwing to sifting for artifacts — archaeologists and natural resources specialists with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division transformed Fort Leonard Wood’s Colyer Park into an outdoor interactive history exhibition.
Stephanie Nutt, an archaeologist and cultural resources manager for DPW, said the Sept. 5 event was organized to celebrate Missouri Archaeology Month — an annual event focused on sharing information with the public about archaeological resources throughout the state.
“Archaeology teaches us about our nation’s and our world’s history and the people who came before us — how they lived and worked, how they hunted, what they ate, what their communities might have been like,” Nutt said.
There are hundreds of archaeological sites on the installation, according to Nutt.
“All these sites tell us something, but as professional archaeologists, we assess and evaluate each site to determine if it has unique historical significance and something important to add to our understanding of the past,” Nutt said. “Every effort is made to protect and preserve those sites with greater significance.”
The archaeology month event featured hands-on stations, such as prehistoric stone tool making, weapons demonstrations, artifact displays, rock art drawing and sifting through dirt for artifacts.
“The rock art drawing activity gave kids the opportunity to draw pictures with chalk on brown paper, to simulate a cave wall, like prehistoric peoples did when they created petroglyphs or pictographs. We had examples of different rock art images from around the world for kids to use for inspiration,” Nutt said. “And the screening for artifacts activity gave them a sense of how archaeologists screen soil to look for the material culture or artifacts.”
Special guest presenters came from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Atlatl Association to participate in the event.
Kevin Lohraff, the Jefferson City, Missouri, Nature Center manager for MDC, said one of their main goals “is to connect people with nature and the land” and events like this do just that.
“This is a great hands-on way to see how people lived and why they needed animals to survive,” Lohraff said. “The atlatl is a prehistoric way of gathering food. It was used to kill animals like mammoths. It was one of humankinds first inventions. After the large and slow ice age animals were wiped out, human’s food sources were much small and faster, hence we have the next technology of archery here for folks to also try. It shows how humans have always had to evolve with their technology to survive.”
He said he came to the event expecting to teach others but ended up learning a lot himself.
“I brought artifacts, some made by American Indians in the mid-Missouri area. I learned more about them here today by talking to the archaeologists. Some of these are from the Paleoindian and Archaic periods. Some are more recent, just 500 to 800 years old. There are arrowheads, atlatl points and other ones are for thrusting knives,” Lohraff said.
Attendee Sarah Richard said she is glad she came because she really enjoyed learning more about the installation’s history.
“Through the artifacts here today I learned that some of the German prisoners of war were from Tunisia. I got to see a Tunisian coin they found at one of the German POW sites on post,” Richard said.
She also learned she has excellent aim at the atlatl station.
“I have never thrown an atlatl. It was so fun. I recommend everyone try it,” Richard said. “And I learned that the arrow-type atlatl spear tip is called a dart.”
She said one thing at the event was obvious, “these folks work very hard and have a passion for their profession” and are doing a “great job” of preserving the history of this installation.
“Events like these are crucial because they allow us to get hands-on with the past to better understand it and preserve it for the future. I have a greater appreciation for Fort Leonard Wood’s history now for sure,” Richard said.
Another attendee, Marc Machado, a librarian assistant at Fort Leonard Wood’s Brue C. Clarke Library, said the library is also celebrating Missouri Archaeology Month.
“One of our employees created a cool eye-spy tank and book display near the front entrance. Children are welcome to come to do a little scavenger hunt in the tank and learn more about archaeology throughout the rest of the month,” Machado said.
For more information about archaeology on Fort Leonard Wood, contact the Cultural Resources Program at 573.596.7607.
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