Archaeology fair promises ‘Mammoth size’ fun

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

The Llano Uplift Archaeology Society is continuing its tradition of hosting a free, educational archaeological fair at the Nightengale Archaeological Center in Kingsland, Saturday, Nov. 1, from 1-5 p.m.

“We had a bunch of people come out last year, and everyone seemed to enjoy it,” said LUAS member Chuck Hixson.

The NAC is at a prehistoric Native American site, around 7,000 years old, which used to sit alongside the Colorado River. Part of the site was flooded by Lake LBJ, Hixson said.

Visitors to the fair will get to cruise through the on-site museum, take guided tours of the site, see how the first inhabitants made fire and processed food, learn how to throw a spear using an atlatl, paint pebbles, see how an ancient Native American drink was made, and folks can even bring artifacts to be identified by experts.

“You can also learn how to throw rabbit sticks, which were used for hunting,” Hixson said. “It’s hard at first, but people usually take to it quickly.”

The NAC is owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority, which excavated the site from 1988 to 1991. It consists of numerous campsites that span thousands of years.

“They weren’t able to isolate individual campsites because the site is disturbed and mixed,” Hixson said.

Some archaeological units from LCRA’s excavations were left open so people can see features like cooking hearths and middens, or trash pits.

The fair has been held every year since the mid-1990s, Hixson said. The LUAS is comprised of both professional and amateur archaeologists, as well as people interested in history and prehistory.

The event will be held at 201 Circle Drive, Kingsland, which is about 9 miles from Marble Falls, off FM 1431.

For photos from the event, see Tuesday's Highlander.