Cutting Edge Technology: Stone Tools in Prehistory

Cutting Edge Technology: Stone Tools in Prehistory

Larne Museum & Arts Centre

Saturday 10 May – Friday 27 June 2025

For millions of years the evolution of our prehistoric ancestors was shaped by the use of stone tools which they relied on for all manner of essential tasks, making the process of working stone, called knapping, one of the most important technologies ever devised by humanity.

This exhibition explores the development of stone tools and the process of knapping, from acquiring the raw material to the finished product, and takes a look at what we can learn about prehistoric people from the stone tools they left behind, with reference to important sites in Co. Antrim and material from the Museum’s collections.

The exhibition will be on display from Saturday 10 May until Friday 27 June 2025 and includes Saturday opening on 24 May and 21 June. 

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm.

Flint Knapping Demonstrations

Saturday 10 May and Saturday 21 June 2025

11am – 3pm

Join Paul Moore, owner of Wild Walk Bushcraft, as he demonstrates the ancient craft of flint knapping, and explains why stone tools were so important.

Paul will be demonstrating and discussing:

• Flint: what it is, where it comes from, and why it was used.
• Percussion flaking: how to create tools like hand-axes and chisels.
• Pressure flaking: the delicate and intricate art of producing and retouching tools like spear heads, stone knives, and projectile points.
• Abrading.
• Indirect percussion.
• Our Mesolithic ancestors and their tools.
• Our Neolithic ancestors and their tools.