Robert J. Patten (1944–2017): Life, Legacy, and Contributions to Archaeology, Lithic Technology, and Flintknapping

Figures & data

Figure 1. Bob Patten at the Colorado National Monument; As a boy in Clifton, CO; Flintknapping as a teenager; US Army, 1967.

Figure 2. Patten at the Loveland, Colorado Stone Age Fair. Top: giving a knapping demonstration; bottom: with Rob Bonnichsen.

Figure 3. 1977 Knap-in, Arlington, VA – Top: Bob Verrey, Mike Johnson, Bob Patten; Bottom: Scott Silsby and Bob Patten.

Figure 4. Examples of Patten’s flintknapping. Clockwise, starting at the bottom: Burlington chert biface hafted on a black walnut haft carved with an Anatolian design; quartzite Folsom point hafted onto a foreshaft; Clovis point on Georgetown chert; Danish Dagger; Cobra; Danish trihedral point.

Figure 5. Patten’s Dalton replication, cast by Bostrom at each stage of manufacture (black plastic specimens). The actual knapped stone point can be seen in the lower right (white).

Figure 6. Patten produced 25 Folsom projectile points for David Hunzicker’s thesis (left and top right). Bottom right: a Folsom point knapped by Patten.

Figure 7. Patten regularly provided public demonstrations, and was featured on television documentaries. Here shown on the PBS NOVA documentary Making North America – Human (2015).

Figure 8. Awards for contributions to flintknapping and archaeological research. Top left: Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Crabtree Award “For his tireless efforts over the past 40 years to teach ancient stone-tool technologies to professional and avocational archaeologists, and for his flint-knapping experiments, which have led to major insights into Paleoindian technologies and lifeways.” Top right: Loveland Archaeological Society “In appreciation of your many years of devoted service to the Loveland Archaeological Society and the Loveland Stone Age Fair.” Bottom left: George Steward Memorial Award “In recognition of contributions made to the Loveland Archaeological Society and the Stone Age Fair in the spirit and generous nature of George Stewart.” Bottom right: Rick and Doris Hamilton and the Beaver Creek Clan “For thanks and appreciation.”

Figure 9. Patten, demonstrating at his annual Front Range Flintknapping Workshop, Lakewood, CO (2014).

Patten, R. J. (2015). Watts Clovis cache, Larimer County, Colorado. Southwestern Lore, 81(2/3), 84–90.

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