Michelle Bebber

A new study led by Archaeologist Michelle Bebber, assistant professor in Kent State’s Department of Anthropology, has demonstrated that the atlatl (i.e. spear thrower) functions as an “equalizer,” a finding which supports women’s potential active role as prehistoric hunters.

For most, the craft known as flintknapping is a skilled hobby or art form that was thought to occasionally require bandages or stitches. However, new research suggests flintknapping is far more dangerous than previously understood.

In 2019, a team of researchers in Kent State’s Department of Anthropology published its “prize-winning” research article titled “Experimental replication shows knives manufactured from frozen human feces do not work” in the Journal of Archaeological Science. (Yes, the jokes are seemingly endless, but seriously folks, there is an important underlying message here about evidence-based research and fact-checking!)