A "Prehistory Week" of lectures, slide shows and demonstrations at Capitol Reef National Park will highlight the lives of ancient people and animals who once lived in the area. Events will be from May 7 through May 14.
Evening programs will be of special interest, said Park Superintendent Charles V. Lundy. Dis-cus-sions will center around dinosaurs, other extinct mammals, prehistoric rock art, traditional cosmologies and astronomy, and the death and survival in the Sierra Mountains of members of the early emigrant Donner Party while enroute to California.Potterymaking, Navajo rug weaving, spear throwing and robemaking demonstrations are on the agenda.
Lundy said all events will be free to the public, supported by a grant from the Utah Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
School groups are invited to participate but should call (801) 425-3791 for scheduling and special arrangements.
Evening programs will be at the park's amphitheater.
Locations of all events may be obtained at the visitor center, Lundy said. He announced the schedule as follows: Saturday, May 7:9 a.m., pottery demonstration, John Olsen; 11 a.m., ancient ceramics, park archaeologist Lee Kreutzer and Olsen; 4 p.m., petroglyph walk along ancient Fremont Indian rock panels, led by park ranger; 9:15 p.m., interpretation of prehistoric rock writings by Kreutzer.
Sunday, May 8: 9 a.m., pottery demonstration; 10 a.m., evolution of tool development and use, Dave Holladay; 4 p.m., petroglyph walk; 9 p.m., verbal portrait of Butch Cassidy by Park Ranger Judie Chrobak-Cox.
Monday, May 9: 10 a.m., petroglyph walk; 1 p.m., rugweaving history and demonstration by rug weaver Elizabeth Marshall.
Tuesday, May 10: 10 a.m., prehistoric tools and techniques, spearthrowing demonstration and participation, Anasazi State Park archaeologist Larry Davis; 4 p.m., petroglyph walk; 9:15 p.m., discussion about dinosaurs and mammoths and exploring the feasibility of cloning extinct species, Dr. David Gillette, Utah State paleontologist.
Wednesday, May 11: 10 a.m., petroglyph walk; 1 p.m., archaeology and artifacts of Fremont Indians by Kreutzer; 9:15 p.m., Utah's cultural past and the disappearance of prehistoric culture, Dr. James Dykman, Utah State Historical Society.
Thursday, May 12: 10 a.m., discussion of stone-age dress styles and significance of clothing, archaeologist Corinne Spring; 4 p.m., petroglyph walk; 9:15 p.m., interpretation of prehistoric rock art by Dr. Richard Hauck.
Friday, May 13: 4 p.m., petroglyph walk; 9:15 p.m., selection of origin stories focused on things observed in the sky, presented by Hansen Planetarium Director Von Del Chamberlain. Participants are encouraged to bring telescope or binoculars.
Saturday, May 14: 3 p.m., changing views on relationships between the first Americans and mammoths, Dr. Stephanie Livingston, zooarchaeologist with the Desert Research Institute; 9:15 p.m. University of Washington Professor Donald Grayson discusses the Donner Party tragedy, explaining the role of human biology that led to why some members of the party died while others lived.