Glint – Quartz Quarries & Knapping (tour and workshop)

Ian McHardy leads a tour to prehistoric quartz quarries in Lewis; learn to interpret the ancient landscape and try out knapping.

A hands-on day of stone working and exploration. Archaeologist Ian McHardy will lead us on a tour of prehistoric quartz quarries in Lewis, interpreting the ancient landscape, rock formations, techniques and artefacts used by ancient people. Following the tour, you’ll get a chance to experiment with the materials, learning the basics of knapping and creating tools, arrowheads or works of art.

Quartz knapping involves breaking stone into sharp pieces, please wear suitable hardy trousers for working with these materials, PPE will be provided.

Transport via minibus from South Beach car park, please get in touch if you need to travel separately.

This free event is curated by local arts organisation HAAR Projects. Design and delivery is by artists Robbie Thomson and Jon Macleod in collaboration with Urras nan Tursachan, with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is part of a series of activities in the “Stories of the Stones” programme this spring.