A day in the Stone Age: humans, tools, fire
You make a stone tool with your own hands, prepare food with that same tool, and light a fire without matches.
دکتر میلاد هاشمی
Paleolithic archaeologist
I search for the traces of the earliest humans, where a few pieces of stone tools reveal signs of the technology, thinking and life story of humans tens and hundreds of thousands of years ago! Come with me on a journey into the Paleolithic world!
About this experience
Could you live for a few hours without modern technology? The human story was changed by two things: tools and fire. In this experience, we live that story not through books but with our own hands. Out in nature, by making stone tools, preparing food and lighting a fire, we travel back to a time when humans were still discovering what they were capable of, and along the way we sit down to talk about hunter-gatherer life and the path of human evolution. How the day unfolds First, Dr. Milad Hashemi tells the story of the humans who lived in Qaleh Kurd Cave some 450,000 years ago, whose tools are still coming out of that same cave's layers today. Next, we search a dry riverbed for suitable stone. It's exactly what Paleolithic people did: pick up a stone, strike it with a hammerstone, and if it wasn't fine-grained and uniform, set it aside. Toolmaking is taught by two of Dr. Hashemi's students who are skilled toolmakers, with one instructor for every ten people. We light a fire using primitive methods, prepare food with the tools we've made, and cook it beside that same fire. The day ends with an open Q&A, a group photo and an experience certificate. The venue is in the countryside around Tehran, where good raw stone can be found, and the exact location is shared after booking. The program lasts about six hours in nature, not counting travel time there and back.
This page has been translated. The languages your host speaks are listed under Details.
What's included
Food ingredients, supplied by Atlaseha, which you prepare with stone tools and cook over the fire yourself Hammerstones and backup raw material, in case suitable stone is scarce on site Instruction from two toolmaking instructors, and storytelling by Dr. Milad Hashemi First aid kit Experience certificate
What to bring
Comfortable outdoor clothes and sneakers Simple lab safety glasses Ordinary safety gloves Plenty of water and a hat
Frequently asked questions
I've never done anything outdoors or worked with stone. Is that a problem?
No. Everything is taught from scratch, and the instructors stay with the group the whole time.
How safe is working with sharp stone and fire?
Glasses and gloves are required while knapping, there's one instructor for every ten people, and we carry a first aid kit. Fires are lit only where permitted and in line with environmental principles.
What's the food? What if I'm vegetarian?
Atlaseha supplies the ingredients, usually chicken or meat, and you prepare them with stone tools. If you're vegetarian, message the host before booking so alternative ingredients can be prepared.
Can I take the tool I make home with me?
Yes. The tool you made with your own hands is your keepsake.
What happens if the weather is bad?
If the forecast doesn't allow it, the program is rescheduled in coordination with you, and you can move to the next date or get a full refund.
Where do we meet?
In nature around Tehran. The exact location and meeting time will be texted to you after booking.
Details
- Age group
- Teens and adults
- Booking deadline
- Up to 12 hours before the start
- Host language
- Persian
- Location
- Tehran (exact address after booking)
Where we'll meet
Tehran; the exact spot is shown after you book