TOPEKA — Between 500 and 1100 CE, the treeless western Kansas plains were inhabited by people who made pottery and used spear throwers and the bow and arrow. They lived in small temporary houses with round packed-earth floors and ate deer, bison, pronghorn, fish and small mammals.

For years, State Archeologist Bob Hoard has been interested in conducting an excavation at a site from this period, and now he will do so. The Kansas Historical Society and the Kansas Anthropological Association will hold the annual Kansas Archeology Training Program field school June 5 to 20 at the Kraus site, a village site located west of Hays in Ellis County.

Participants will work alongside professional and avocational archeologists. No experience is necessary — just a desire to learn. Children must be at least 10 years old and accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Volunteers can attend for a few days or the entire 16 days of the field school.

Archeology technique courses are also offered and can be taken for college credit. A full schedule of evening programs will be free and open to the public. Registration fee for the field school is $20 for members of the Kansas Anthropological Association or Kansas Historical Foundation. Non-member fee is $80. After May 5, the participation fee increases to $30 for members and $90 for nonmembers.

Registration packets are available at kshs.org/14622. For more information, call Virginia Wulfkuhle at (785) 272-8681, ext. 266; [email protected].