Lawrence B. Kaiser Collection

This collection of Native American stone tools, tool manufacturing debris (debitage), and pottery, was donated to UNC by Father Lawrence B. Kaiser upon his death in 2014 https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/lawrence-kaiser-obituary?id=16527170.

Father Kaiser collected most of these items from fields, ridges, and valleys in Eastern Colorado. A few items from Wyoming, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and New York, were apparently collected during trips or were given to Father Kaiser by friends or acquaintances. The provenience of the collection ranges from unknown sites (no information recorded) to named sites, often with sketch maps showing the location. To protect sites, the maps are not included in this database. The full list of sites is below. It is not clear if any of these sites correspond to formally recorded and numbered sites in the state site database maintained by History Colorado. To search the collection for items from named sites, enter the site name into the search box in the menu on the left side of this webpage. Researchers who wish to see items in the collection or learn more information about specific sites should contact Andrew Creekmore, Anthropology Department, UNC.

The numbering system utilized here records items by collection bag. For example, LK 032.003 is the third item in bag 32. These numbers may not be sequential if a map or other item was excluded from the public database posted here.

The descriptive data provided for each item was produced by UNC undergraduate students Denise Medina, Danette Shaw, and Nicholas Trujillo, working under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Creekmore. Subsequently, UNC graduate Kelton Meyer checked, corrected, and expanded the database. The Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority provided funding for photography and data development by UNC students and the expert work of Kelton Meyer.

Site names or general location include the following. Similar names may refer to the same site but we preserved the names as written on the bag tags until site locations are confirmed.