Exploring Prehistory: My Volunteer Experience with Stone Tools at National Museum Cardiff

Between October 2024 and May 2025, I have been lucky enough to volunteer within the archaeological collections of Amgueddfa Cymru. Every Thursday, myself and my fellow volunteers were able to handle, identify and catalogue a vast collection of prehistoric stone tools gathered by Henry Stopes in the late 19^th century. 

During our weekly sessions, we were encouraged by our supervisor, Principal Curator Elizabeth Walker, to understand and recognise the uses that these tools had within their communities across the globe. Beginning with this identification, we learnt how to categorise the tool’s usage based on their markings. We then numbered and categorised the tools using Stopes’ system so that they could be inputted onto the online database.

Our work as volunteers meant that Amgueddfa Cymru could succeed in completing its counting of the Stopes collection, which was acquired by the museum in 1912, allowing the collection to become fully accessible to the public. As a Cardiff University student, volunteering at Amgueddfa Cymru allowed me to gain experience relevant to my degree and work hands-on with artefacts ranging from flint arrowheads to jewellery made from bone! 

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore the inner workings of this amazing institution and meet the dedicated professionals and volunteers that work within it. Being a volunteer has truly been an enriching and valuable experience!