ACTIVITY
DigVentures Archaeology Projects
Summer 2022
Multiple locations
https://digventures.com/projects
Booking is now open for DigVentures’ 2022 summer field seasons. Sign up soon to get involved in the excavation of a ‘missing’ 13th-century castle in Shropshire, a Tudor ruin in the Cotswolds, a medieval monastery on Lindisfarne, or a Roman settlement in East Yorkshire. Develop a wide range of field skills, including excavation, artefact-handling and -cleaning, and geophysics. Children, teenagers, and families can get involved in most of the digs via DigCamp and DigClub days. Prices and dates vary by site; check the DigVentures website for details.
CONFERENCE
Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society
9 April 2022
University of East Anglia, Norwich
www.nnas.info
The Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society will be holding a day conference celebrating the richness of community archaeology across the county, and the resilience, variety, and success of the thousands of volunteers involved. The themes of the day are community and diversity, specialisms, and health and wellbeing, and confirmed speakers include Professor Tim Darvill, Dr Alex Fitzpatrick, and Neil Redfern. The keynote address will be given by Professor Will Bowden of the Caistor Roman Town Project, and the conference will also feature a ‘marketplace’ area showcasing local projects and groups. Booking opens in February.
Common Ground
5-6 March 2022
Online
www.ssns.org.uk/events/common-ground
The Scottish Society for Northern Studies and the Pictish Arts Society present ‘Common Ground’, a conference in honour of Dr Anna Ritchie and her contributions to the study of early medieval Scotland. The conference will explore a variety of new research, themes, and ideas in archaeology, art history, and more, with a mixture of papers investigating the interrelationships of Scotland’s early medieval peoples and cultures, ranging from Govan and Abercorn to Birsay and Shetland. The conference will be held online to enable as many people to attend as possible; tickets cost £10, and £5 for students.
LECTURE
Curious Minds: The Ness of Brodgar
11 March 2022
Perth Museum & Art Gallery
www.culturepk.org.uk/whats-on/curious-minds-dr-nick-card-the-ness-of-brodgar
The Perthshire Society of Natural Science and Culture Perth & Kinross present the ‘Curious Minds’ lecture series: a selection of talks by some of Scotland’s leading academics. In March, Nick Card, Director of the Ness of Brodgar Project, will offer an update on archaeological excavations at the famous Neolithic World Heritage Site in Orkney. The talk will take place live in the Lecture Theatre at Perth Museum & Art Gallery and also be broadcast on a livestream via Zoom. Tickets to attend the event in person cost £5.
ARCHAEOLOGY DAY
Eynsham Heritage Day
19 March 2022
Eynsham
https://eynsham-pc.gov.uk/events.aspx?eid=15867
No remains of Eynsham Abbey are visible today, but this upcoming heritage day will bring its history to light once more, with an exhibition of finds from the site including a medieval lead plaque depicting Thomas Becket (probably a pilgrimage souvenir) and a bronze flask that once held holy oils. There will be at least two guided tours, one of the abbey site and one of the wider village where abbey stonework can be seen built into houses and walls. Children’s events are also planned, including handling medieval pottery and a quiz, while the local Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Officer will be on hand to examine your finds.
HERITAGE FROM HOME
FAMILY FUN
• Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012wjh
Join Sir David Attenborough as he explores an archaeological excavation uncovering the largest mammoth discovery in Britain in almost two decades and investigating whether Neanderthals might have killed these Ice Age giants.
• The Great British Dig: History in Your Garden
www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-british-dig-history-in-your-garden
In Series 2 of The Great British Dig, Hugh Dennis and a team of archaeologists discover more archaeology hidden under gardens around the country, from Iron Age roundhouses to a Victorian prison.
• Digging for Britain
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014hl0d
In Series 9 of Digging for Britain, Professor Alice Roberts explores discoveries made in the last year across the UK, ranging from Scotland’s oldest railway to a spectacular Roman mosaic (CA 383).
• History Heroes
www.historyheroes.co.uk/fun-downloads-and-activities
Download activity sheets, games, wordsearches, and colouring sheets, or have a go at online quizzes about the people, places, and things that have shaped world history.
• Tunnelling Through Time: A Virtual Escape Adventure
Try your hand at this award-winning Virtual Escape Room from the Brunel Museum, based around the true stories of the Thames Tunnel. The game costs £15 and can be played solo or in teams.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
• Open Heritage 3D
Examine cultural heritage sites around the world using 3D data provided by Open Heritage 3D, a joint project between CyArk, Historic Environment Scotland, and the University of South Florida Libraries.
• DKfindout!
Discover a wide selection of history-related learning resources, with an abundance of facts, pictures, videos, and quizzes to help teachers and parents engage Early Years children in everything from Ancient Rome to medieval castles.
• Fingerprints
www.ashmolean.org/fingerprints
This new podcast from the Ashmolean Museum explores the impact of conflict and colonialism on Britain’s oldest museum, and uncovers the invisible fingerprints left behind on the objects in its collection by the people whose hands they passed through.
• #TilesonTuesday
https://twitter.com/hashtag/TilesonTuesday
Enjoy pictures of tiles at historical and heritage sites around the world, from intricately decorated medieval churches to colourful 19th-century pub tiles, with new posts on Twitter under this hashtag every Tuesday.
VIRTUAL VISITS
• National Gallery of Victoria, Australia
www.ngv.vic.gov.au/virtual-tours
Explore the NGV’s exhibitions and collections through a selection of virtual tours and information online. Highlights range from the gallery’s Chinese holdings to a recent exhibition exploring Aboriginal art and cultural heritage.
• National Museums of Kenya
https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-museums-of-kenya
National Museums of Kenya manages many museums, heritage sites, and monuments connected to Kenya’s past. Find online exhibits, collections, virtual tours, and more on the NMK’s Google Arts & Culture page.
• Maeshowe, UK
https://vimeo.com/656613451/1066eafe5f
Take a virtual visit to the Neolithic chambered tomb of Maeshowe in Orkney with this online film created by Historic Environment Scotland to mark the Winter Solstice, which features a range of experts and local people.
• Blaenavon World Heritage Site, UK
www.visitblaenavon.co.uk/en/VisitBlaenavon/Virtual-Blaenavon/Virtual-Blaenavon.aspx
Discover the Blaenavon World Heritage Site in Wales through a variety of online resources, quizzes, virtual tours, and more, learning about this industrial landscape and its history.
