EXHIBITIONS
Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece
British Museum, London
4 May-13 August
www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/luxury-and-power-persia-greece
This new exhibition at the British Museum will explore the relationship between luxury and power in the Middle East and south-east Europe between 550 and 30 BC. Featuring exceptional loans, including the Panagyurishte Treasure from Bulgaria, as well as objects from the British Museum collection, the exhibition considers the period when the Persian empire of ancient Iran clashed with the cities and kingdoms of Greece, before being conquered by Alexander the Great. Tickets cost £15, with concession prices available.
Islanders: the making of the Mediterranean
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
Until 4 June
www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/visit-us/exhibitions/islanders
The Fitzwilliam’s latest exhibition brings together more than 200 objects from Cyprus, Crete, and Sardinia, many of which have not been seen in the UK before, in order to explore how these island cultures reflected and shaped the larger Mediterranean world. With highlights including bronze votive figurines made by the Nuragic people of Sardinia and pottery and jewellery from Minoan Crete, the artefacts reveal more about the everyday lives of islanders over 4,000 years of history. Tickets are free, but booking is required.
CONFERENCE
Peopling the Past: reflecting on Prehistoric Europe
Jesus College, University of Cambridge
2-4 June
www.prehistoricsociety.org/events/2023-06-02
The Prehistoric Society Europa Conference 2023, honouring Professor Marie Louise Stig Sørensen, presents two days of lectures on the latest research in European Late Prehistory, along with a field trip to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge and a tour of Wandlebury hillfort led by Chris Evans. Tickets can be booked through Eventbrite and cost £95 for members, £110 for non-members, and £50 for students, with an additional £20 for the Sunday field trip.
LECTURE
Re-approaching Celts
Augustine United Church, Edinburgh
11 May
www.socantscot.org/event/may-lecture-re-approaching-celts
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland’s May lecture, presented by Dr Rachel Pope, will discuss her newly published work, which provides an enhanced framework for our understanding of the European Iron Age on the Continent. Her new contextual method combines archaeology with references in Classical texts, while also focusing on the distinctly regional nature of Iron Age social organisation. This event will take place both online and in person. The lecture is free and open to all, but book early to avoid disappointment.
EVENT
Vikings Festival
Flag Fen Archaeology Park, near Peterborough
29 April-1 May
www.flagfen.org.uk/events/vikings-festival
Flag Fen Archaeological Park, home to the famous Bronze Age causeway, presents a living history weekend exploring Viking history, with demonstrations, activities, and more. Meet Angles and Danes in authentic encampments, find out more about King Cnut and the Battle of Assandun in 1016, watch battle re-enactments and archery displays, and try your hand with a bow and arrow. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £4 for children, with family tickets and concessions for holders of an annual pass available.
VIRTUAL VISITS
• Penn Museum, USA
www.penn.museum/collections
Explore a wealth of digital resources from the Penn Museum, including archival films, lecture series, and online access to cultural artefacts, historical records, images, and more from its collections.
• Lahore Museum, Pakistan
www.lahoremuseum.punjab.gov.pk
Take a virtual tour of the oldest and largest museum in Pakistan and explore its collections, or search for the museum on Google Arts & Culture to discover a selection of online exhibits and highlights.
• Noravank Monastery, Armenia
www.farbridge.co/mva
Visit the 13th-century Noravank Monastery, as well as other Armenian historical sites such as the prehistoric Areni-1 cave complex, from your phone using the virtual reality app My Virtual Armenia.
• Goodrich Castle, UK
www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/goodrich-castle/history-and-stories/virtual-tour
Discover Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in England, and find out more about its history with this virtual tour and other resources from English Heritage.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
• Penwith Landscape Partnership
www.penwithlandscape.com
Explore the working historic landscape of West Penwith in Cornwall, one of Europe’s oldest continually used farming landscapes, with this online resource from the Penwith Landscape Exploration Network.
• Cloud Tour
www.cloudtour.tv
Discover some of the UK’s underwater shipwrecks, including the 17th-century Coronation, the 18th-century Invincible (see CA 389), and the First World War ship HMT Arfon, with virtual tours, background information, audio, and more.
• Neanderthals: meet the relatives
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct38tq
Find out how developments in new technology like DNA sequencing have transformed our understanding of the Neanderthals with this episode of The Forum, featuring scientific experts and archaeologists.
• National Museums Liverpool YouTube
www.youtube.com/channel/UCctldDS3O60WAR3pxdv-5Ag
Enjoy a variety of videos from National Museums Liverpool, exploring objects and themes from their collections, as well as offering insights into different aspects of the history and culture of the city.
FAMILY FUN
• The Black Death
www.channel5.com/show/the-black-death
Join Dan Snow as he uncovers the story of the Black Death, which devastated Britain in the 14th century, exploring how it spread across the country and caused widespread fear and chaos.
• Race to Chesters
www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/members-area/kids/quizzes-and-games/race-to-chesters.pdf
Download this board game from English Heritage, in which players must race across Roman Britain to be the first to deliver a message from Richborough in Kent to Chesters Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall.
• Dinosaur with Stephen Fry
www.channel5.com/show/dinosaur-with-stephen-fry
Journey back 180 million years into the world of the dinosaurs with Stephen Fry to find out more about these prehistoric creatures and experience the environments in which they lived.
• Back in Time with… Exciting Explorers
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zn3vvk7/articles/zsydr2p
Take a trip back in time with some of the famous explorers who have travelled the world and beyond, including Ibn Battuta, Amelia Earhart, and Neil Armstrong, with this interactive storytelling game from BBC Bitesize.
• Minecraft Education
https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/resources/history-and-culture-subject-kit
Discover a wealth of history games, activities, and other resources to help children engage with the past through Minecraft, from recreating historic landmarks to exploring the events of the First World War.
