Really Old Stones.

There's a bouncy 'Stonehenge', by artist Jeremy Deller, touring the UK at the moment, but John recently visited 'the real thing'! He said, "...it was really interesting, and quite cool to be near something 5000 years old! Here are some pictures I took for the blog."

What I want to know is, how it is currently thought they managed to transport the big blue Sarcen stones from Wales...?

And now more Saxons...!


http://www.medievalists.net/2012/07/31/sixth-century-anglo-saxon-woman-discovered-by-british-soldiers-in-operation-nightingale/

News from Silchester

Britain before the Romans - plates and olives - but still Romans built better roads it seems...:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/31/silchester-iron-age-roman-britain

Digging the Dirt 2012 - Photos

Photos from our excavation at Priory Country Park, 28th & 29th July 2012.

This is the second year SAW has excavated this area, close to the site of a Roman building, as part of the Festival of British Archaeology. Members of the public were able to watch the diggers at work, find out about the reasons for the site selection and see the variety of finds.

Women mattock while men stand.

Revealing a dark deposit.

In addition to finding out about this particular site,visitors could choose to join a guided historical walk around Priory Country Park, led by the archaeologists.

Explaining the site to visitors.

What is it...?

Clearing the site.

Cutting sections through the dark layer.

Oh no! "Roman" plastic! 

Sections cut throughout the dark layer - well done!

Instant site-birthday-cake.

We found some Roman tile and pot.

Washing finds.

The finds-rich dark layer.

Recording the site features. 

Staring to check the levels.

Well done everyone who helped to make this event possible and thanks to all the diggers for their hard work.

SAW is Digging the Dirt!

Priory Country Park, 28th & 29th July

This Saturday and Sunday, at Priory Country Park, Bedford, as part of the national Festival of British Archaeology organised by the Council for British Archaeology, Saturday Archaeology Workshops children will be extending their excavation close to the recorded site of Newnham Roman villa.

The event is open to the public to visit and runs from 10am to 4pm both days. 

In addition to the excavation, visitors to the Park can follow an historical guided walk to the Newnham Priory Park site, at 11.00am and 2.00pm both days.

For further information, please contact the Park Rangers on:

01234 2111182 or prioryrangers@bedford.gov.uk

Come and see what we've found...! See the dig photos in the gallery. 

Collection Point - Unleash your inner curator at the River Festival

Collection Point - Unleash your inner curator at the River Festival

Miniature wooden horse from The Higgins Collections

The River Festival is on the 21st and 22nd July 2012. At this years River Festival we would like your help to choose objects that will be going on display when the museum reopens in Spring 2013

One of the new displays in The Higgins is a very large display case that will hold objects that have been chosen to go on display by members of the public. The information labels will also have been written by those that have chosen the objects. We want people to unleash their inner curator.

We're getting the ball rolling by inviting people to choose the first objects to go on display in the Collection Point case at this year's River Festival.

We will be based close to Castle Mound, from 11 am until 5pm during the festival. Members of the public will have the opportunity to look through a shortlist of objects from the collection, choosing their favourites, some of which will go into the Collection Point case. Everyone who chooses an object will be encouraged to write a display label explaining their choice, to be shown alongside it.

We can't wait to see you there.

Full article:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-624-ludCObI/UAPmMORVdGI/AAAAAAAABvk/v5Kxyh6nWPo/s1600/collection+point-2.jpg

Greeks! Huh!

Archaeologists Don't Jump! (According to some!)

Sport & Olympics in Archaeology

In the spirit of this year of celebration and competition, this month SAW  participants not only absorbed the basics of the history of sports since the first Olympics, but also engaged in a little physical exercise as well!

We started everyone off with some simple 'Calisthenics', (meaning 'Greek' & 'strength'), otherwise known as 'warm-up' exercises. This aspect of 'archaeological research appealed to some SAW  participants more than others! 




The we experimented with various archaeologically evidenced games, such as 'Hobby-Horse Circus Maximus'...

Ben Hur rides again!

This horse missed his oats this morning!

This horse did have oats for breakfast!

Skittles, moving-target shooting and boules! It was edge-of-your-seat stuff!

The tension is mounting!

"You cannot be serious!"

Everyone displayed the best of sporting spirits and received a medal for taking part.

Saturday Archaeology Workshops now takes a break from its regular monthly sessions until September 2012, but you can see 'archaeology-in-action' and find out more about SAW , if you come along to see our excavations. 'Digging the Dirt', part of the Festival of British Archaeology, takes place on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th July at Priory Country Park, Bedford.

To find out about this event and other festival activities in your area, pleas follow this link:

Festival of British Archaeology

If you would like to learn more about SAW or take part in our sessions, please follow this link:

More about SAW