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Caithness Experimental Archaeology Project - Broch Building, Volunteers Needed!


Stoneworks Early Architecture Project

STONEworks website and events listing

AOC Archaeology Group is pleased to be working with Caithness Archaeological Trust and Archie Sinclair Fossil Trust on their new community experimental archaeology project, STONEworks Early Architecture Project.

For four weeks from Monday September 19th 2011, we will be learning about building methods in the past; work will involve the construction of a section of broch, potentially reaching 10-12m in height. The wall will feature intra-mural galleries, as these were common in Iron Age brochs. Building the broch with large slabs of Caithness flagstone will be hard work, but we trust that participants will relish the challenge and enjoy the communal endeavour!

One of the main research interests of the project is to force the collapse of the structure, and in doing so, to find out more about the way in which brochs collapse. We will learn about this poorly understood process by depositing various items at specified locations in the broch walls; when we force the collapse of the broch, we can identify where those items ended up. This will hopefully reveal much about the processes that some archaeological artefacts go through before archaeologists find them many years later.

Volunteers of all ages are invited to take part; no experience is required, tools and training will be provided, and it's free to participate. Artists, photographers, film-makers and art students will also be welcomed should they choose to come and take inspiration from the creation of an imposing and beautiful structure.

All the details of the organised events, and contacts if you can go and help on the link, above.

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Just passing this on, heard about it on the grapevine... I hope there might be some folk in the area who can join me in helping with the build. Also going to be taking a few trips up to photograph / paint, so will have some interesting updates / work coming from it I hope!
summerlands Posted by summerlands
27th September 2011ce

Comments (2)

Lucky you, experimental archaeology is exciting but broch building looks like hard work, especially when you have to destroy it at the end of the experiment, love the thin slabs they use here for the doorway...

http://www.aocarchaeology.com/stoneworks/2011/09/25/
moss Posted by moss
27th September 2011ce
They're stunning aren't they - that was the pic that got me all excited :-D

Yeah, going to be hard work, but the sort of thing I've always wanted to do so I think that'll motivate me through the blisters (and good for the waist!)
summerlands Posted by summerlands
27th September 2011ce
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