More money for Creswell?
"Notts County Council has agreed in principle to increasing its funding for Creswell Crags Heritage Trust. The authority currently gives £38,000 to support one of Britain's most important archaeological and geological sites. Over the past six years a £6m programme has been undertaken to improve facilities. The trust is bidding for money to develop a new visitor centre and museum to attract tourism. The county has agreed to put up its yearly contribution by £14,000 from 2009/2010. But the increase is subject to the trust creating a sound business plan and the funds being available."
From ThisisNottingham
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'Norfolk's First Farmers'
The museum at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, near Dereham, currently has an exhibition called 'Norfolk's First Farmers'. Items on display include a famous 11,500-year-old antler harpoon used for hunting, and which was dredged up from the sea floor north of Cromer in 1931, and a bronze-age cauldron.
A demonstration of how Stone Age delicacies were prepared is taking place at the museum from next Monday to Friday.
For information about these events contact the museum on 01362 860563 or visit http://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
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Remains of barrow found under Norwich city centre
Excavations in Ber Street have unearthed the traces of a Bronze Age barrow, including pieces of burial urn. The barrow is thought to be the first found in the centre of the city.
A team of four archaeologists has been working at the site for two weeks but, because of the discovery, has been given an extra week to continue searching and recording.
The barrow would have been within sight of the confluence of the Rivers Tas and Yare - an area which includes the Arminghall henge.
See the article by Tara Grieves in the EDP
at http://snipurl.com/wlmg
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Leicestershire archaeology enthusiasts required..
Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Group is looking for new members.
The group is co-ordinated by the county council's archeological team and calls on the authority's history experts to tell people about recent finds.
They hope that by expanding the group, it will encourage more people to take an interest in Leicestershire's heritage.
For information, call 0116 265 8326 or download a form from:
www.leics.gov.uk/archaeological_fieldwork_group
The Group, in conjunction with Leicestershire County Council Museums Service archaeologists, holds regular lecture meetings, has its own Newsletter, "The Fieldworker" and provides training courses for beginners. Subscription is only £5 a year.
from the 'Thisisleicestershire' news site.
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More money for Sea Henge museum
.. extra features are now under discussion following news of the £65,000 grant, part of a national £4m payout for museum improvements by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Wolfson Foundation.
Area museums officer Robin Hanley said there were hopes of setting up a replica of the original structure, which was built in the spring or early summer of 2049BC.
"Obviously we are going to display about half of the original timbers but we felt it was important that people had a way to actually feel what it would have been like to walk into the circle," he explained. "What survives is only very fragmented.
"The current plan is to have, effectively, a complete circle in the centre of the gallery, one half of which will be the original timbers and the other will be a full-size replica."
A audio-visual display will show the dramatic change in the landscape around Seahenge from the Bronze Age, when it formed part of an inland farming community, to the shifting sands which revealed it to the world as the 20th century drew to a close.
There are also plans for an interactive interpretation, particularly aimed at children, charting the step-by-step progress of the timbers from their harvest in a local wood to their assembly into the circle, and to provide a resource centre offering a range of in-depth additional information about the Seahenge story as a whole.
"It's obviously very good news that we got this additional funding," said Dr Hanley. "While the core funding for the display is already there in terms of of the grant we obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the funding we have received from Norfolk County Council, this additional funding will enable us to provide some extra resources in the gallery, which will help people get the most from their visit.
The Seahenge display, which will form part of a wider exhibition about the history of West Norfolk, is due to open to the public next summer.
"Although we've only got temporary exhibitions for this year, we've been hugely encouraged by the levels of people coming through," said Dr Hanley.
The museum is offering free admission this year.
Taken from the article at the EDP
http://snipurl.com/v4iq
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New excavations at Church Hole
Sheffield archaeologists are working with the British museum at Creswell Crags for the next two weeks, in the first major investigation at the site since the 1920s. Church Hole was excavated in the 1870s - the archaeologists will be examining the Victorian spoil heap outside the cave entrance, which will be full of vital clues to the lives of the people and animals that used the cave during the Ice Age. The museum will be running a series of activities including regular tours to the site.
summarised from the article at
http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1682947
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Iron Age discoveries at Two-Mile-Borris. Or not.
Interesting excavations have been made at Two-Mile-Borris, near the river behind Black Castle. A large central structure with surrounding huts has been discovered - houses for a chieftain and his family? There also seems to be evidence of some Iron Age technology - a water irrigation system. There are also fulachta fia, wood-lined cooking pits which are usually found near water. A cremation area and graves have also been unearthed.
The settlement has been revealed as part of excavation on the Thurles link road, part of the N8 Cullohill to Cashel motorway project. But of course, the road must prevail and although local Dail deputy, Michael Lowry, said the find "is of huge important historical and archaeological significance for the area" he then added that it would not "in any way hinder progress on the link road". What a relief, eh.
Landowner Pierce Duggan was suitably amazed and said he was "certainly not aware that a find of such significance was on his doorstep".
But since the announcements, another archaeologist has disputed there's anything exciting there at all, as you can read at
http://www.tipperarytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3162&ArticleID=1698822
Summarised from the article at
http://www.tipperarytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3162&ArticleID=1685756
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Bronze Age boat to be lifted from Tay mud
From the Courier
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2006/07/29/newsstory8595566t0.asp
Archaeologists have been working this week on a 30ft long Bronze age log boat, which is in the tidal mudflats of the Tay near Abernethy. A radiocarbon test has dated it to 1000BC, so it is among the oldest ever found in Scotland. It was probably used for fishing and wildfowling.
It will be lifted by a floating cradle and transported to the National Museum of Scotland, where it will be conserved over three years before display.
(edit) there's a picture of the boat, in the mud, here:
http://heritage.scotsman.com/places.cfm?id=1111362006
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Tara Protesters Ordered to Leave by OPW
Protestors who have been camping on the Hill of Tara since the Summer Solstice on June 21, have been ordered to leave by the Office of Public Works (OPW), according to protest group TaraWatch.
From BreakingNews.ie
http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/07/14/story267769.html
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Round house to be built at Barbury
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/5114602.stm
"Construction work begins on Monday and volunteers are invited to help and also learn about archaeological theory on roundhouse design.
Throughout the building work, which is due to be completed by the end of July, there will be a series of walks and talks for families, schools and colleges to find out more about the project."
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Important pottery finds at Kincardine
Archaeologists have uncovered what they believe is the broadest range of elaborately decorated prehistoric pottery ever found in Scotland, at the site for the new Kincardine Bridge. Other finds included ceremonial and working axes made with stone from the Ochil Hills.
The finds demonstrate just how far the River Forth has receded, as the "highly cultivated" site, which is three-quarters of a mile inland, was once on the waterfront.
see the rest of the article by George Mair at the Scotsman.com
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=900472006
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Kingship and Sacrifice Exhibition
"Kingship & Sacrifice" will be officially opened by Arts Minister John O'Donoghue this afternoon at the Museum of Ireland in Dublin.
It'll include the recently found bog bodies from Oldcroghan, Co Offaly and Clonycavan, Co Meath.
Admission is free. There's a tour on the 24th June from 14:00-15:00.
http://www.museum.ie/index.asp
(spotted at online.ie
http://www.online.ie/News/News.aspx?newsId=385385
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Tour of Newly Excavated Bedfordshire Hillfort
It seems you can go on a tour of the fort on the 29th June:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/england/central/events/index.asp?id=tcm:5-99339
also, from Biggleswade Today
http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=182&ArticleID=1529221
Excavations to try and unearth buried secrets of an Iron Age fort began at a Sandy nature reserve this week.
Archaeologists are carrying out a one-week dig on Sandy Warren's Galley Hill Fort in a joint project between English Heritage and the RSPB.
It is hoped the £12,000 project will shed light on who lived there and what the area, believed to date back to 250BC, was used for.
Peter Bradley, RSPB site manager, said: "The reason for the work is, as far as we know, it has never been dug in the past and we would like to know more about it, particularly for when it is opened up to the public in a couple of years' time.
"The idea is it would be seen from a very long way away by other tribes. It could have been defensive or a market place, or where people lived. We don't know yet what use this fort had."
A JCB digger is being used to excavate the banks and bore holes will be dug to uncover any remains.
[Lots of the land at the RSPB site here is being cleared of trees to return it to heathland - so it should be easier to see how it fits into the local landscape?]
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August Exhibition of Aerial Photos
"Aerial Photography and Archaeology - 100 Years of Discovery"
This travelling exhibition will display historic and modern photos and illustrations. It will be at Stonehenge from August 1-7, when a Virgin balloon will give 'some visitors'* the chance to take their own aerial snaps.
The exhibition will also be shown at Old Sarum, the Alexander Keiller Museum in Avebury, Salisbury Museum, Devizes Museum, and the Royal Engineers' Museum in Gillingham.
*whatever that means.
courtesy of Hob, two links to more information:
http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART38599.html
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.6591
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New Carvings Found
A new pecked chevron design has been found at Barclodiad y Gawres - bringing the total of decorated slabs at the site to six. It was initially discovered by amateur archaeologists Maggie and Keith Davidson, and officially recorded by rock art experts this month. The carving is very faint, which is why it was probably overlooked when the tomb was excavated in the 1950s.
see
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1760335,00.html
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Coming Soon: Thornborough Theme Park
(Well. Probably not.)
The man who created the Lightwater Valley theme park wants to turn the ancient Thornborough Henges into a tourist attraction.
Landowner Robert Staveley outlined his ideas at a public meeting called by West Tanfield Parish Council on Wednesday.
Mr Staveley said he aimed to create a car park and visitor centre, build a 'transport system' around the site and recreate the southernmost henge so visitors could see how it would have looked when it was built more than 5,000 years ago.
He said the henge mound would be covered in a membrane and earth added on top so as not to harm the archaeology.
"At the moment, when people come here they are so disappointed because there is so little there," he said.
He added his plans were at a very early stage and more discussion would need to take place.
George Chaplain, of heritage campaign group, TimeWatch, who was at Wednesday's meeting, said: "Mr Staveley's proposals were not quite as frightening as they could have been.
"But I am concerned about recreating the southern henge. I would like to see entry to Thornborough Henges remain free of charge – I worry he is looking at it purely from a commercial perspective."
Last week quarry firm Tarmac was refused planning permission to expand its current operations near the henges because of the importance of the site.
Commenting on Mr Staveley's tourism scheme, a spokesman for the firm said: "We see no conflict in principle between tourists visiting the henges and continuation of our quarry at Nosterfield with the useful employment it provides.
"Visitors already come to the Nosterfield Quarry visitor centre and viewing area which opened last year – it is free and is popular with birdwatchers and walkers."
03 March 2006
http://www.nidderdaletoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=22&ArticleID=1372826
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Iron Age boat goes on display
A boat dating back to the Iron Age has gone on show at a Lincoln museum. The log boat, which has undergone four years of conservation work, is now on display at the city's new archaeological museum - The Collection.
It was discovered in Fiskerton, Nottinghamshire in 2001, while the Environment Agency was carrying out improvement work on flood defences.
The 7m-long (23ft) oak boat will complete the museum's display of Iron Age finds from the region.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4756986.stm
The gallery's website is
http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ccm/
There is a search facility so you can see some of their archaeological objects.
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Oldest European cave paintings found
From the TimesOnline article at
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,61-2037531,00.html
At the Fumane cave on the southern edge of the Alps, an occupation with tools of Aurignacian type has been radiocarbon dated to between 34,000 and 32,000 years ago. In the Aurignacian deposits painted rock fragments were found which had spalled off the walls of the cave because of the freezing of water in cracks: erosion of the paint showed that the art, in red and yellow ochre lines, had been on the walls for some time before it fell and was buried.
Among the motifs is an "anthropomorph", a humanoid figure, according to Dr Alberto Broglio. It is full face, with two horns which "may be a mask" on its head; the arms are by its side and the legs are spread. "The right hand is holding something which is hanging downwards, probably a ritual object," Dr Broglio says. Another figure shows a four-legged animal seen from the side and "resembles the profile of a small statuette from Vogelherd". Radiocarbon dates from the Vogelherd caves, near Ulm on the upper Danube, also give dates between 36,000 and 30,000 years ago...
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Traces of flowers from Bronze Age cairn
Archaeologists examining a Bronze Age burial mound on the Black Mountain in Carmarthenshire found meadowsweet pollen grains.
"Adam Gwilt, curator of the Bronze and Iron Age Collection at the National Museum of Wales, said the discovery shed new light on ancient burials. He said: "It gives tenderness to otherwise remote and impersonal burial rites". Mr Gwilt said the same burial ritual had been found as far away as the Orkney Islands in Scotland. "(does this mean using meadowsweet specifically?)
More at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/4697748.stm
and
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba88/news.shtml#item1
(If you want to grumble about geocaching at the site also page down and read at
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba78/news.shtml
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This hill, it has a meaning that is very important for me, but it's not rational. It's beautiful, but when you look, there's nothing there. But I'd be a fool if I didn't listen to it.
-- Alan Garner.
...I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn...
-- William Wordsworth.
Some interesting websites with landscape and fairy folklore:
http://earthworks-m.blogspot.co.uk
http://faeryfolklorist.blogspot.co.uk
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