|
Friar Street, Hereford:
Saturday
June 7
- 'Small
finds' with Judy Stevenson of Herefordshire Museum Services |
|
 |
Judy began with a presentation showing the different type of
small finds which are found by archaeologists |
|
|
|
|
 |
The group learnt about finds ranging from
the Lower Palaeolithic (over 250,000 years ago) to clay
pipes and wig curlers |
|
|
|
|
 |
After coffee it was time to put this
knowledge to the test |
|
|
|
|
 |
Various artefact had been laid out for
identification |
|
|
|
|
 |
What, for instance, is this? |
|
|
|
|
 |
people scribbled their answers (there was
very little cheating) |
|
|
|
|
 |
then came the results |
|
|
|
|
 |
A prehistoric pick-axe |
|
|
|
|
 |
A Roman mortarium |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ross Heritage
Centre:
Saturday
May 17
- 'Small
finds' with Judy Stevenson of Herefordshire Museum Services
|
|
Ross Heritage
Centre:
Saturday
May 10
- Flint
tool workshop with
Karl Lee, flint knapper
and expert on prehistoric technologies |
|
|
|
Friar Street, Hereford:
April 19th - environmental material
with Liz Pearson |
|
 |
Liz Pearson of Worcestershire County
Council's
Historic Environment and Archaeology Service |
|
|
|
|
 |
Liz began with a presentation discussing
the types of material recovered from archaeological
excavations and the circumstances which cause their
preservation |
|
|
|
|
 |
Charred material is often found - the
charring prevents decay.
Another cause of preservation is waterlogging - plant
material is preserved in anaerobic conditions.
A third way in which plant material is preserved is
mineralization. This is usually in cesspits where calcium
phosphates present in urine and faeces preserve the
material. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Eight microscopes were used in what must
have been the largest group examination of archaeological
environmental material ever seen in Hereford |
|
|
|
|
 |
Dr Rebecca Roseff examining some of the
material from the LOWV
Gillow Farm
excavation |
|
|
|
|
 |
This particular sample of material
consisted of nothing but fragments of charcoal and tiny
snails |
|
|
|
|
 |
Other material was more varied with seeds
and insects of various species |
|
|
|
|
 |
Carbonised grain - burning is
ironically the best way of preserving things. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Neolithic crab apples. The apples we eat
today are not descended from these native apples but come
from the Mediterranean. |
|
|
|
