Investigate how coins were made 2000 years ago at the Harborough Museum. An Iron Age craftsman will be demonstrating this ancient science with the kind of tools used by Celtic coin makers. Have a go at striking your very own Iron Age coin to take home.
What was it like in early Anglo-Saxon times? At West Stow you can walk in the footsteps of our ancestors, explore their homes and see the evidence for yourself.
The site has been occupied by a succession of peoples since the end of the last ice age. The site was used by stone age hunter-gatherer groups six or seven thousand years ago. There are traces of Neolithic burial mounds, as well evidence of an Iron Age settlement which lasted to 60AD.
The reconstructed buildings have been produced through a technique called Experimental Archaeology, this is testing out different ideas about how things were done in that time, using the same tools and techniques availble to the Anglo-Saxon builders. Therefore every reconstruction is different as different techniques were tried out to find the most likely way the original buidings were constructed.
In the museum you will see fascinating displays of some of the objects found during the excavation of the village telling the fascinating story of this settlement and the people who lived here, plus see an exhibition of Replica Anglo-Saxon costume. Early Anglo-Saxon material from West Stow, Icklingham, Westgarth Gardens and Eriswell is displayed.
Submitted by Jacqui Wood on Tue, 12/08/2009 - 20:55
As an experimental archaeologist and independent researcher, I've spent the last 30 years investigating the eating habits of ancient civilisations - including their ancient Christmas dinners. Here are some tips and recipes for the perfect xmas dinner that I've collected along the way.
I use a technique that I've developed over the years to explore the practical aspects of the daily lives of prehistoric Europeans. The approach is based on the theory that the inherent skills and ingenuity of prehistoric European is still latent in the people of Europe today. But the skills of surviving in the northern European landscape have been forgotten because we no longer have a use for them in our modern-day society.
During my researches I have discovered that these skills are very easily acquired – particularly if one is not impeded by any training in the skill to be researched. It has to be approached purely by logic. It is essential, though, not to single out any particular skill, but to attempt to do all the required jobs that a prehistoric settlement would have to do to survive.
As an experimental archaeologist and independent researcher, I've spent the last 30 years investigating the eating habits of ancient civilisations - including their ancient Christmas dinners. Here are some tips and recipes for the perfect xmas dinner that I've collected along the way.
