UniKent Archaeological Fieldwork Evening 2011

Recent discoveries and current research of

The Department of Classical and Archaeological Studies

Tuesday 29th November 7-9 p.m. KLT5

An evening of illustrated lectures: free, and open to all.

Dr Francesco Trifilo  Estate agents’ distance meters and ancient gameboards: a report on fieldwork in the Forum Romanum, Rome

Ms Celine Murphy The ‘Three Peak sanctuaries of Central Crete’ Project

Dr Patty Baker     Excavations at Monte San Martino ai Campi, Trentino, Italy

Dr Luke Lavan    Kent work at Ostia 2011: from the Temple of Hercules to Victory Square

The lectures will be held in Keynes Lecture Theatre 5, Keynes College, University of Kent, Canterbury campus. The nearest car park is behind Keynes College.

Places are limited, so to reserve a place please email G.Eves@kent.ac.uk with the subject line ‘Fieldwork Evening’

Classical & Archaeological Studies, School of European Culture and Languages, University of Kent, Canterbury, KENT

Recent discoveries and current research of

The Department of Classical and Archaeological Studies

Tuesday 7th December 19:00 – 22.00 GLT3

An evening of illustrated lectures: free, and open to all.

LOCAL

Lloyd Bosworth                   The Canterbury Campus Survey 2010.

Dr John Hammond            Geophysical survey sheds new light on the Ringlemere Cup.

NATIONAL

Dr Steve Willis      Fieldwork on the Lincolnshire Wolds 2010: Finds, features and the bigger picture.

Dr Patty Baker      Wallingford Castle Pier? Excavations in 2010.

INTERNATIONAL

Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis & Celine Murphy    Crete 2010: Clearing the Minoan Peak Sanctuary of Gonies-Philioremos.

Dr Luke Lavan    Late Antique Ostia 2010:  the Main Forum, Street Encroachment and the Early Medieval Transition.

The lectures will be held in GLT3, Grimond Building, University of Kent, Canterbury campus. Parking at the Gulbenkian Theatre, which is adjacent to the Grimond Building.

The University of Kent’s 2010 excavations at Ostia, port of Rome, have begun, and will last throughout September.

To follow our progress visit www.lateantiqueostia.wordpress.com.

Ostia Port of Rome

Having completed my paid internship on ‘Ostia, Port of Rome’ I think I can safely say that I have come away from it with some highly useful skills, a bit more confidence, and something interesting to draw upon in potential job interviews. I now have a sound understanding of Adobe Illustrator, something I greatly enjoyed using, as well as experience with databases, (always a good thing to have on your CV). It was interesting to see what is done with the data collected by archaeologists on site, including that collected by the excavation team which I was part of at Ostia last September. Fortunately a computer was all I needed this time, and it was more fun than I anticipated, and I found out I can learn how to use specialist computer programmes, which made me feel a bit clever. So in conclusion this was a good worthwhile experience. Thankfully, I was able to obtain a paid job with Wessex Archaeology almost immediately on completing my internship.

(Lauren Figg, CLAS graduate 2009)

Late Antique Archaeology

I was impressed when the University of Kent advertised paid internships to help graduates get ahead in the tough job market. This was an opportunity to develop my skills, learn new ones and keep in touch with both the heritage sector and the University. The internship definitely lived up to my expectations.

I started as the intern for ‘Late Antique Archaeology’ in January 2010, supporting Luke Lavan in his research in this area. Both Luke and the University’s HR staff were great, always making sure I was getting the best out my internship, checking I was gaining a variety of new skills and making the most of opportunities. My biggest achievement was learning to use Adobe Illustrator from scratch to produce digital images which were of a high enough quality to be published. I now have some solid skills to physically show potential employers what I am capable of. 

My advice to new graduates is to volunteer and take internships: it will pay dividends in the end, and the varied experience will set you apart from other candidates. I can’t wait to continue the experience in September when I’ll be off to Ostia, Port of Rome to help out in Luke’s excavation.

(Rebecca Newson, CLAS graduate 2009)

Tim Mongiat spent a CLAS travel bursary supporting a volunteer placement at Kent Historical Environment Record. Here is his account of the internship, which should be valuable epxerience to prepare for professional work in archaeology.

The HER for Kent is found on the second floor of Maidstone town hall, a prominent building close to my place  of arrival: Maidstone East Train station. I was met on my first day by Dr  Ben Croxford, my mentor during my volunteering period and was placed initially at the desk of an archaeologist who was working in Brussels, invoking images of the global nature of archaeology. I was primarily concerned with the Historical Environment Record during my volunteering period, a database of Archaeological sites, finds and buildings in Kent (although the HER covers the country). My work mostly involved the deletion of erroneous information, repositioning of items and the amalgamation of duplicated details. I also spent a period considering some archaeological reports and amending and adding details to  ‘Sarah’, a database of information apparently named after its creator, a  previous volunteer. My volunteering was an educative process and it became clear to me how crucial the HER is as a source of Archaeological information.

Tim Mongiat CLAS undergraduate student

Steve Willis’ excavation in Lincolnshire provided the perfect opportunity to experience excavation at first hand, especially as the results of this project will be used to answer important research questions. 

As a group we uncovered numerous features and finds dating to the Roman and possibly Saxon periods, all of which point to Hatcliffe Top having been an occupation site during these time periods.  Possibly the most exciting finds were the two Roman corn dryers, and the numerous coins dating from the Iron Age to the Roman and Saxon eras as well as various modern day currencies, seeing coins such as these first hand is a rare experience.  One reason it was possible to see so many coins recovered was because we had a metal detectorist on site scanning the spoil heaps.  Other than this the majority of the finds were bone and pottery, the most common finds of these periods. 

Over the course of nearly three weeks we got to experience many elements of a working archaeological site, from the planning of trenches to the recording of finds and features.  This experience included excavation, filling in context sheets, soil analysis, taking survey points, and on site archaeological plan drawings, these are all valuable skills which can be put to use in further fieldwork. The days on site were sometimes long and hard but never dull, as the ideas behind the sites function kept changing and evolving as the project developed and we dug the layers and features. 

There was never a dull moment on site was the good nature and humour of everyone participating, including members of the local society, which resulted in a friendly environment which was pleasant to work in. For many of us it would not have been possible to participate in the fieldwork had we not received one of the fieldwork bursaries offered by the University of Kent, as these allowed us to stay together and live in comfort for the duration of the excavation, which after a full day on site was a blessing! 

 Emma, Shervelle, Lisa, and Enid (May 2010)

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The study tour of Turkey organised by Luke Lavan and Peter Talloen was an unforgettable adventure that I would recommend to anybody. To experience the fine blend of western and eastern cultures that exists in Turkey was an eye-opening experience that I will cherish for years to come. The lectures and guided tours that we received were well-planned and enriching. This study tour has renewed my enthusiasm for archaeology and has made me keener to pursue a career within an archaeological domain. Studying archaeological sites from a book can never emulate the thrill of seeing the ancient world with one’s own eyes.               

Marcus Dean (CLAS & Spanish)

My favourite site was Sagalassos.  The approach was very dramatic, with steep and twisty roads.  We were fortunate to enjoy tea and cakes on arrival, which was particularly welcome after a long journey of anticipation.  We then enjoyed the special privilege of having the entire site to ourselves.  The mountain setting was superb, and there were particularly dramatic views from the theatre.  The fact that both Luke and Peter had excavated on the site gave a special level of detail and poignancy to their commentary. Being early evening, and quite high up, the air was pleasantly cool, and the evening light beautifully soft. Sagalassos also provided the only example of a working nymphaeum complete with water.  Seeing this brought home the luxury of clean water and helped reconstruct the other examples which were now empty, dusty stone basins.

There were many other highlights, such as the beautiful white and turquoise waterfalls at Hierapolis, and the excavated houses at Ephesus, where in some cases several layers of decorative schemes could be seen.  The Hotel Medusa was an excellent base, and the vegetarian cuisine was some of the best food I have tasted anywhere, and of a quality which would put many London restaurants to shame.  An evening lecture there after a swim in the Meditteranean sea enabled us to make sense of the different site plans. Peter was a fresh, knowledgeable, good-humoured and enthusiastic guide, and very different to how I imagined a research associate. 

Toby Huitson (School of History)

There were many things that I enjoyed about this trip. The great value for money meant that I was afforded an opportunity to experience another culture across two time periods: then and now which I otherwise would not have had. Some of the most thrilling sites we visited were those which required a lot of physical effort to get to. They were often far from any main track and were nestled on the side of a mountain affording us the same astonishing views that would have been available in ancient times. The remoteness of these places allowed me a real understanding of all aspects of the geography of the ancient town. I found this trip invaluable in many ways. I wished for an excursion that set my studies in context and it did just that and more. It allowed me to visit the shops, walk the colonnaded streets, and peer into the tombs which I had spent many months looking at in text books. It brought my studies to life in a whole new way. But it also enabled me to meet a new group of interesting people, of all ages, who enjoyed the same area of study as me.                  

Leaphia Darko (CLAS and English Literature)

The Turkey trip was an absolute eye-opener and showcase to the complexity and splendour of the Classical World, something which I was unaware could have spread so comprehensively to Turkey. I have always had a desire to travel to this country, a place only recently in the sights of the tourist masses. However, for the majority of the tour, we avoided the large highways, sticking to routes used mainly by the local people; in so doing, I got a taste of the real Turkey, and the sights that attracted people there in the first place, particularly the impressive landscapes. I knew very little of Hellenistic and Roman history before the trip, but learned information that will stay with me, partly helped by being in the places where these cultures and societies played out. More importantly, having two incredibly knowledgeable people leading our visits to the sites, Luke and Peter, who are utterly devoted and passionate about their subject, ensured an unforgettable six days.               

Robert Weber (History and Spanish)

The trip to South-West Turkey in April 2010 has been an extremely worthwhile experience. Being a history student, my knowledge of Hellenistic archaeology was limited before I went to Turkey, yet being a part of this experience has inspired me to learn more. Some free time at Ephesus led to a small group of us being at the theatre at the same time as a group of young Turkish children were rehearsing a traditional dance routine. To be able to be seated right at the top and still see and hear clearly what they were doing was an incredible experience, and to hear the applause of the fifteen or twenty spectators echo around the theatre meant we had a far greater appreciation for what it might have been like thousands of years ago at its full capacity of 25,000.                      

Kerrie Body (History)

The students have organised another C&AS party. Details are as follows:

• Theme: Archaeologists and Ancients
• Date: Sunday 4th April
• Time: 7:30pm
• Location: Darwin Missing Link
• Drinks, snacks and DJ all included.
• Prizes for the best costume.
• And a few other surprises on the night!

Time:9:30PM Friday, December 18th

Location:Peter Brown room in Darwin Missing Link, Canterbury Campus

*The Kent Archaeological Fieldwork Evening 2009*

Tuesday 24th November 19:15 – 22.00 Grimond Lecture Theatre 1

An evening of illustrated lectures: free, and open to all. Come and hear about the trials and triumphs of Kent teams in Italy, Greece, Lincolnshire .. and Kent, excavating and surveying sites from Minoan to Medieval in date.

LOCAL

Lloyd Bosworth Canterbury Campus Survey 2009

NATIONAL

Dr Gittos / Dr Thomas Lyminge 2009: an Anglo-Saxon Monastic Site

Dr Steve Willis Excavation and Fieldwork on the Lincolnshire Wolds: Survey, Settlement and Saxon Gold

INTERNATIONAL

Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis Minoan Peak Sanctuaries in Crete 2009

Dr Efrosyni Boutsikas Ritual Performance and the Cosmos: Ancient Greek Mystery Cults

Dr Luke Lavan Late Antique Ostia 2009: a Nymphaeum, the Palaestra of the Baths, and a Late Roman Temple.

The lectures will be held in GLT1, Grimond Building, University of Kent, Canterbury campus. Parking at the Gulbenkian Theatre, which is adjacent to the Grimond Building. Places are limited, so to reserve a place please email Laura Withers at L.Withers@kent.ac.uk with the subject line ‘Fieldwork Evening’. Refreshments will be provided.