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ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP
by Richard Thomas - 21:22 on 25 July 2014
RICHARD’S ARCHAEOLOGY BLOG
Members of the resumed group met yesterday (24 July) at the dig at the Ness of Brodgar followed by a little refreshment at the Stones Hotel where we had a very good discussion on the way forward. A copy of my understanding of what we talked about is below
I will now get ahead to set our next and subsequent meetings but meantime it would be helpful to have contributions from the members and from anyone else who is interested in what we are about to do.
ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP
THOUGHTS ON THE 2014/15 PROGRAMME
MEETING ARRANGEMENTS
These might be normally on the second Thursday afternoon each month but may be subject to variation because of accommodation, availability of speakers and ferry time tables
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The Group aims to increase members’ understanding of archaeology through learning by sharing information, expertise and knowledge. Everyone has a contribution to make to this by their participation to growth of understanding. Members of the group have a wide range of interests and knowledge so, to ensure full involvement of all, the programme will reflect this diversity.
The objective is to achieve this through a variety of means:
Site visits
Talks and presentations
Hands on experience – digs and demonstrations
Reading, discussion and debate
AREAS OF INTEREST
Generally the archaeology of Orkney but with a clear look out with the county to parallel developments elsewhere
Specifically:
Pottery
Mesolithic to the Neolithic
Neolithic to the Vikings
Pictish art
Neolithic art
Orkney in the wider context of pre-history
Military history
Members are also interested in broadening out the plans to include historic sites such as Dunrobbin and perhaps the clearance archaeology in Sutherland.
PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Site visits
Any digs where we can go as a group.
It’s possibly also worth thinking about a refresher tour of Brodgar/Stenness Stones and Barnhouse with the Rangers.
There is also interest in visits south preferably with the local U3As – Caithness, Inverness.
Potential to include Dunrobbin and perhaps the National Trust castles in Aberdeenshire for example
Presentations
These will be scheduled during the winter/early spring but we do need to look at the OAS programme to avoid duplication.
Is there potential for group members to make presentations? I think Tim has a lot of photographs of Hadrian’s Wall for example.
Julie Gibson can be approached to talk on any specific area of interest and particularly the wider aspects of archaeology in Orkney and the interface with Historic Scotland on the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.
We could explore having a presentation on the Archives and what’s there; linkage with the museum.
It’s likely that members of the College staff and PhD/ MA students will also be prepared to talk to us on their own areas of study and interest.
Possible Group research work –once we get going we might look at taking on a research project. This is something the U3A nationally s keen to encourage. It might start if groups of members have specific interests that they might wish to collaborate on for example
Other developments
Any other areas of interest will be covered as they arise. These might include field walking, volunteering for digs and cataloguing.
POSSIBLE SPEAKERS
Julie Gibson
Caroline Wickham-Jones
Ingrid Mainland (Bones)
Sarah Jane Gibbon (Orkney church history)
UHI students
Group members
Richard Thomas
25 July 2014
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