Skara Brae Neolithic Pottery Demonstrations

At Easter 2017 you'd have found me absolutely in my element, working for Historic Environment Scotland, at Skara Brae, the amazingly well preserved Neolithic Village on the Bay of Skaill, Orkney Mainland not far from the Ness of Brodgar, the Ring of Brodgar, The Stones of Stenness and Maeshow. Built about 5000 years ago, that's before the stones were erected at Stonehenge and before the first Egyptian pyramids were constructed, Skara Brae is a truly remarkable survival. Occupied for about 500 years it was abandoned around 4500 years ago and as relatively quickly covered with sand, preserving not only the structure of the buildings and some wonderful artefacts, but the flagstone furniture as well; beds, storage tanks and display shelving know as "the dresser".  Several of these houses are preserved almost to level of the roof, the exact structure of which is not known.  For conservation reasons it's not possible to enter the original houses, so Historic Environment Scotland have created a replica of house seven and it was here that I was stationed, inhabiting the space, making replicas and filling up the dresser with my pots.

During the five days that I was there, using tools that were based on finds from the site, I made several large Grooved Ware vessels and a few Unstan Ware Bowls. This was a great experience for me and it seemed to be much appreciated by the visitors, many of whom stayed for some considerable time, talking to me about the houses, life in Neolithic Orkney, but mostly the pottery. Two guides who brought several groups round the site during my time there, were most emphatic that I must stay permanently and that the dresser should remain filled with my pots. Unfortunately that's not going to be possible at present but i am hoping that Historic Environment Scotland will invite me back again.

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Hebridean Bronze Age Replicas

Just finishing work on a replica Cordoned Urn and Food Vessel for a client.

Visit my website at www.pottedhistory.co.uk

Potted History Public Events 2012

It's been a hectic summer and I've been all over the country demonstrating ancient pottery techniques, here are some of the main events I attended.

I had a great weekend at  the Bedford, River Festival on 21^st and 22nd July making replicas of ancient Greek Rhytons, Amphorae and Epinetrons. On Friday 3^rd August  I was on the Solway, at Senhouse Roman Fort, Maryport, Cumbria.  Demonstrating Roman pottery making with both the Potter’s Wheel and moulds, including the Senhouse Samian bowl. quite a few children had a go at making their own Samian Ware bowl.

On a very rainy Sunday 5^th August I was at Paxton House, celebrating Paxton "Before the House" with some Prehistoric, Neolithic and Bronze-Age pottery demonstrations.  I showed how the beakers discovered last year at Fishwick had been created, from the making of stone, bone and antler tools through processing the clay to decorating pots. I was joined by Kristian Pedersen the archaeologist leading the excavation, who demonstrated the ancient craft of flintknapping.

From Saturday 11^th to  Monday 19^th August, I worked my way along the middle section of Hadrian's Wall in the guise of Bellicus the itinerant Roman Potter demonstrating how the Romans made many different types of pottery and answering questions on how they used these pots.

Saturday 25^th to Monday 27^th August I was atop the dizzy heights of Dover Castle demonstrating Roman pottery making and giving children the chance to make a Roman Gladiator votive plaque.

Kirknewton Festival, in Northumberland on Saturday 1^st and Sunday 2^nd of September was an absolute joy and here you'd have found me  making and firing Prehistoric Bronze-Age pottery, While Paula Constantine demonstrated ancient spinning, dying and weaving.

On the 22nd & 23rd September I had my first opportunity to work at Beamish Open Air Museum.  In the wonderful surroundings of the Home Farm I made country slipware jugs, bowls and platters in the style of !8th and 19th Century potters.

And continuing the theme of Victorian Pottery on Sunday 30^th of September I’ll be at Preston Hall for their Parkmade Event, where I’ll be demonstrating the skills of a Victorian country slipware potter and even offering you the opportunity to have a go and possibly purchase some of my wares.

Visit my website at www.pottedhistory.co.uk

The Team at Making the Bronze Age

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Making The Bronze Age; Bellwood Riverside Park, Perth, Scotland

Back in my own workshop, in Rothbury, Northumberland, after a weekend as part of a re-enactment event on the banks of the beautiful Tay.  What a great event this was and I am delighted to have been a part of is, organised by the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (PKHT).  ‘Making the Bronze Age’ brought together Archaeo-Craftspeople and Re-enactors from the UK and Germany to demonstrate some of the skills that created the wonderful artefacts that have been found in Scotland and beyond. 

I spent the weekend, ably assisted by Sarah Winlow of (PKHT), teaching participants to make beakers and food vessels from natural clay and open firing Bronze Age replicas.  If you missed it and would like to see something like it take place next year contact me or the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and let us know. Among those involved were:

Neil Burridge: Ancient Bronze Specialists http://www.templeresearch.eclipse.co.uk/bronze/index.htm

who ran several bronze sword castings during the course of the weekend.  Watching molten bronze, stream into a clay mould and emerge as a beautiful bronze sword is nothing short of wizardry.  It’s no wonder that people of the past saw founders and smiths as beings from another dimension, controlling forces that weren’t quite of this earth.  I know from my own discipline that the control and use of fire is still considered to be something magical.

Damian Goodburn: Ancient Woodworking Specialist, who along with numerous assistants including Trevor Cowie of the National Museums of Scotland and David Strachan of PKHT, created a replica of the Ballachulish Goddess or Ballachulish Figure.  The original figure, dating from the Bronze Age, was found on the side of Loch Leven in 1880.  While photographs taken at the time show a remarkable state of preservation, the Victorian archaeologists had no knowledge of conservation techniques for wet timber and in the process of drying out the figure has shrivelled to be virtually unrecognisable.  It can still be seen in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh but working with replica bronze tools and guided by the original photographs, drawings and measurements, this replica attempted to present her as she would have looked when newly made.  

The Crannog Centre http://www.crannog.co.uk/ demonstrated the uses of some of the many plant species that have been excavated from Loch Tay, around the ancient crannog.  Nettle soup and hand dyed wool was the order of the day.

German re-enactment group Stamm Alauni www.stamm-alauni.at who, dressed in authentic replica costume and armour and using weapons, tools and utensils of the period, presented an insight into life in the Bronze Age across Europe.

Twist Fibre Craft Studio http://www.twistfibrecraft.co.uk/ demonstrated spinning and weaving and Archaeoloink http://www.archaeolink.co.uk/ showed how cord and rope was made from natural plant fibres and bark bast.

I spent the weekend teaching participants to make beakers and food vessels from natural clay and open firing Bronze Age replicas.  If you missed it and would like to see something like it take place next year contact me and I’ll pass on your comments to the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust.  If you were there let me know what you thought of it.

 Visit my website at www.pottedhistory.co.uk