Experimental Archaeology: Learning about Technologies in the Past

Workshop Videos and Blogs

Between October 2017 and October 2018 there were 13 workshops, one a month, which showcased a skill from the past, spanning from earliest settlers to more recent times. The workshops were exciting to attend, but were also filmed and the videos are available on YouTube (see links below). There are also blogs from each workshop available on the ARCH website. These also include links to other resources. For further details about the project and links to other resources, click here.

Events were held featuring:

Green Woodworking
Saturday, 28th October, 11-3, Dingwall Community Centre
Lachlan McKeggie introduced green wood working skills, using lithic and metal tools.

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Bronze Age Pottery
Saturday 18th November, 11-3, Dingwall Community Centre
Pat Gulliver explored Bronze Age pottery techniques, especially on decorated beakers.

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Textiles through the Ages
Saturday 16th December, 11-3, Spectrum Centre, Farraline Park, Inverness
Lynne McKeggie looked at textiles through the ages, and in particular tablet weaving.

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Flint Knapping. 20 January, Inverness Library, 10-4:30. James Dilley from University of Southampton showed how prehistoric tools were made.

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Lead seals and ropemaking. 17 February, Dingwall Library, 11-3. Lead seals provide evidence of the 18th & 19th century cloth trade to the Highlands. Ian Hammond showed how lead seals and rope were made.

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Bone and antler working. 17 March, Dingwall Library, 11-3. Jim Glazzard showed how various Iron Age bone objects were made, including pins and combs.

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Carved Stone Balls. 21 April, Black Isle Showground, Muir of Ord, 11-3. Chris Gee showed how these enigmatic Neolithic stone objects were made, and participants helped create the object for the loan box.

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Pictish Carved stones. 19 May, Black Isle Showground, Muir of Ord, 11-3. Sculptor Barry Grove who made the replica of the Hilton of Cadboll stone demonstrated Pictish carving, and provided opportunities to have a go.

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Bronze Age Metalworking. 23 June, Black Isle Showground, Muir of Ord, 11-3. In a summer solstice workshop, Neil Burridge from Cornwall demonstrated the magic of bronze casting.

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Telford Technology. 21 July, Inverness Library, 11-3. Thomas Telford revolutionised the Highlands in the early 1800s with his roads, bridges and churches. In this workshop Alison Ward from the Institution of Civil Engineers explored some of the technology behind Telford's bridges.

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Viking Ring Money. 25 August, Black Isle Showground, Muir of Ord, 11-3. Jim Glazzard from Asgard Craft showed us how Viking silver armrings ('ring money') were made.

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Medieval coinage. 15 September, Inverness Library, 11-3. Stuart Strong demonstrated how medieval coins were made, focussing on issues of Alexander III, minted in Inverness

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Crafting Day. 6 October, Black Isle Showground, Muir of Ord, 11-3. As part of Highland Archaeology Festival four crafts were featured: basket making with Monique Bervoets, flint knapping with Peter Bye-Jensen, green woodworking with Lachlan McKeggie and striking lead seals with Ian Hammond.

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