At The Ness…. Swandro Star Finds….From Kilmartin Museum…. BBC Pics of Scotland….
by Bernie Bell - 07:31 on 27 July 2024
At The Ness….
https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/2024-day-25/
And I quote…
“Emma was a member of the Ness dig team for a number of years and has returned to study the basketry impressions on some of our many pottery sherds.
We think these ceramic vessels must have been placed on a mat, before firing, when in the leather-hard or semi-plastic stage.
Why? Perhaps so the pots could be turned easily for the application of decoration. Or maybe the larger pots were a touch wobbly, so placed in baskets to stop them collapsing.
Working with site director Nick and our ceramics specialist Jan, Emma is producing a paper on the subject of basketry marks with Susanna Harris, of Glasgow University.”
The subject of standing pots on things reminded me of this…
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16695
I took the pottery fragment to Fursbreck to show Andrew and he answered a question I had - I couldn’t work out what the little triangular marks on the base were – he explained that they were left by the trivet used to support the dish.
Neolithic – basketry – 18th/19th Century – little metal trivet. Both leave their mark before the pot hardens.
AND…..
https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/2024-day-26/
Great Wall
Stone Ball
Brodgar Boy?
Ness Joy
BB ‘24
Previously in m’blog….
“Very Old Carved Stone Balls…
My previous observations about Carved Stone Balls – lots of them!…
https://theorkneynews.scot/?s=Carved+Stone+Balls+Bernie+Bell
…see section entitled CARVED STONE BALLS!...
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16004 “
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Swandro Star Finds….
https://www.swandro.co.uk/post/bumper-star-finds-edition
As Caz points out – we still need different hammers for different jobs – the basics of life don’t change all that much!
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From Kilmartin Museum….
“Coming up - we will be hosting a Family Archaeological Dig outdoors at the Museum on 1st August. This is part of the Heart of Argyll Wildlife Festival which runs from 28th July to 3rd August. Plans include a number of exciting events held around Mid Argyll. The Education team will be taking part in local summer events including the Lochgilphead Celtic & Pictish Festival on 3rd August, the Mid Argyll Show on 10th August, and the Oban Argyllshire Gathering on 22nd August. If you’re out and about, do come and visit us!
The wonderful and inspiring Carbon Legacy and Response exhibitions are continuing in our special exhibition galleries until September 2024. As part of the Carbon Legacy activities, we had planned to plant the 375 oak trees in the spring; but this will now take place later this year.
One of the highlights of the Education team’s work over the last few months has been a prehistory project with a local primary school where pupils made Neolithic costumes, clay jewellery, faux-leather pouches, felted pictures and explored mapping rock art sites and more. A celebration of the work of the pupils took place in February with an exhibition, Gaelic singing and storytelling. Their work will be exhibited in Campbeltown Museum until autumn this year. Pupils received a Heritage Silver Award. This is an award which is part of the Heritage Heroes scheme run by Archaeology Scotland for anyone engaging with archaeology and cultural heritage. Ardrishaig Guides and Brownies also worked towards a heritage award this year following up on their involvement with the community archaeology project in September.
The Education team reached out to a number of local groups and societies of all ages and have been busy delivering talks, object handling sessions and guided tours of the museum, making full use of the new facilities the building offers. The evening talks season started in February with Dr Oliver Moore from Plantlife presenting ‘The Lichens and Bryophytes of Scotland’s Rainforest’. Monthly live talks are usually recorded and can be viewed on our YouTube channel. There’s something for everyone and it’s great for us to be able to reach a broad audience online. Our walking guide volunteers are joined by two new recruits this year and the Wednesday walks are continuing to be very popular. We are currently training the gallery guides to start guided tours in September.
Café News
We were delighted to lease the café space this year to Sarah Litster, owner and chef of The Glen Bistro franchise in April.
The Bistro is usually open Wednesday-Sunday, please check opening times on the Glen Bistro Facebook page.
Funding update
Our main fundraising initiatives have over recent years focused on completion of the redevelopment project and we are so grateful to all the organisations, trusts, foundations and private individuals who have helped us make this dream a reality. Although ticket sales and shop sales are a very important part of our funding, we remain reliant on donations and additional fund raising to care for our collections and to run the Education Service as well as funding other projects.
Our current fundraiser is for 3 evacuation chairs and training for staff to use them to ensure swift evacuation of wheelchair users in the event of an emergency. The cost of this specialist equipment and training is £7,000 and generous donations so far of £3,000 means we are looking to raise a further £4,000. If you feel you can support this cause, or make a donation towards collections care, or education and learning work, please visit the support page on our website.
Keeping in touch with the Museum
You can stay connected with the Museum by following us on Facebook and Instagram and checking our website for updates.
Kilmartin Museum,
Kilmartin
Argyll
PA31 8RQ
01546 510278
If you can't get hold of us by phone, you can email us.
Thank you!
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BBC Pics of Scotland….
19th – 26th of July 2024…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl73yxe8kjo
Note the Cat That Walked by Himself snapped by Dwight McAnear….
https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/tale/rk_catwalked.htm
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