workshop newsletter - three age experience craft workshop... · 2015-06-10 · own stone tools....
TRANSCRIPT
WORKSHOP NEWSLETTER Web: www.ancientcraft.co.uk Twitter: @ancientcraftUK
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN AN ANCIENT CRAFT!
Learning about the skills and lifestyles of people in the past is as challenging as it is
rewarding. There are very few crafts people remaining who can guide you through
some of the skills of our ancestors. With Ancient Craft you can explore the wealth of
archaeology and history in a hands on approach to prehistory. Learn the practical
way from the earliest tools nearly 1 million years ago in Britain to the end of
Prehistory. Below is an events list of workshops and lectures by craft specialists who
have a flare for bringing ancient crafts to life.
Workshop event list
15th April, 13:45 – Life and Death of the Neolithic axe (Salisbury Museum lecture)
Booking required via Salisbury Museum website under “What’s on” then “lectures”
25th April, 10:00–13:00: Neolithic axe making workshop (Salisbury Museum event)
Booking required via Salisbury Museum website under “What’s on” then “events”
25th April, 10:00-16:00: Spoon carving workshop with TouchWood Crafts (Ashbury,
Swindon) one off price £10, booking required (see details below), please email
Charles Ash on: [email protected]
16th May, 10:30 - Neolithic axe making workshop (Wiltshire Museum event) Booking
required via Wiltshire Museum (Devizes) website under “What’s on”
8th August, 10:00–17:00: Introduction to Flintknapping workshop (Ashbury,
Swindon) £95 per person, booking required, please email:
[email protected] for details
15th August, 9:00–17:00: Neolithic Knife workshop (Ashbury, Swindon) £95 per
person, booking required, please email: [email protected] for details
16th August, 9:00–17:00: Stone Age arrow making workshop (Ashbury, Swindon) £95
per person, booking required, please email: [email protected] for details
For all workshops in Ashbury (Swindon) please bring packed lunch, refreshments
will be available throughout the day. Details on local accommodation can be
made available on request.
Our past workshop
attendees have loved their
workshop!
“Enjoyed the day very much.
Felt very welcome. Very
interesting and learnt a lot!” –
Steve. D
“A very well organized event
with pre-briefing and lecture” –
Simon. A
“Fun and informative day, really
enjoyed learning an ancient
craft!” – Lucy. J
“Brilliant Fun and a great way
to discover more about the lives
of our ancestors. Fantastic to
take home something I made!” –
Megan. B
Knapping a Neolithic axe for the new Stonehenge visitor centre
Some of our past workshop attendees with their finished knives and flake-
based toolkit
You will be guided through every stage of the processes in action to produce
your knife
Our previous Neolithic knife workshops have
been a great success! Join us for the next
one! (15th August)
On the workshop you will be introduced to the
ancient art of flintknapping and explore human's
use of stone.
The day will start with a short lecture by
experimental archaeologist and Flintknapper
James Dilley followed by a handling session of
some ancient stone tools.
Following this you will be given a flintknapping
demonstration to help you understand and
familiarise yourself to the process of making your
own stone tools. Then you will be given your own
piece of flint to start making your tool kit and
knife blade. You will be carefully guided along the
way to give you the best chance to produce an
awesome set of tools!
After lunch you will be able to experience a Stone
Age hunting technique using an Atlatl spear
thrower. Then using your new stone tool kit you
will make the wooden handle for your Neolithic
knife. You will learn how to make and use
authentic glue as well as the bindings to secure
your flint blade.
The workshop will be a fantastic experience of a
new craft along with a lasting authentically
ancient memento of the day to take home with
you.
Refreshments are provided. Toilet, classroom and
knapping site all easily accessible from the car
park.
Attendees must be over 11, under 16s must be
accompanied by an adult.
For more information please email me at
“This would make a great gift idea for someone. People are
always looking for new and unusual but exciting gifts, and this
would fit the bill!” – Steve. T
Stone Age arrow making workshop – 16th August
One of the new workshops on offer on which you will be
introduced to the appearance and development of the bow and
arrow. One of the most important technology developments
especially for later British history appeared in Europe during the
middle Stone Age (Mesolithic) although there is some evidence
it may have been around even earlier.
On the workshop you will be introduced to the prehistoric
archaeology for the bow and arrow with a lecture and artefact
handling session. Following this introduction will be a
demonstration of pressure flaking flint flake into an arrowhead.
At this point you will be given some flakes to practice with the
aim of making some arrows of your own.
The next step is to straighten to the hazels rods that will be the
shaft of the arrow. Then a cut is made at both end of the shaft,
one for the nock and one for the arrowhead. The arrow head will
then be bound and glued using pitch.
The final stage is to cut and bind goose feather to the end of the
arrow as fletchings. These keep the arrow flying straight in flight
be causing drag.
The workshop will be a fantastic experience of a new craft along
with a lasting authentically ancient memento of the day to take
home with you.
Refreshments are provided. Toilet, classroom and knapping site
all easily accessible from the car park.
Attendees must be over 11, under 16s must be accompanied by
an adult.
For more information please email me at
Introduction to Flintknapping – 8th August
Hominids have been working stone for over 2.5 million years,
the art to manipulating stone has taken many turns and
developments through its history into the modern world. This
is your chance to learn about the oldest craft in the world
and be a part of it.
On the workshop you will be introduced to the archaeology
of stone tools with an introduction lecture on the
archaeology of stone tools and some of the techniques you
will be using throughout the day. This will be followed by an
artefact handling session. After this you will be given a
demonstration of flintknapping to help in giving you a
firsthand view of how a stone tool was produced.
Then it will be your turn to have a go with a piece of flint and
make a selection of tools to take home with you. Guidance
will be given at each step to give you the best chance of
understanding the techniques and fracture mechanic of flint.
The aim of the day will be that you go home with a far better
understanding of stone tools in terms of their history and
methods of production. This is an opportunity to get to grips
with the most ancient of crafts that will no doubt inspire
further exploration into our own distant past
Refreshments are provided. Toilet, classroom and knapping
site all easily accessible from the car park.
Attendees must be over 11, under 16s must be accompanied
by an adult.
For more information please email me at
A superb spoon carving workshop with Charles
Ash of TouchWood Crafts! 25th April
Charles has been working wood as a carpenter for over 12 years. Making sets for films & theatre productions in many famous venues such as The Globe, The National & the Royal Court. With a passion for historic wood working & traditional methods, Charles has a great deal of experience working with green wood & makes his own lathes. His bespoke furniture & kitchenware is in high demand. An introduction to the basics of green wood working. You will be guided through wood selection & try your hand at traditional timber processing using cleaving & axe working. Next is an introduction to the specific tools used for spoon carving such as crook knives. The end result of the day will be a spoon you can be proud of to take home & use as well as a new skill gained. Only 4 places available so book early to avoid disappointment! Bring your own lunch - other light refreshments will provided throughout the day. Cost of this particular course is reduced to £10.00 per person as you will be required to fill in a feedback questionnaire, allow photographs to be taken & used for stock photography Email Charles Ash at: [email protected]
The life and death of the Neolithic axe head –
Salisbury Museum lecture, 15th April 12:45
A talk by James Dilley. The polished stone axe in British
archaeology holds a very strong position in its understanding as a
functioning tool and social marker. Over the last 30 years
experiments have been conducted to test stone axe capabilities.
However testing different British axe materials and comparing
them experimentally has never been done. Until now. Find out
the surprising and exciting world of the Life and Death of the
British Neolithic Axe in experimental archaeology! James is a
craftsman and re-enactor who specialises in prehistoric
technologies and has over 10 years experience of flint-knapping.
He works with museums, schools, YAC, archaeologists, heritage
centres, media (including Time Team; Coast; National
Geographic), photographers and geologists in research and
experimental archaeology. His outreach objective is to encourage
people of all ages to learn about ancient crafts by bringing back
to life our ancestors skills and knowledge from the primitive past.
He was also responsible for producing the replica tools at the
Stonehenge Visitor Centre.
Booking required for this lecture via the Salisbury Museum
“Whats on” page under “lectures”
We look forward to hearing from you soon and
hopefully meeting you on a future workshop! In the
meantime fell free to email Ancient Craft at
[email protected]. Please forward this
newsletter on to anyone whom you think might be
interested or benefit for one of our events
Find Ancient Craft online at
www.ancientcraft.co.uk
or on Twitter at @ancientcraftuk
or Facebook: AncientcraftUK
or Instagram: Ancient_Craft
More events will be added soon including more flintknapping,
pottery workshops, bone and antler working days, fire and
tinder workshops and more woodworking courses!