Art Cart -Coins Sian Lile-Pastore, 2 June 2011 Just a quick post to show you a few pictures of the things we have been making in the Art Cart this half term. The activities run until Sunday, so there is still time to visit and take part. I have also got some Tudor style outfits for children to try on and have painted a backdrop for them to pose by.The coin theme has come about as we have a fantastic display of coins in the gallery at the moment as part of the Creu Hanes exhibition. The coins are otherwise known as the 'Tregwynt Treasure Hoard' and were buried around 1647 and finally dug up in 1996!For the art cart activities we have been colouring and decorating Tudor style coins and using string and silver foil for a more 3d feel.I think they look pretty splendid.
Taking Stock of the Block 1 June 2011 After documentation, the next step was to take stock of the overall condition of the block, and to make a preliminary inventory of the types of archaeological materials I could see. As can be seen in the birds-eye-view photograph, there are some large cracks running across the block: these most likely occurred during lifting and transportation from the site to the museum. Unfortunately, these extend through some of the exposed armour, and areas of thin, mineralized iron plate have broken. This kind of damage, whilst regrettable, couldn’t have been avoided. I wanted to keep the broken pieces in place for as long as possible, as the positioning of the remains is important to our interpretation of the events taking place in these two rooms of the warehouse. In order to ensure that fragments stayed together (at least for the interim) I used a wax-like substance called Cyclododecane, which I melted and brushed onto the artefacts. The Cyclododecane will eventually sublime altogether, and so I will not have to remove it later. In addition to the iron plates, there are also a range of other interesting artefacts visible on the surface of the block. There appears to be a scattering of copper alloy scale armour (see photograph for an example), which would also have been worn by a soldier. At the edge of the block is a large copper alloy stud, its use in antiquity currently unknown: it is not an artefact which has been associated with lorica segmentata. As the photograph shows, the copper has corroded considerably and is very thin. Scattered amongst these exciting finds are the usual types of artefacts found during archaeological excavations: pieces of red ceramic tile, fragments of pottery, bits of animal bone, and crumbly lumps of white plaster (from the building itself). Excavating the block will be both time consuming and challenging: I have selected a number of small tools to use. I am unable to place a microscope over the block, and so will be using an optimizer (a visor with magnification lenses) instead- I do not want to miss any small artefacts or details during the excavation.
Revolting women Andrew Deathe, 23 May 2011 The battle for the right to vote This anti-suffragette 'voodoo' doll is an unflattering and grotesque caricature of a suffrage campaigner. The anti-suffrage movement used images such as this in cartoons and posters to ridicule and insult women who wanted the right to vote. Like many people around the world, women in Britain had to fight for the right to vote. Today we take this privilege for granted but it was not always the case. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the women's suffrage movement fought for the right for women to vote in General Elections. These mainly female campaigners were known as Suffragettes or Suffragists. There have been many books written about them. What has received less attention however is the existence of an anti-suffrage movement, which sought to prevent women from getting the vote. Objectors to votes for women tried to convince people that the female mind was unable to understand politics. When they failed in this they resorted to tactics such as sending this 'voodoo doll'. Some of them went as far as attacking or spitting on women activists in the streets. The doll is an unflattering and grotesque caricature of a suffrage campaigner. The anti-suffrage movement used images such as this in cartoons and posters. They ridiculed and insulted women who wanted the right to vote. These views were an extension of the idea that 'a woman's place is in the home'. Women were frequently shown as needing protection from the 'man's world' of work and politics. Their role was to look after their husbands, homes and children. During the First World War the role of women in society changed. While men were away fighting, women took on many of their jobs. They were able to disprove the stereotype of being the weaker sex and prove their equality to men. This gave them another strong argument for having the vote. Despite the strength of opposition shown in this doll, hundreds of thousands of women in Wales were eventually empowered to express their political views at the ballot box. It is due to the commitment of the suffrage movement that every British adult has the right to use their vote in elections. View this item in 3D on the People's Collection Wales
The Guardian of the Valleys 20 May 2011 Six Bells Disaster In the summer of 1960, the community of Six Bells near Abertillery, south Wales witnessed a disaster that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. On June 28th an underground explosion at 'Arrael Griffin' colliery led to the deaths of 45 miners, all local men - fathers, sons, husbands, brothers. Fifty years later, to the day, after tireless work by the community and local organisations, a steel sculpture by Sebastien Boyesen, over 60ft high, was dedicated to those who died. The name of each man who perished is engraved on its plinth. It was not possible to attach the outstretched arms for the opening ceremony due to safety concerns, but the statue was complete by the 28th July. Guardian of the Valleys This short film, by Alun Jones and Ian Smith, records the commemorative event and the dedication of the 'Guardian of the Valleys' who now stands proud, in memory of not just the Six Bells miners, but miners everywhere.
Investigation Results 2006-2011 Danielle Cowell, 19 May 2011 The ‘Spring Bulbs for Schools’ project allows 1000s of schools scientists to work with Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales to investigate and understand climate change.Since October 2005, school scientists across Wales have been keeping weather records and noting when their flowers open, as part of a long-term study looking at the effects of temperature on spring bulbs.See Professor Plant's reports attached or download the spreadsheet to study the trends for yourself!Many ThanksProfessor Plant
