Somebody reading... Gareth Bonello, 20 September 2007 Wow! Somebody has been reading my blogs. Not sure if that makes me feel good or not, but it's a start. As the comments were in Welsh, I'll answer their queries in the Welsh version. Since the last instalment, we've been struggling with a few technical glitches in Oriel 1 which are constantly random. The timed system doesn't come on at the allocated time, some pictures have disappeared off one of the touch screens, some of the listening posts are tempremental. There must be a technical term for 'Gremlins', but I prefer to imagine little green creatures eating the wires. I'm involved in setting up two exhibitions for 2009/2010 at the moment. One is an exhibition of Italians living in Wales, and the other is on British Sign Language, which will draw comparisons between BSL and Welsh - a radical, new approach to the way BSL has been viewed in the past. We also held a very successful Hindu festival, and will be celebrating the re-opening of the temple in Grangetown, Cardiff this Saturday the 22nd. Come along to sample the sights, sounds, food and fun! Other than that, I've been meeting with a community from Johnstown to collect the objects that they've curated for our Community Dresser. If all goes well, they will be on display well before Christmas. Last, but not least, an exhibition by Mary Lloyd Jones, the internatinally renowned artist, called First Language, is being set up at the moment. It will open officially on October 4th. Please feel free to comment - at the moment I feel that my blogs are very technical and rather lifeless. If people comment, maybe I could relax a bit and adopt a more conversational tone. See you soon!
The unique prints and drawings of T. H. Thomas 20 September 2007 T.H.Thomas, 'Mrs Jones, the Devil and the supper beer' (1880), from 58, British Goblins; NMW A 11953, pen, ink and wash on paper. During his lifetime, Thomas Henry Thomas (1839—1915) created a unique catalogue of prints, drawings and watercolours detailing the major concerns of the 19th century. In 1915, the entire catalogue was bequeathed to Amgueddfa Cymru. Thomas Henry Thomas: the collector Thomas Henry Thomas, one of the founding fathers of Amgueddfa Cymru, was born in Pontypool in 1839. He studied at the Royal Academy and spent time in both France and Italy. On his return to London in 1864, he specialised in portraits, design and book illustration. He worked as an artist for The Daily Graphic, from which many illustrations still survive, ranging from work on the Severn tunnel at Portskewett to royal visits. Thomas in Wales Between 1866 and 1878, Thomas settled in Cardiff, where he was to remain for the rest of his life. He became involved with the Eisteddfod and the Gorsedd and joined the Royal Cambrian Academy. He was also a key member of the Cardiff Naturalist's Society, becoming president in 1888. His interest in geology led him to , new to science, in a large stone slab in the churchyard at Newton Nottage. The fossil was named Brontozoum thomasii in tribute. The collection Thomas's collection of over 1,000 prints, drawings and watercolours came to Amgueddfa Cymru following his death in 1915. The main collection comprises three boxes, each containing around seventy folders holding up to ten objects, grouped by subject types. Until recently, it had been assumed that this ordering system was the work of Thomas, but closer inspection of the handwriting revealed it to be that of Isaac Williams, the first Keeper of Art at the Museum. It is not known in what form these works first entered the Museum, although there is reference to a scrapbook which, has not as yet been discovered. As curating methods were rather different at that time, it seems likely that the scrapbook was broken up and its contents reassembled into the folders in which they appear today. Their contents are exceptionally wide-ranging, with topics including rural and industrial life, the natural world, archaeology, book illustration, folklore along with drawings of social and cultural life. Among the miscellaneous objects of the collection is a particularly intriguing object -a cigarette box filled with drawings by children from a school in Oxfordshire. These appear to be part of an experiment by Thomas to analyse the drawing techniques of children. Preserving the cultural life and heritage of Wales Thomas's all-embracing interests somewhat hampered his artistic development. Had he devoted himself solely to art, he could have achieved more widespread recognition. This is not, however, meant as a criticism — the strength of the Thomas material lies not in its artistic quality but in its quirkiness, its breadth, and that it represents an almost complete catalogue of the major concerns of the 19th century. Seen from this perspective, Thomas can be viewed in the tradition of J. W. Goethe and John Ruskin, men whose works spanned many diverse disciplines and wanted to bridge the gap between science and the arts. In addition to this, Thomas was also an avid champion of Welsh art and artists, and worked to support the cultural life and preserve the heritage of Wales wherever he was able. Amgueddfa Cymru is lucky to have received such a comprehensive bequest, especially one that encompasses each of its curatorial departments. T.H.Thomas, 'Effect of explosion at "Cwtch" Colliery', from 115, Mining, NMW A 12383, pen and wash with pencil on paper.
Origins and Early Christian Monuments Pip Diment, 13 September 2007 Our Early Christian Monuments (ECMs) are stones that can tell us about individuals, their beliefs, burial practices, languages, art and technology from the past. Some of them are huge and very heavy which makes them difficult to move and install. We were helped by Nigel Brake from Penybryn Engineering and Chris Perry from our Industry Department. You can also see Dr. Mark Redknap (Medievalist) from our Archaeology Department helping with the ECMs and ensuring their safety as they are being installed. It's nice to see people are willing to get stuck in and help!An 'A' frame is used to raise and lower the ECMs. This is the frame from which the winch is hung to support the ECM and lift it up. The ECMs have got inscriptions on them from Early Medieval times that we can't scratch or damage so great care must be taken over moving them. Special steel supports have been made for the larger stones allowing them to be held firmly in place.
The Palace in the Lake 13 September 2007 Llan-gors Lake, with crannog in background. Image: Cadw (Crown Copyright). Llan-gors crannog during excavation. This image of the 1991 excavations shows planks from the crannog's palisade wall. Oak plank from Llan-gors, 60cm (2 foot) long. Submerged oak planks like this formed part of the palisade around Llan-gors crannog. Reconstruction of Llan-gors crannog, based on the excavation. Excavations at the artificial island or crannog in Llan-gors Lake, near Brecon, have provided a unique glimpse of a royal Welsh court. Excavations between 1989 and 1993 by the National Museum Wales and Cardiff University have revealed that the crannog, the only one known in Wales, was an early medieval royal site of the ruler of the inland kingdom of Brycheiniog. The small early kingdom of Brycheiniog (Brecheiniauc) corresponded approximately to the historical county of Brecknockshire in south Wales. The territory took its name from Brychan, dynastic founder of the royal line according to later legend.. Irish influence The crannog was carefully constructed of brushwood and sandstone boulders, reinforced and surrounded by several lines of oak plank palisade. Tree-ring dating of the well-preserved timbers has established that they were felled between AD889 and AD893. The site seems to have been influenced by Irish building techniques, and was possibly constructed with the assistance of an Irish master craftsman. The kings of Brycheiniog claimed to be descended from a part-Irish dynasty, and their use of such an unusual and impressive construction may have enhanced their political standing and strengthened their claims to Irish ancestry. Objects of high quality As a royal site Llan-gors crannog would have been a centre of administration, as well as a place for hospitality, where the ruler seasonally held court, received tribute and indulged in hunting and fishing. The artefacts uncovered, which include embroidered textile and parts of a portable shrine, confirm the site's aristocratic status. The crannog is attacked The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that in AD916 Æthelflaed, 'Lady of the Mercians', sent an army into Wales three days after the murder of Abbot Ecgberht and his companions. The army destroyed Brecenanmere (the Anglo-Saxon name for Llan-gors Lake) and captured 'the king's wife and thirty-three other persons'. This record of an attack probably refers to the crannog, and the capture of the wife of king Tewdwr ap Elisedd. During excavation, a charred, burnt layer was uncovered - probably representing this attack. The site gives an unique glimpse of life on a royal site in the late 9th and early 10th-centuries. Timeline 880s: Elise ap Tewdwr, ruler of Brycheiniog forced by the aggressive actions of Gwynedd to seek overlordship of Alfred the Great. 889-93: Llan-gors crannog constructed by the ruler of Brycheiniog. 894: Vikings ravaged Brycheiniog. 916: Brecenanmere (probably Llan-gors crannog) destroyed by Mercian (Anglo-Saxon) army. Background Reading 'On a crannoge, or stockaded island, in Llangorse Lake, near Brecon' by E. N. Dumbleton. In Archaeologia Cambrensis (4th series) vol. 1, p2-98 (1870). 'The early medieval crannog at Llangorse, Powys: an interim statement on the 1989-1993 seasons'. In The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology vol. 23, p189-205 (1994).
New gallery installation - Origins: in Search of Early Wales Pip Diment, 11 September 2007 Before the contractors arrive on site our temporary exhibitions gallery looks almost empty. We used to use this gallery to hold large exhibitions at National Museum Cardiff and are now redisplaying and reinterpreting our Archaeology collections here in a new exhibition called 'Origins; in Search of Early Wales'.We've installed some Early Christian monuments (ECMs) already and some are lying on pallets waiting for more action to take place. Dysons are the contractors responsible for creating the new exhibition space prior to us installing all the objects to bring it to life. They are due on site shortly to begin the construction in earnest.The cases are from a previous Archaeology exhibition we did in partnership with the British Museum and others called 'Buried Treasure' about archaeological treasures from our collections and how they were found. We've had them refurbished and recycled for this exhibition to complement new ones we've bought especially for the new Origins gallery. The heavy steel bases and supports for the ECMs look good enough to be in the display themselves, but there are other plans for the finished look. The floor is protected in areas so the installation of the steel bases and ECMs does not scratch it. The ECMs weigh up to 2 tonnes each so moving them is a serious business involving heavy lifting gear, engineers, curators and conservators.
