Romano-British Archaeology Dig

 

I had such an amazing day today, and I am SO excited to share it with you!  

Above left is a map of England. We are currently in East Anglia, (the part in yellow) which gets its name from the Anglo- Saxon Kingdom of the East Angles.   My history and art loving friends will remember the site of Sutton Hoo, where Raedwald, King of the East Angles, was buried in a fantastic hill-top ship burial, which eventually yielded amazing finds.  We're sort of close to there......and sort of close to the West Stow Anglo-Saxon site, and the 900-plus year old Norwich Cathedral,  and LOTS  of other history. (As a matter of fact my Dad has a neolithic flint here at the cottage right now which is prehistoric- THOUSANDS of years old!)  I love soaking in the history of this amazing island when I come home. 

Today we drove about an hour to the west to just north of Cambridge, the old university town, to a small village called Cotterham.  The first thing that struck Dad and I  as we approached the parish church (above right) was the unusual shape of the pinnacles.  I researched them when I got home and learned this:

The pinnacles form a very striking feature of the tower. Pinnacles are, of course, common on towers of this date (for example they were added to the tower of Great St Mary’s in Cambridge in about 1600), but the bulbous, ogee shape of these is very remarkable; Cole, the eighteenth century antiquary, compared them to pineapples and said of the tower that it was "the admiration of all the country thereabout". It has been suggested that they show Dutch influence; Dutchmen were active in the seventeenth century in East Anglia where they played a prominent part in the draining of the fens, but this explanation seems unlikely. They are not unlike the pinnacles on the four corners of King’s College Chapel in Cambridge.

 (http://www.allsaintscottenham.org.uk/all-saints-church/)

 We met up with the volunteers who run the Fen Edge Archaeology Group (FEAG). There was just Dad, Cameron, me and another man.  Krys and her friend drove us a mile or so down the country lane (with the best name ever- "Twenty-Pence Lane!") to the farm where the Romano-British dig is unfolding.  The owners of the land have discovered Roman coins and other artifacts on the site, but it is thought that it was not inhabited by Romans but by British peoples living in a quite simple trading site during the time of the Roman occupation of Britain. There is no sign of any occupation on the site since the Romans left Britain in the 4th century. The FEAG archaeologists were looking for a place to dig, and the land owners were quite happy to let them dig on the land which hadn't been plowed since the 1950's.  FEAG have dug on the site for the last two years, and already have started their trench for this year. Today was the first day of the British Festival of Archaeology which goes on for the next two weeks.

 

We walked through two fields with Paddy the farm collie happily joining us. As we approached I could see the orange protective fence that surrounds the trench.

The trench is very interesting as it intersects old ditches and waterways.  The archaeologists pointed out the different colors of soil which can indicate the presence of .....anything!.....artifacts, buildings, old ditches, modern plough marks, etc.   They have found pottery, coins, and bones.  If you look in the background of the photo above you can see the raised bank of an old waterway.  We walked along that bank and saw the Roman earthworks of the opposite field.  (Different land-owners, no digging, but a listed Monument site, so there is definitely something special there!)

 Above is an old aerial shot of the field next door which definitely shows evidence of some prior human occupation.

 Flint stones, meet the flint stones..........

 Richard, one of the senior guys there, took Cam and I  to a pit on the right side of the trench which contained all the earth from the trench that had not yet gone through the sieves.  He had said Cameron could look for something small to take with him, not realizing that *I* was the crazy one who was drooling with fascination and interest.   I spotted a fragmented piece of pottery on the heap and excitedly pointed it out.  Richard pounced on it and took it from me, (above) saying "OH WOW! This is great, oh no, you can't have this, this has got to stay here!"   He explained that it was a locally made piece of pottery, from no more than 20 miles away.  It is very plain,  but has two slight grooved lines that may show up more after we clean it.  He dropped it down on the heap again and I took a picture of it.

 We thanked Richard and said goodbye, then Krys then took us down the finds area, in the barns.  This is where the finds are washed and stored.  I was fascinated with the striations of the potsherds, and by the fact that very old snail shells were found from the same level of the trench!

 The trays all contain pieces from each individual area of the trench. They must stay separate so that if something further comes out of that area they know what level or area of the trench it came from.

 I absolutely love that the artists who created these simple pots for basic utilitarian purposes still took time to imbue them with some sense of decoration.  These are no status pots, they're simple storage and cooking pots for someone's supper- about 1600 years ago.  That piece at left- I ran my finger under the lip, imagining the potter doing that hundreds of years ago as he/she created the piece.

Since there is no evidence of habitation at this site after the 4th century- I wonder why these Romano-British people left?  I imagine they would have become Anglo-Saxon, taking on new habits, customs and building practices.  I imagine them just throwing these old pots away, or casting them aside without a care,  and certainly not wondering whether they would be found hundreds or thousands of years later. 

 Just touching something this old sets my imagination on fire. Who handled it?  Did some child complain about  having to do the washing up?  What was in this bowl?  How many meals did it serve as a silent witness to conversations about- what?  Weather? (Always a good topic of conversation here, since it changes every day!)   Supplies?  Building?  The Romans?  Who made it?  What was their name?  I know I am a romantic, and perhaps too fanciful at times, but it is the STORIES that I obsess about.

I remember having a conversation with my friend Lisa long ago.  We were talking about history's mysteries.  She said that she thinks she'll find out when she crosses through the Pearly Gates of heaven and all the mysteries of the universe are revealed to her!  "Oh, THAT'S how the pyramids were constructed.... oh THAT is why this happened, or that happened.... etc." 

The best part of the day was yet to come!  After we had been given a "tour" of the trench and the site,  before we headed down to the finds area with Krys,  I was talking to Richard about my students, and he asked me if I was still teaching.  When I responded yes, he looked thoughtful for a moment, then called Cameron over. He said "Cameron, run back to that heap by the end of the trench and get that big piece for your Mum!"  He handed it to me when Cameron came back and said "There you go, take that back for your students in America!"   I can't possibly convey to you how excited and awestruck I am.  I own a piece (a very small piece, but a piece nonetheless!) of Romano- British history!   I hope my students find it equally exciting.  (I contained myself until I got back in Dad's car then had to do a seated "happy dance!")

 Below, Cameron carefully cleans hundreds of years of dirt off a simple, ordinary potsherd that inspires not so simple and not so ordinary fanciful daydreams and conversations about history. 

 

 I told my Dad today that I wish time travel existed.  I want Dr. Who's phone box.  I would dial up the middle ages first, and visit a scriptorium where illuminated manuscripts were being constructed and then go listen to the monks singing Gregorian Chant.   Then- Anglo-Saxons times, just to watch the amazing Sutton Hoo ship burial ceremony.  Then Renaissance and artist studios.  Prehistoric cave paintings.  Vermeer, Van Gogh, Van Eyck.  Nazca lines in Peru.  There are so many mysteries I want to know about.  I feel a bit like Violet in Willy Wonka:  "I want to know NOOOOOOWWW!"  In the meantime however, I shall content myself with reading books, blogs and magazines, learning as much as I can, and traveling through time in my imagination.  Oh yeah, and visiting sites such as these whenever I can!

(When I pop off, you can all just laugh at me and imagine me being happy,  walking through the Pearly Gates, wide-eyed and slack-jawed with excitement, saying "ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!   I get it!")


http://www.feag.co.uk/sandy-grey-ware

Friday- on the train to the French Riviera! I finally have a few minutes to write.  We literally haven't had a minute to write in 2 days!   I will try and catch up what has been happening.  Our trip over went well.  We were exhausted but were fine when we finally landed after 3 plane trips and a layover in Frankfurt. It was afternoon US time when we finally landed in Paris, about 22 hours after we left home. It would be another 7 hours  before we could sleep. We had a 6:45am wake up call yesterday morning, had breakfast and were on the bus by 8am.  We started our bus tour of Paris, and were able to see the Eiffel Tower, Champs Élysées,  Invalides...where Napoleon is buried, and lots more, including the Quartier Latin,  Trocadero,  and lots more!

 I just asked everyone for a few impressions of the tour yesterday and what they liked.   Here's their answers..... Marissa- Opera House, the Parliament building Jayne- a lot of musicians on the streets  Codie- fashion,  variety of cultures and religions,  Codie learned a lot and is very excited to here and wants to run away to Paris Brittany-liked the gardens at Versailles Cameron liked the artist's square The absolute BEST part of yesterday?  Marissa- seeing the Eiffel Tower and seeing the twinkling lights come on!  Codie- seeing Sacre Coeur cathedral.  Cameron- Eiffel Tower AND seeing the artist square.   Brittany says the gardens at Versailles were her favorite.  Cameron said to tell Dad "allo"!!  Jayne says if anyone for Northside is reading this we are having a wonderful time and the kids are all behaving wonderfully!

 Yesterday afternoon Jayne and Peter and Brittany went to Versailles. I took Codie and Marissa and Cameron to Les Halles for lunch. Then we went to Sacre Coeur and saw the artists, had drinks and snacks and dodged a huge rainstorm.  Last night we went on a river cruise along the Seine and then stood in line to see the Eiffel Tower. It was FREEZiNG. My feet were numb.   Saturday On the bus on the way back from Monaco on the Cote d'Azur, or French Riviera.  Last night after we got to the Hotel Busby we went to dinner on the Promenade des Anglais.   The beach was right there so we skipped stones in the water for a little bit then went to the Brasserie where the Germany- Greece was on.  Germany pounded Greece 4-1 and are through to the quarter-finals.  After dinner we went back to the hotel and slept wonderfully!

 This morning we drove to Monaco which is absolutely stunning. I keep hearing "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" playing in my head!   Jayne and Cameron and I wandered around, had lunch, and got a few souvenirs. Cameron got a straw hat.  Marissa, Peter, Brittany and Codie went exploring and seemed to have a great time.   We have just finished up visiting the Fragonard factory where we learned about how perfume is made and were able to test some fragrances.  We will be having free time this evening then leaving for Italy in the morning which will be a long bus ride.  The kids have learned to speak a few words of French and it's fun listening to them trying to say please and thank you!

 Tomorrow we are taking the bus to Pisa- hello Italia!! Then on to Florence. Italy vs. England tomorrow night!!!!!  

Castle in the Clouds

Good morning from beautiful Scenic Wolf Resort in Mars Hill, NC!  Oh my goodness this is such a beautiful place.  We spent seven hours driving yesterday,  much of it in blinding rain and fog.  Cameron slept the last 3 hours.  As we starting climbing the foggy winding road I was imagining how beautiful it must look in daylight.  The road got more and more narrow- and steep- and dark....I was getting so excited about being in the mountains.  Then Sophie and Alec started making references to horror movies, and how we definitely shouldn't stop if a man in a flannel shirt steps out of the woods and flags us down.  They were so funny.  

We finally made it up to the top and found our cabin, we are all the way at the end of the road, at the very top, last cabin on the road hanging off the edge of the mountain.  BLISS.  I think Cameron has hugged me a dozen times and said how happy he is.  When we came in last night all three of them were running around, enjoying the discovery and exploration of a four-story cabin!  We got to bed after midnight, and I was really looking forward to waking up and seeing the amazing view from the incredible windows.  You can see what we woke up to!  More fog.  It's supposed to clear later, though, and tomorrow is supposed to be more sunny.

For now,  we are sitting here relaxing in complete bliss,  which is truly what we all need.  We're counting our many blessings today and I'm grateful I have all my chickadees in my mountain nest!  Our options on the table are: shopping for me and Soph in Asheville, golf for Dale,  Fun Depot for the boys.....so much to do.  Tomorrow- maybe some more golf, ziplining for the big kids, museums for me and Cam.  We'll see.  The great thing about being on holiday- we'll just go with the flow.  For now, we are content to sit in our castle in the clouds and have a lazy morning in Black Bear Lodge.

More later.  xxx

Failte

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Location:Leaving Ireland

Pooped!

Dublin!! Briefly, bus tour of Dublin; St. Patricks; Book of Kells; Phoenix Park; lunch; Archaeolgical Museum; Art Museum; Irish Stew at a pub, shopping.... = too pooped for details. We're off to Wales tomorrow on the ferry, so I'll catch up then! We had a GREAT day, and I am SOOOO proud of these kids! We are having a wonderful time and it was warm and sunny today! Life is good. Talk to you later.

Sara


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Blarney Castle

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Location:Blarney, Ireland

The view from the 'ladies view'

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Location:Ireland

Rain....and a wet Blarney Stone!

Friday

It's a very wet, drizzly day today! It's been raining ALL day so it's a good thing we are on the bus most of the day. We left the hotel at about 8:45 this morning and had a two hour drive to Blarney Castle. The kids were excited about kissing the Blarney Stone. They didn't realize they had to lie on their backs (in the open ramparts at the top of the castle-still raining!) and lean over, tip their faces back, grasp the two bars and kiss away. The Stone of Eloquence ensures that you will have the gift of gab! (i think most of them had it already! Lol!). Cameron had a fun time exploring the dungeon.

Near the castle was the Blarney Woollen Mill. We had a lovely lunch inside the old mill then had some time for shopping. The rain was cold, drizzly and miserable, and I'm so thankful we did the Ring of Kerry yesterday when it was sunny!

We just stopped at the Rock of Cashil for a break and photo op. We will be on the bus another few hours, then we will arrive in Dublin late this afternoon. I'm trying to get us tickets to the King Tutankhamen exhibit for tomorrow- it's on in Dublin and all the kids want to go see it. Tomorrow we will also see St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Book of Kells and have a tour of Dublin. Then the next day it's on to the ferry and over to Holyhead, Wales.

Margaret is our tour director and she is very efficient, funny, and has some great stories to tell.

Hopefully I'll have better luck with internet tonight and can post this and yesterdays, and post some pics!!

Later-

Sara


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Adult Travelers!

If you are an adult considering traveling on a tour, you already realize that this trip is great value for money. I wrote the following after a particularly whiny and trying trip with a very picky and inflexible traveler:

 

*Meal portions in Europe are smaller than they are here. Breakfast will consist of bread rolls or toast, jelly and juice and coffee. Soda, tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages are not included with dinner. You will be expected to pay if you desire this. Water is available at every meal and is safe to drink. Lunch may be as high as $15-$20 for a simple meal.

*Your hotel room may be much smaller than you are used to. The hotel may be old and worn. The hotel industry in Europe is older (sometimes centuries!) and is NOT the equivalent of the American industry. Many hotels do not have AC or elevators. You may have to climb several flights of stairs to reach your room. While comfortable, the European hotels are not as large or modern as American hotels. Please be aware that the walls are also older and thinner and not entirely soundproof. Please be quiet in the hallways and not overly loud when in your room. Be aware that you are sharing space with others.

*You may be expected to share a hotel room with participants from another group. If you are an adult you may be paired with adults from our group or another group traveling with us. Adult rooms can not be changed when on tour. Adults can pay extra to have a room to your self. Every room does have its own bathroom.

*You will be expected to be in good physical shape! You should be able to withstand hot and cold temperatures, walking/climbing stairs and hills in hot or cold temperatures with mild to medium exertion. You should be ready to be on the go from early morning to late at night (and be ready to take in huge amounts of exciting art, history, and cultural learning!)

*Big cities do pose some dangers. The biggest that you need to worry about is pickpockets. You may also encounter people trying to forcefully sell you souvenirs. There are a lot of scam artists on the streets! Be alert. Hold your bag close to your body when in large crowds.

*At one point, you will be tired, cranky, your feet will hurt, your whole body may hurt, you may be desperate for a bottle of water. (Maybe all of these at the same time!) Bring comfortable walking shoes!

*This is a STUDENT trip. Everything is geared towards students. If you are an adult along for the ride, you will also experience the same great value for money, and will be expected to stay with the group except for free time. You will NOT be expected to chaperone students.

*Be prepared for lots of waiting. You may have one to three layovers in airports, some with hours to wait. (EF books airline seats in bulk, so we will receive the seats that are available for our route. This may mean we have to pass through a specific airport or have several layovers.) We may have to wait at the airport for another group that we will be traveling with.

*If you sign up to go on this trip, it is assumed that you are seeking to experience cultural differences, new adventures and different customs, foods and habits. You will be outside of your comfort zone. Please realize that people who are faced with the unknown, unfamiliar or something out of their control can get overly aggressive or grouchy. Travel moments can be frustrating and trying. Please think about how you will react when you are faced with some difficult situations, food you may not like, a hotel room you may not feel comfortable in, or delays that you have no control over. Nobody wants to travel with someone who whines all the time.

If none of this bothers you- then you are ready for adventure!

Please plan on being open-minded, not openly rude; polite and grateful, not rude and thankless; think safety but don’t be scared; and be open to new ways of doing, thinking and acting. We will be exploring a different country with different customs, a different language, a much older history, and different food. Different can be good for you!

Exploring these differences will help you see beyond the borders of the US, will help you understand global connections and nuances; and will help you to become a global citizen who is aware, tolerant, and open-minded.

WELCOME TO OUR GRAND ADVENTURE!

VENEZIA!

What an incredible day we have had! I am pretty sure I am speaking for everyone when I say today was magical! We were on the bus by 7:45 for an 8:15 boat ride across the Laguna to Venice. We approached the Piazza San Marco, disembarked and had a one and a half hour walking tour of Venice.
We walked across little bridges and canals, around various campos (squares) and marveled at the architecture, while listening to Carlo speak to us. We had whispers around our necks, little headsets that hooked us up to the guide up front, so he didn't have to shout. We will be using those all week. Most of us went on a Gondola ride after lunch, which lasted about half an hour and actually went out onto the Grand Canal for a little bit, enabling passengers to see the Rialto Bridge.

We had some free time which most people used for souvenir shopping or visiting St. Marks Cathedral. Then at 4 we met back up with our guide Carolina and she took us to the Doges Palace, which was fascinating. We saw the incredible meeting room where up to 2000 people once met to discuss Venetian affairs. We also saw the prison and the Bridge of Sighs, the last little bit of fresh air prisoners would breathe as they headed to the prison.

Finally, a lovely boat ride back to the Lido, the resort area we are at, in the blazing hot sun. Kim and Tracy and Tori and I went into the sea for a little bit....it was a bit cold so we only went in up to our bums, but now we can say we have been in the Adriatic!

Dinner was delicious again, and now the kids have some free time before their curfew. Tomorrow morning we are driving on a 4 hour drive to Florence, so I know I will be updating my travel journal then!

I have to add photos from my iPhone, which I am having a hard time charging. (Long story....) I will do that later. I love how well things are going, everyone is so excited and grateful to be hear. I have already heard quite a few people asking about the Greece trip next year. You may have unleashed some travel-loving addicts!

Ciao from Bell' Italia!

Sara

Summer Photographs '09

Dorset Holiday '09

Dorset Holiday '09

These are some highlights of my summer in England. This is actually only a few pics and video from the first week!

Rick Steves' Travel Philosophy

Travel is freedom... one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is intensified living, with maximum thrills per minute. It's recess, and we need it. Experiencing the real Europe requires catching it by surprise, going casual... Through the Back Door.

Affording travel is a matter of priorities. (Make do with the old sofa.) You can travel simply, safely, and comfortably anywhere in Europe for $100 a day plus transportation costs. In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you came to see. Europe is a cultural carnival, and time after time, you'll find that its best acts are free and the best seats are the cheap ones.

A tight budget forces you to travel close to the ground, meeting and communicating with the people. Never sacrifice sleep, nutrition, safety, or cleanliness in the name of budget. Simply enjoy the local-style alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants.

Extroverts have more fun. If your trip is low on magic moments, kick yourself and make things happen. If you don't enjoy a place, maybe you don't know enough about it. Seek the truth. Recognize tourist traps. Give a culture the benefit of your open mind. See things as different but not better or worse. Any culture has much to share.

Of course, travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something's not to your liking, change your liking. Travel is addicting. It can make you a happier American, as well as a citizen of the world.

Our Earth is home to nearly 6 billion equally important people. It's humbling to travel and find that people don't envy Americans. Europeans like us, but with all due respect, they wouldn't trade passports.

Globetrotting destroys ethnocentricity. It helps you understand and appreciate different cultures. Travel changes people. It broadens perspectives and teaches new ways to measure quality of life. Many travelers toss aside their hometown blinders. Their prized souvenirs are the strands of different cultures they decide to knit into their own character. The world is a cultural yarn shop. Back Door Travelers are weaving the ultimate tapestry.

Join in!

–Rick Steves

Used with permission from Rick Steves, www.ricksteves.com

Lots of Good News!

Asheville sights....


Haven't posted in a while. I have been renovating my classroom thanks to a visit to Renee's art room last month- it got me very inspired!!

In early February we made the trek to Asheville again- this time to see Christo and Jeanne-Claude. I was very excited as they are two of my idols. I literally ran into Christo in 1985 when I was living in Paris. I got his autograph, and then lost it when I moved to the US. When I heard they would be in Asheville in February, I immediately logged on to Ticketmaster!

I got another autograph and was able to talk to them for a minute and shake hands. I loved their talk. I will post some of their great quotes here soon.

Lots of good art things going on in the next few months. We leave for Paris in 40 days! The art exhibit is March 28 at the Rec, and March 23 I will be in Raleigh with Justin M, celebrating his painting that is hanging at the House of Representatives! He also got an Honorable Mention at the Council for the Arts exhibit. Congratulations Justin!

Back Home

We are back in Jacksonville after a wonderful four days away. I do feel energized and refreshed! I started a round robin group of altered books, I am really excited about that. I can't wait to get the first book in the mail!

Asheville was so eclectic, funky, liberal, and above all......so incredibly colorful and beautiful. Asheville has a very artsy feel and is young and vibrant. There is great public support for public art. It was the peak of the fall colors and it was really hard to drive and look at mountains and leaves. I did take some pictures and video while driving....

On the Road to Asheville

Renee and I left J'ville this morning and drove WEST. The colors are amazing! I have some pictures for you....the drive is indescribable. I would move out here tomorrow if I could. Got to the hotel and got registered and picked up my conference materials. I am taking a Journals workshop tomorrow and a Tile Decorating and Firing class. That one will come in handy with Sculpture and Ceramics next semester. I am about to go and do some pages in my journal- will share tomorrow.