Gallery

Belated happy Beltane to you all. Butser was an amazing place to work on a new coiled basket after the Whitehorse Cist find. The original was found in a high status burial along with amber, a cow and tin bracelet, bear skin and a piece of nettle and leather fabric. The amazing textiles survived more than 3000 years due to the wet anaerobic soil. I’m excited to be teaching how to make this beautiful basket at the amazing Ancient Technology Centre on Sunday 14th May. There are a few tickets still available. Link in bio.

I can see the joy and sun in this amber. If you are interested in making your own amber pendant using stone tools, the are spaces left for the workshop at the ancient technology centre on 13th May. Link in bio.

in process- cordage two ways. On the left 3 ply and the right 2 ply. This is made from lime bast. Looking closely it is evident that the three ply is smoother and stronger but it takes longe to make and a slightly different skill than the 2ply. Ancient peoples would have known this and created the right one for the job. Once finished and tidied, it is destined for an experimental archaeology student for their MA.

Beautiful sheen being created on this grindstone used in our hands-on school workshops. This parallels the sheen seen in archaeological examples, however the polish does not help break the grain. Ideally a rough surface if what is wanted to ease the work. If you are looking for a hands on experience for your school get in touch - link in bio.

The highest compliment I can get is a rebooking. If you are looking for something sooner, I have spaces for the summer and am also taking bookings for autumn. Link in bio.

For the last few weeks I have been posting about tropical forest gardens, they work in a temperate climate too! Ancient peoples here in Britain managed the environment to ensure that they had resources to use for all types of tasks. This could be preserving an oak for a future construction project to encouraging flowers for bees to harvest honey.

A little chillier this weekend as we are back in the Bronze Age at Avoncroft Museum for the living history fair. If you are free this Sunday drop by and say hi.

This is EP 10 a large structure in the largest plaza at El Pilar. Enough has been excavated so that we know what the building looked like over different phases of its use down to the initial construction. The excavations were backfilled and the soil returned to protect the ancient structure below. Management of the forest protects it for the future and creates a cool stable environment under the canopy away from the sun. In addition to protecting the archaeology the trees create a place for the flora and fauna of the area. Often howler monkeys come to investigate, deer and agouti paca wander though and the trees are filled with the sound of birds, the croaking of the toucan, buzzing of the humming bird or call of the motmot. As archaeologists we need to be aware not just of the information that can be retrieved from a site but unless it is being investigated for development, how we preserve the structures for future generations to enjoy.

Happy #caturday from here is Belize. This is Miss Mish. She is very sweet and loves scratches. In the early evening she keeps me company while I work on #the100dayproject

Cacao is eaten the world over, either as a bar or sweetened to form a drink. The pods form on the branches and trunk rather than the tips of branchlets like apples or oranges. Each pod contains a white pulp that can be chewed to release flavour with chocolate itself coming from the seeds within the pulp. These are then soaked dried and even roasted before being used to create the treat we are used to. For the ancient Maya, cocoa could be used as a medical, added to food for extra flavour and as money! Next time you are making chilli try adding a square or two of plain dark chocolate to it - to improve the flavour just like the Maya did.

No surprise for those who know me that fibre is something I try to find anywhere I go. Forest Gardener Narcisso Torres is showing how to strip the Anona to create fibre for string. This fibre is very similar to the linden bast from Europe however using this technique it strips from the tree easily and immediately starts to laminate- meaning that it does not have to be soaked in water for weeks. One use of this fibre is rope and to make hammocks. The fruit is also edible making it a very useful plant for the ancient Maya.

Archaeology isn’t all about excavation, you need to know where to dig and be responsible about how much you excavate. Another way of finding information is survey, where you strategically walk across the landscape to discover what is there. In the jungle this can pose it’s own challenges- this area was burnt in 2020 so is thick young growth. And the structure shown in the third image is only a metre high, so easily misidentified by the untrained. A distinctive indicator is the blocks of limestone and chert cobbles aligned in a straight line. This is a single house that would have been occupied during the late classic period in the Maya lowlands.

String is often overlooked, as it is universal to all cultures. How each group utilises their environment to create string is different. Today while learning from a Maya forest gardener we ventured onto string and how it is prepared. For some tasks a vine can be used but it can’t be too new or it won’t hold or too old or it will snap - soaking preprepared vine wasn’t considered a good idea. By having conversations like this with practitioners and skilled craftspeople we can improve our knowledge of how people lived in the past and preserve information for future generations.

Lithics - it’s a fancy name archaeologists give to stone tools. We know of spear heads and arrow points from all over the world, the Maya however take this to a whole other level. Metal does not feature as a material for tools until very late in the Maya chronology, particularly the lowlands as the raw materials are l simply not available. Instead the Maya use their skills and knowledge of stone to create fantastic shapes and designs. These are from the Belize River Valley and date to the late Classic.

People of the past really cared about how they looked. While many of you may focus on the jade mask, it’s lovely! Take a look at the shell bracelet to the right of the photo. Objects this fragile often doesn’t survive, not because it rots but because of collapse or soul pressure breaking the delicate shell beads. Each of these needs was shaped and carved by hand in the classic period by ancient Maya craftspeople before being strung to form a bracelet then worn by its owner before being placed in a burial.

The past is not static, both our understanding of it changes but also people in the past lives dynamic changing lives. Although I know and it is imbedded in my thought process, today at the Maya city of Tikal I found a structure that encapsulates this. Here in the southern part of the Plaza of the Seven Temples is an infilled doorway. It demonstrates how builds changes through time, just as fashion or need dictates in a modern building the same was true for the Maya. This doorway was infilled later in the buildings use. The stones would have been covered with plaster so that the renovation would not be visible to those below in the plaza. This changed is only visible once the structure goes out of use but is very useful to archaeologists to understand the lives of the people who lived here.

Amber was an important trade object in Europe from the Mesolithic onwards. Sun disks become important from the late Neolithic through Bronze Age. I love how this piece draws me in and feels like the warmth of the sun. If you would like to have a go at making your own amber treasure using prehistoric techniques, join me at the Ancient Technology Centre the weeken of 13/14th May. Tickets on my website- link in bio. #amber #amberjewellery #ancient #ancientjewelry #creative #learn #learning #ancientcraft #ancientskills #workshop

The Maya carved intricate designs into limestone. This is a Stela commemorating an Ajaw from Xunantunich. Unfortunately the text is too eroded to read however archaeologists can still use it to find out about life in ancient Maya times. Take a close look and see what you can find out and I’ll post the answers when I’m back in the U.K. #maya #mayan #ks2 #ks2teacher #ks2history #history #historicalclothing #learning #learn #primary #primaryteacher #primaryhistory #workshop #schoolworkshops #archaeology #archaeologist

Pok ta Pok, Pok a tok or Pitz are all names for the Maya ball game. Courts come in a variety of sizes with some variation between them. Not all ball courts have hoops. Some Maya cities had more than one ballcourt. At Cahal Pech this ball court is behind the largest temple. Brightly dressed spectators may have stood on the temple, particularly the wings as well as at each end to watch the game. Teams varied in size with a minimum of two players on each side and the game was played for a range of reasons from entertainment through to the re-enactment of the Hero Twins playing against the lords of the underworld.

Those of you who have had a Maya workshop from Puku B will recognise that this is a Mano and Matate, the essential Maya kitchen implement. It is used to grind corn, either dry or soaked to form masa. The masa can then be used, we for tamales or tortillas or as a thickener for stews or chocolate! This Classic example is in the museum at Cahal Petch and just like the ones I use in school it is made from volcanic stone meaning that the material, if not the final product itself, had travelled many kilometres before being used at Cahal Petch. If you are looking for a Maya workshop for the summer, I still have a few spaces left - feel free to email me.

Xunantunich lies atop a hill overlooking the Mopan river. For the Maya this enabled them to control trade with the surrounding are but also to the jungle of the Peten in the west and the sea to the east.

Hi everyone, a quick reintroduction taken in the Maya site of Cahal Pech. Forgive the pink face, it’s 30 degrees and I’d just walked 4km, the last 2 uphill.

The Maya jungle is seasonal with specific wet and dry seasons and nature uses this to the best advantage. At any one time; plants and trees may be in leaf, flower or for the many deciduous trees dormant, at different times of year. The first image is of a ceiba tree. Best known as the Maya world tree, it holds the heavens above and follow the roots of a fully grown ceiba you will arrive in Xibalba, the underworld. When the tree is young it has sharp thorns that protect it, these fall off as the tree matures. The second and third are the brilliant flowers of the Bukut or Stinky Toe Tree that can be seen brightening the canopy at this time of year. The seed pod does live up to its name but the flesh and seeds can be used to make a delicious drink. It is also thought to be good medicine.

Celebrating #caturday the Maya way. Along with the most commonly referred to Jaguar there are a range of smaller cats in the Maya jungle. Their coats help to camouflage them. Can you spot them all? Jaguar Jaguarundi Cougar Ocelot Unfortunately the margay was hiding today.

24 hours after departure I have arrived at home for the next few weeks, greeted by this beauty from the Maya forest. Along with feathers and bright clothes flowers were used for decoration by the Maya with many bright and vibrant colours creating their world.

The last workshop before I head to warmer shores for some fieldwork is #vikings expect to be inundated with sunshine and the #maya from Friday!

I haven’t managed to post because we are having an amazing time at ARM in the Warwickshire Event Centre, if you are nearby we are open until 4pm.

Now for the heart stopping part of the process. It would be tempting to decorate with perfect lines and evenly spaced dots, so that it looks machine made, but the original pieces are not perfect.

How it started and how it’s going. Still a ways to go on this piece that will be available at The Atisans and Reenactors Market at the Warwickshire Events Centre this weekend.

Was quietly working away on amber last week and didn’t post. As valuable as gold and brilliant as the sun when finished I try not to waste any. These pieces are suitable for multi period from Neolithic through to Viking. Watch out for the finished necklaces.

This week’s three ply tube cordage for #the100dayproject it will be used as part of a larger project.

Cordage is a fundamental in life, it is so entwined in our everyday existence that we seldom considered it. But for ancient peoples string was an essential. The oldest fragments come from France and are more than 50,000 years old which is spectacular survival of organic materials. When were are demonstrating or delivering workshops it is a skill I often show. Today as part of the #the100dayproject the focus was three ply in a location of distraction - the tube - with pick up@and put down.

Lots going on so I decided to join #the100dayproject focusing on ancient crafts and skills. Some will be skills based, some will be self set challenges and others, like this project work. The aim is to spend at least 30 minutes -2 hrs per day working on something. Freya was determined to lean on my hand, even though I was working.

Such a sad site. For many years this has been a hedgerow, a sanctuary for wildlife and foraging location in the city, even the shelter it provided to those using the towpath- welcome shade in the summer and a canopy in the rain. I don’t know why it was cut and can only hope that the stumps that are left are able to regenerate.

How it started and how it’s going. This looped lime bast textile is modelled after the Trybrind Vig textiles. It is created from a single piece of string that is made as you go. So far approximately 30 hrs of work in this piece and I expect at least another 10 before it is done.

Join me at the Ancient Technology centre to create your own Mesolithic Amber pendant. You will be introduced to the history of amber use as jewellery before creating your own pendant using stone tools to take home. 10 people only. £80 Link in Bio

Come and join in with a Bronze Age coil basket workshop at the Ancient Technology Centre 14th May. We will explore materials before using authentic tools to create your own basket. Only 10 places available. Link in bio for tickets.

New website is now live www.pukub.co.uk Check out the upcoming adult workshops at the Ancient Technology Centre

A little chilly for our Iron Age forage this morning. As a return visit what is really lovely is earwigging on previous attendees talking about what they had done with me in past years and the bits that they enjoyed.

Spring is on its way! Quick stop before today’s workshops.

Puku has been taking her quality control role very seriously today. Fragments of this type of textile have been found to date as far back as the Mesolithic with the technique continues through prehistory. This piece is made using lime bast.

Carn Euny is an Iron Age site located in Cornwall. The thick semi-subterranean stone and turf walls would have provided the occupants with insulation against the weather. The earliest of the round houses was built between 500-400 BC and the settlement was supported by farms growing oats, barley and rye as well as keeping animals such as sheep, goats and cattle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick. Thought to be one of the earliest stone circles it dates to circa 3000 BC.

Reliving a workshop near one of my favourite hill forts yesterday. It would have been rude not to stop by and say hello. Uffington Castle is a large hill fort with earliest construction layers dating to the Bronze Age. It sits on the ridgeway with the white Horse and Dragon hill nearby and Waylands Smithy to the southwest.

Time for repairs. Ancient peoples utilised plant fibres in many different ways with an important skill being able to create string. This pump drill gets used by school children and eventually the lime bast string snaps. A quick fix to make more string then it is ready to go again.

Really excited that this has finally arrived. I’ve wanted it for a long time and finally ordered just before Christmas so it’s arrived for my birthday. Fantastic drawings and my mind is bubbling with things I want to make.

After a Workshop today I stopped by to say hello to Lintel 24 from Yaxchilan it is an image I refer to regularly in my Maya workshop. Dating to AD 725 It shows Shield Jaguar and his principal wife Lady Xoc. The pair are preforming a blood letting ritual, where Lady Xoc is playing the principal role - drawing a rope through her tongue. There is much more in this image to investigate including the clothing, roles of male and females in the Maya world even traces of the original vibrant colours can be spotted by the most vigilant. In its current setting there are three other lintels, telling more of the events at Yaxchilan, well worth a visit in person or on the BMs online catalog.

This term has started full steam ahead. But as I was in the North East it seemed a little rude not to stop in and visit some of the wonderful @theyorkshiremuseum Viking finds. This silk cap is over 1000 years old and demonstrates the vast trading networks that linked Britain to the known world. It’s fine cloth is silk believed to be from Iran. It is of simple construction, being made of a single piece of cloth sewn from the crown to the nape demonstrating once more the amazing techniques used to maximise fabrics. The stitching is fine and tidy and using felled seams stops clothing from fraying ensuring a longer lifespan for such a valuable piece of clothing.

The lingering last light of the shortest day, doing its best to hold back the darkness. Stealthily the tendrils of night slither across the sky until they grip the world and enclose it in darkness. Night takes over, the longest, taking and turning the the globe in its clutches - winter solstice.

Help! I’m trapped! I’ve got resources to check, amber to shape, leather and linen to see, and objects to repair but they just don’t care. It’s #caturday and I’m being held hostage.

#fridaynight fun. Fact checking information for resources. Puku’s complained and says I’m sending her to sleep.

The frost giants have been out in force this week. Breathing their icy breathe to form frost forests on the snow and with a strong st ready stream of frozen air the canal has icebergs.

A new piece of amber underway. Can you guess what it will be?

Frozen food anyone? Aside from providing essential food for wildlife the freezing of some fruits like sloes, damsons, rose hips and crabapples makes them more palatable. Freezing breaks down the tannins and increases the sugar levels making them sweeter. - why traditionally they are not picked until after the first frost.

Temperature changes fluctuate throughout prehistory, with warmer periods as in the Bronze Age and Roman occupation. But also cooler periods where snow would regularly cover the land during winter. At these times food would be scarce. Tracking prey through the snow would increase the chances of finding a meal or returning to camp if lost.

Frost forests and a frozen world today.

Work in progress. This belt is created using lime bast that came from @chizharward. The bast has been twinned to make more than 70 meters of cordage before being braided. Cordage is a great thing for when I’m on the move, and even on the tube. Bast is an important material for textiles and like linen this will become softer through use as well as being very hard wearing.

Tonight I was fortunate to have an opportunity to say goodbye to many of my favourite objects @museumoflondon as they closed their doors for the big move. Great fun catching up with friends from my MoLAS and MoL days. Where did that time go? Curious now what the new site will look like and what will be displayed.

A new addition for my living history kit and next summer’s adventures.

Beautiful new arrival from @thepointyenduk that will go into my living history kit for exciting prehistoric adventures planned for next summer. I will create a sheath for it over the next few weeks. But should it be leather or lime?

A bag is a handy thing, useful when you are out foraging, or for keeping things tidy or safe in the shelter. My latest bag is based on looping that can be traced as far back as the Mesolithic with finds from Trybrind Vig, could it go back earlier? Quite possibly but due to lack survival we cannot say at present. This bag is looping over a string. It is made from uncombed flax with the process transforming this to linen. It will become softer as it is used and washed and incredibly useful as it also squishes down into a small space for nomadic Hunter gatherers. There are only two pieces of string in the bag, which are made as it is knotted.

Breakfast view before a prehistoric forage. The pheasants on the fence seem to be deep in discussion, I hope they aren’t plotting anything devious!

Had some time out for a forage today. Useful bits and pie and something wonderful for the future. Looking out over an ancient coastline that has been a source of materials for people since the Palaeolithic.

I’ve been working on this project for awhile. Creating the components before bringing the piece together. Lots of lime bast string carved bone and some extra bast. What could it be?

Busy day focused on a single period today. Do you know which it is? It finished up with 90 year threes adding to my original story to build tension, with all holding their breath at the height of the action. We had a great deal of fun.

Watching the sheen develop on both the quern and the grinder as children from around the country use them informs my thinking as an archaeologist. While this is not a scientifically timed experiment the fine polish on both stones over time (these have both seen approximately 12 months of use by many hands) it demonstrates how quickly the polishing can take effect even with inexperienced operators. None of this however can depict the feelings of the children who participate in this experience who leave with knowledge and a smile.

Having a great time at ARM and looking forward to the third and final day. Yesterday I said goodbye to this amber bear, which was carved with flint tools inspired by Sami and Mesolithic figures along with the shape of the raw piece of amber. We have more pieces ranging from Mesolithic through to Anglo Saxon and Viking. Stop by and see us at the Warwickshire Event centre, we are here until 4pm.

Really happy with how these Anglo Saxon and Viking pieces have come up. The Viking pieces are based on grinds from the Clifford Street amber workshop in Jorvik and the Anglo Saxon pieces on finds from East Anglia. Both Anglo Saxons and Vikings valued amber and it was thought to have been the tears of the goddesses Freya or Freo which fell into the sea. Therefore highly valued. Come to ARM at the Warwickshire Event centre and chat to us about them.

Yesterday my brother was recognised for his work as a volunteer fire fighter, one of 53 who went from New Zealand to fight the fires in Australia during the 2019/20 fire season. He is an extremely modest person who has been both a search and rescue leader and volunteer fire fighter in New Zealand for more than 30 years. The world is a better place for him.

It’s very rewarding when the students are so keen to learn they arrive early and sit patiently while I finish setting up. He told me at the end of this Stone Age session @fulhampalace he’d learnt a lot. Book now for visits to your school.

How it’s going - got the rough shape. Have you worked out what this will be? With amber making exact replicas can be difficult as the cortex obscures the true colour of the final piece. Plus over time as the material oxidises it changes colour, darkening. This piece will be at the amazing Artisans and Reenactors Market at the Warwickshire Event Centre from 11-13th November.

A brief soggy stop to say hello to the stones in Avebury after teaching today, I just couldn’t resist. This massive henge dates to the Neolithic and is part of a greater landscape of both Neolithic and Bronze Age features. The largest henge in the world, a ditch and bank feature with local sarsen stones stones forming 3 stone circles within the henge.

ARM is racing towards us from 11-13th November in Coventry. I’ll be there as part of Hystorics and this piece of amber will be on sale. Any guesses as to what shape it has whispered it should be? I’ll give you a hint - it’s not prehistoric!

Last workshop of this half term yesterday and managed a beautiful walk. What struck me most was how nature has rebounded in a relatively short time. In 1962 this site was a colliery and now it is a beautiful wild space, bountiful with resources. A fine example of what would happen if humans were to diminish. The remaining photos are of the amazing mushrooms that I saw with a lovely interaction with a reception height child when he saw me looking at one. Child: what you doing? Me: looking at a mushroom. Child: you going to pick it? Me: no. Child: why not? The mushrooms were all left in place and today appreciated for their beauty rather than flavour.

It has been a busy half term leaving little time to post. Schools have been visited from Sunderland to Poole and everywhere in between. With public events to bring the past alive and quietly working on creations when there is time. Today on route between workshops I squeezed in a grounding walk in the woods. Connecting with the changing seasons and how this time of year would impact in the lives of ancient peoples. Of course like any good squirrel 🐿 I left with a pocketful of acorns to add to my winter stash. Just a few dates available for school sessions before Christmas and the rest of the year is booking up too.

A fun day yesterday @dunstabletowncouncil market sharing live in the Bronze Age as part of @hystorics_livinghistory Walls made from wood supplied by @chizharward was a winner with young and old.

Changing seasons and the colours of autumn during a post workshop walk today. The harvest is still bountiful and this would have been a plentiful time for ancient peoples. With Rowan, hawthorns and slow going far back into prehistory along with brambles, acorns and fungi. Later additions of crabapple, apples and pears. A pocket full of acorns for flour and tanning experiments.

After teaching on the south coast today I was lucky to have time to visit friends at the @ancient_technology_centre. It is a wonderful location in Dorset and I didn’t realise it also housed the Roman water wheel that I last saw when I was working at the Museum of London - it’s currently under repair but doing well! Catching up with @drakosdottir this evening then teaching nearby tomorrow. I’ve got a handful of dates left before Christmas and next year is already booking up.

When you go into schools to deliver workshops at the end of the day you leave. Pupils will say they enjoyed and learnt but you never know how much sticks. Teachers will thank you and if they are happy you get to revisit the following year. Heartfelt responses like this make what I do worthwhile. I know the pupil not only enjoyed their learning, they have spread the word. Thank you

It’s growing! My new bag created from flax using the Trybrind Vig looping a technique used since the Mesolithic. I am really looking forward to seeing how it becomes softer through use like linen clothing.

A fantastic bundle of lime from @chizharward making my workspace smell divine. I can’t wait to turn this into items for my workshops and see people use it at public events. Thank you Chiz and wonderful to catch up after so many turns of the planet. I highly recommend using Froe Wood Coppice for materials.

What to do with a day off? Go visit some friends who are displaying @chelseahistfest and chat about ancient skills and even identify some flint. If you are in London tomorrow head to Chelsea for this multi-period event ranging from Iron Age to WWII. Caroline from @pariogallico is talking Iron Age pigments and has fun hands on activities. Georgina is an expert on Tudor dyes, you might even see some of the purple they are achieving.

Sunlit train ride the ideal time to continue on the looping project. Looping of this style has been in use since the Mesolithic either simple looping or like this around a core. The flax for this came from @flaxlanduk and is working up brilliantly with minimal processing, simply removing the fibre from the steam as I go. The more worker parts are getting softer and I know that once it has been washed it will be a handy flexible bag.

Craftspeople seldom have empty hands but the joy of working as part of a team cannot be underrated. Here with @diary_of_a_saxon_weaver @treehouse_festival we are working on textiles, sharing and keeping each other company while time travelling - through different periods. Amongst the differences there is also continuity in practice. I am sure that Bronze Age and Anglo Saxon weavers would have found a way to communicate if time travel was possible for them.

My Didi car packed up ready to head north for her last 🤞time before she retires, with 3 different workshops. Sorry @sallypointer Tetris packing is the only way.

Wow what a first week of term, thankful that I have the opportunity to relax with a walk around Sissinghurst Castle Gardens after teaching today. This week I’ve taught over 300 children at four wonderful schools. Including a bespoke day with Kate where we taught every class in the school. The skills based activities will be incorporated into other workshops as well as being available as a workshop. Only a few spaces left before half term now and next term is booking up too!

Delayed flight? No worries- Trybrind Vig style looping is an easy travel companion to keep my hands busy. Until I run out of flax….

Nettles, yes nettles. For those that know me well they know that I spend a lot of time in the nettle patch. I had just spent most of the week teaching people how to make green nettle cordage. This image of me in my natural habitat was captured by Sarah Sturdy as I was harvesting a few to bring home at the end of @treehouse_festival These have been retted and are ready for the next step in processing over the winter.

Great day yesterday demonstrating as @hystorics_livinghistory at #rollrightstones for their annual event. Thank you to everyone who supported the stones and visited - we had a great time meeting you all. We were fortunate that the grain for grinding activity was a heritage grain supplied by an exceptionally local farmer (the next fold!).

Finished! A copy of the 7th century Anglo Saxon Cambridge diamond tablet weave. Which will be worn at Rollright Stones on Monday. Every time I do one of these I appreciate the skills of those who came before us more and more. This is an 18 card weave where the deck is split with one group turning separately from the other to create the pattern. I always wonder who it was that came up with this kind of weaving and marvel at their skill an ingenuity - all we have is fragments, there do not appear to be written or drawn pattern. Yet strands taken through holes on the corners of a card which then twists to create a warp faced pattern that could be simple like this or incredibly ornate as well as in incorporating expensive materials like silk and gold thread. If you are in Oxfordshire come over to Rollright where I’ll be demonstrating as part of @hystorics_livinghistory and get hands on with a range of Anglo Saxon skills.

Sharing the change from skin to leather @treehouse_festival. Waste of valuable resources wasn’t an option for people in the past, fish leather is quickly achieved and useful for a range of garments. This batch was a test of the colour that can be achieved using green tea - while not a British prehistoric plant, it has been an interesting experiment. #fish #fishleather #ancient #ancientskills #prehistory #workshop #reenactor #reenactment #larp #history #livinghistory #womeninlivinghistory #ks2 #ks2teacher #ks2history #learn #learning #learningisfun

Experimenting with the magic of woad with @diary_of_a_saxon_weaver as she pulls the first test from the dye pot the magic occurs through oxidation and the blue gets deeper and deeper. All of these shades were achieved from the same dye pot and we used it until it was exhausted. The turquoise is an over dyed cow parsley yellow. #fiberart #naturaldyeing #saxonreenactment #anglosaxon #history #prehistorictextiles #prehistory #livinghistory #womeninlivinghistory #workshop #ks2teacher #ks2history #learning #learningisfun #reenactor #reenactment

Fun dying with @diary_of_a_saxon_weaver of_a_saxon_weaver experimenting with madder over the last two days @treehouse_festival These colours all came from the same pot, with different wools, lengths of soak and also altering the ph to investigate different outcomes. #anglosaxon #textiles #fibreart #madder #naturaldye #archaeology #workshop #archaeologist #livinghistory #womeninlivinghistory #reenactor #reenactment #larp #history #ancientskills

Lots of nettle going on @treehouse_festival. Sharing with people the different results from processing nettles and how to make cordage. I’m also getting to work on the cordage for my nettle belt, based on the Bronze Age Whitehorse Cist bracelet. Hopefully I’ll have around 70 m when I get home. Staying dry in my portable roundhouse too! #nettle #fibre #ancienttextiles #history #stoneage #bushcraft #ancientskills #ancientcrafts #ks2 #ks2teacher #bronzeage #workshop #archaeology #britishbronzeage

Lots of nettles and cordage so far @treehouse_festival Off to forage for more for today. #nettles #bushcraft #primitivebushcraft #experimentalarchaeology #ancientskills #britishbronzeage #bronzeagearchaeology #history #workshop

One of the fantastic finds from @mustfarm were spools of fine threads, made of plant materials. I have wanted to recreate some of these for some time and made some nettle thread in the winter. Having finished a spool I decided to measure how fine my threads were, for these made using a cordage style from processed nettle are 23 wraps per cm so heading in the right direction. This spool will go into my display collection and watch out for the linen one which will join it in the not to distant future. #bronzeage #britishbronzeage #nettle #nettles #nettlesfortextiles #foraging #foragedfibers #textileaddict #textiles #ancientskills #bushcraft #reenactment #reenactor #livinghistory #womeninlivinghistory #learn #learningfun #workshop #history #archaeologicaltextiles #archaeology

Great feedback from yesterday’s Victorian 💩 workshop @dickensmuseum . My favourite comment here ‘mostly fun but still really gross’. The aim was achieved! Back again on 24th August and workshop price includes entry to @dickensmuseum and a poo focused trail. #charlesdickens #poo #victorian #victorianhouse #dailylife #victoriandiet #learn #learning #hamdsonlearning #homeschool #learningfun #workshop #history #ks2 #ks2teacher #ks2history

The trolly is out today, for a modern jaunt @dickensmuseum where I’ll be leading workshops on Victorian 💩. 🤫 don’t tell the other passengers on the bus! If you can’t make it today we’ll be delving into diet and exploring the roles of toshers, gong scouters and nightspoil men and digging around in poo (replica )again on 24th August. #kidsinmuseums #learning #learn #learningisfun #handsonlearning #poo #poop #victorian #ks2 #ks2teacher #history #diet #charlesdickens #archaeologyexcavation #archaeology #archaeologist #yac