Well, while schools are getting settled in and universities are gearing up to the new academic year, here are a few items from the world of archaeology and heritage that have attracted my attention. You’d better be quick though as some are finishing very soon!
On that note, it is worth beginning with the Horizon documentary First Britons. This is an ideal programme for KS2 history teachers as it outlines some of the progress that has been made in our understanding of how our ancestors dealt with a range of issues, including climate change and environmental management. The programme covers material from the palaeolithic to neolithic but it is the mesolithic which get most coverage. The range of sites gives a good idea of the areas of research in British prehistory and some of the surprises are really startling – keep an eye out for footprints that are thousands of years old! This is available on BBC iPlayer until Saturday (19th).
If you like Stonehenge and fancy a guided tour of its landscape then the up-coming walking tour of the Stonehenge Landscape could be for you. Led by David Dawson, director of Devizes Museum, the day begins with an exploration of the museum’s collections before moving on to the landscape that is so famous around the world. It is a unique opportunity to see contemporaneous artefacts and monuments of the time of Stonehenge. This could be part of your CPD!
The big event this term is the opening of the British Museum’s Celts: Art and Identity. Opening on the 24th Sept, this is the latest ‘blockbuster’ from the BM. The exhibition covers some 2,500 years of prehistory in Britain and beyond, and is sure to give a really in-depth look at what it meant to be a ‘Celt’. If you can’t get to see it with your class/school then as usual there are a range of resources for schools available on the museum’s website.
The biggest news was of course the announcement of the discovery of a new monument near Stonehenge – although it is in fact beneath Durrington Walls henge. There is plenty of coverage on this on the internet:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150907114556.htm http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-34156673 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34171326 http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/shortcuts/2015/sep/07/superhenge-standing-stones-near-stonehenge
It is useful to compare and contrast how the finding has been covered – especially the almost constant reference to Stonehenge!
Back with more soon . . .