Meetings and Excursions

Coronavirus Update - Virtual Talks Programme

With regret, the Society has postponed its regular events, activities and Friday talks programme until it is safe to meet.

In order to maintain some continuity for members and until we can start face-to-face meetings again, the society will recommend shared resources which may be of interest to members.

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The Flag Fen Archaeology team have extended their Lecture series for 2021 thanks to support from the government's Culture Recovery Fund and are able to host them virtually and completely free of charge. There are four lectures in May, all at 7pm, free of charge, available via Teams and bookable on Eventbrite  using the link here

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Thursday 6th May: 'Ritual Offerings in Prehistory? Understanding Bronze Age bronze and gold hoards in Britain and beyond…and why Flag Fen remains special!', by Dr Ben Roberts of the University of Durham.

This talk will draw on recently discovered Bronze Age bronze and gold hoards in Britain and related research to explore what new insights they can give us into the lives of prehistoric communities. In particular, the talk will survey the current state of knowledge and remaining questions surrounding Later Bronze Age (c. 1600-800 BC) production, trade, identity and religion. It will argue that the duration and density of Bronze Age-Iron Age votive offerings found by the causeway at Flag Fen mean that, even in the light of several decades of new research, it remains an exceptional and important site. 

 

Thursday 20th May: 'Secret Britain: Unearthing our Mysterious Past', by television presenter and author Mary-Ann Ochota.

From Ice Age skull cups to prehistoric fortune-telling spoons, and from world-famous sites like Stonehenge and Glastonbury, to hidden gems only the experts know about, Secret Britain reveals just how mysterious and fascinating the past can be.  

With characteristic enthusiasm and an eye for curious detail, Mary-Ann reveals the way these ancient sites and objects still resonate today. Secret Britain takes us deep into the lives and landscapes of ancient people. It reveals startling connections to the present and celebrates our enduring relationship with the past.  

This expertly-guided tour ranges from the far Northern Isles to the Cornish coast, and from famous treasures like the Sutton Hoo helmet, to little-known curiosities like Viking-inscribed spinning weights, prehistoric wooden goddesses and the compelling evidence for ancient British mummification. 

 

Thursday 27th May: 'Respect your Elders: Old Swords in Early Medieval England', by Dr Sue Brunning of the British Museum .

In Anglo-Saxon England, old swords were highly prized treasures coveted by warriors, warlords and kings. They were placed in burials, depicted in art and lauded in literature. This talk explores the evidence for the phenomenon and seeks to understand why older was better when it came to one’s sword. Dr. Brunning is Curator of European Early Medieval & Sutton Hoo Collections from the Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory at The British Museum.

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