We are winding back time this July – all the way back to the Ice Age!
Imagine a time where Neanderthals camped in caves in the The Ice Age at Creswell Crags online event on the 15th of July.
If you want to advance beyond cavemen then the Pre Romanesque Art and Horses of the Greeks, on the 9th and 11th of July, explores civilisation in the making, with talks on cultural heritage and art history.
Corinne Jones walks us through what to expect this month.
9th of July, 7.30pm, Pre Romanesque Art
Welcome to The Art of the Middle Ages - Pre Romanesque online event! Join historian Dr Lillian Cespedes Gonzalez on a journey back in time to explore the fascinating world of art before the Romanesque period. Discover the intricate details and unique styles that characterized this era.
From illuminated manuscripts to intricate metalwork, this event will showcase the beauty and creativity of the Middle Ages. Don't miss this opportunity to delve into a rich cultural heritage and gain a deeper understanding of art history. Get ready to be amazed by the masterpieces of the Pre Romanesque period!
A further talk will be on 16th July with more information see below:
11th July, 7pm, Horses of the Greeks
Discover the unique and fascinating native Greek horse breeds. Dive into the history, characteristics, and significance of these breeds that have shaped the culture and heritage of Greece. Learn about the versatile Thessalian horses, renowned for their strength and agility, and the hardy Skyros ponies, known for their endurance and gentle nature. Explore the elegant Pindos ponies and the rare Andravida horses, each with their own distinct traits and historical importance.
12th July, 8pm, An armchair guide to the medieval world
Giant snails, dog-headed men, and ferocious dragons are just some of the marvels that appear in medieval accounts of locales far from Europe. In the Middle Ages, when long-distance travel was uncommon, many relied on stories found in manuscripts for both information and entertainment.
Focusing on the written and illustrated legends of travelers ranging from Alexander the Great to Marco Polo, curator Elizabeth Morrison and scholar Mark Cruse discuss accounts of distant places that were often based on a mixture of facts, ancient folklore, and fantastic tales. Morrison and Cruse examine how looking at the world through its marvels can be revelatory for understanding society both in the Middle Ages and today.
15th July at 6pm, The Ice Age at Creswell Crags
During the Ice Age, thousands of years before a museum stood at Creswell Crags (UK), the gorge and its caves were inhabited by the original collectors of bones, teeth and stone tools. Spotted hyaenas denned in caves, dragging in prey, and gnawing on bones.
Birds of prey deposited small vertebrates in pellets. And Neanderthals and early modern humans left behind tools, and other evidence of their activities. Thanks to these collectors, we understand what Creswell Crags and its inhabitants were like in the Ice Age.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creswells-first-collectors-hyaenas-birds-of-prey-and-humans-tickets-930288446787?
16th July, 2pm to 3pm. Seven Wonders of the World
The British Museum contains the best-preserved sculptures from two of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. No other museum is so fortunate. The museum also has objects associated with each of the other Seven Wonders.
Using these objects we will examine how the list started over 2000 years ago and how it evolved over time reflecting our continuing fascination with Wonder. Join Dr William Sterling to find out more.
17th July, 1pm, How a church became a museum
St Peter Hungate, Norwich was the first Anglican church in the country to be given a permanent secular function when it became a museum. In telling the story of this ground-breaking transformation, Clare Haynes will also explore its impact on attitudes towards disused church buildings in Norwich and beyond.
This is a hybrid event, with a small in-person audience at The Archive Centre and an online audience.
You can book a place for the in-person audience here:
17th July at 7pm, The Bronze Age
Cotswold Archaeology had the opportunity to investigate a small Bronze Age barrow cemetery at Picket Twenty, on the eastern edge of modern Andover during 2017 to 2018, ahead of a residential development.
19th July at 1pm, Secrets of the Clerks Well
Discover the hidden secrets of the Clerk's Well with Lester Hillman in this captivating talk. Lost to time, the Clerk's Well resurfaced a century ago in 1924, unveiling a history dating back to 1174, chronicled in a City Survey from 850 years ago. Nestled along the banks of the River of Wells, also known as the Fleet River, this ancient site witnessed the enchanting spectacle of Medieval Mystery plays performed before King Richard II on this very day in 1390.
26th July at 5pm. Art from the national library of Wales
An online talk about National Treasures: Canaletto’s The Stonemason’s Yard: