Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist

Christmas is coming and I wanted to put together a blog post to highlight the work of archaeologists (including recovering archaeologists) and affiliated fellow travelers involved in various artistic and craft activities. In a world already overrun with mass-produced items that rely on increasingly extended and strained supply lines, I wanted to highlight some handcrafted items that will inspire joy this festive season. Over the course of the pandemic I’ve overcome the legacy of my Secondary School woodwork teacher who, on every available occasion for five years, told me I was rubbish and taken up woodturning. If you want to see some of my stuff, they’ll be at the end of the post, but I wanted to use whatever platform this blog allows me to share the work of others too … take a look at some of these gorgeous wares and consider purchasing from them …   TrowelMaiden Bryony Moss (@skjaldmaer) is an archaeologist and graduate student that produces all manner of archaeology-inspir...

Although I don’t celebrate Christmas*, I’m not unaware that it’s on its way … with that in mind, I recently put out the call on social media to my archaeologist and related friends (“Heritage+” if you will) asking what they’d like or are currently promoting. So, here, in no particular order, are the best of the suggestions from the ArchaeoHiveMind, coupled with a smattering of my own selections … Let’s be honest – archaeologists love books … we read books, we write books, we buy books … so let’s have some books! Where better to start than with Marion Dowd’s award winning The Archaeology of Caves in Ireland [ Amazon | Oxbow ]? It won the Current Archaeology’s prestigious ‘Archaeology Book of the Year’ in 2016. If you don’t already have it … why not? … now’s the time to add it to your collection! While you’re at it, look for Marion’s new book Archaeological Excavations in Moneen Cave, the Burren, Co. Clare: Insights into Bronze Age and Post-Medieval Life in the West of Ire...

[** If you like this post, please make a donation to the IR&DD project using the button at the end. If you think it is interesting or useful, please re-share via Facebook, Google+, Twitter etc. **] Replica Viking Armrings from Montague Heritage Service Well, folks, it’s that time of year again, when the axial tilt of the earth means that we’re heading for the annual solstice celebrations … Yule … Beiwe Festival … Christmas … Chawmos … Shab-e Chelleh whatever you’re having yourself! However we chose to celebrate it, there’s generally a lot of eating, drinking, being thankful for having survived the worst of the winter, and gift giving. It was with an eye to offering suggestions as to what moneyed loved ones might wish to purchase for the archaeologists in their lives that I thought about asking on my various Facebook pages ( Irish Radiocarbon & Dendrochronological Dates | The William Dunlop Archaeological Photographic Archive ). Unsurprisingly, but largely unhelp...