Monthly Archives: July 2012

Archaeology for You 2012

Archaeology for You in the Powell-Cotton Museum Gardens

This years Archaeology for You event was held in the beautiful gardens of the Powell-Cotton Museum at Quex Park on the 23rd of July during the National Festival of Archaeology.

Explaining section drawing
Explaining how sections are drawn to record archaeological features

Our visitors could try their hand at several archaeological activities including techniques for recording archaeological sites and processing and analysing artefacts.

This year we were helped by an enthusiastic expert from the University of Kent’s Biological Anthropology department, on hand to explain how archaeologists analyse human remains for information about the people of the past.

Teaching skelton display
Talking about human remains in archaeology with our teaching skeleton
Investigating environmental samples processed by bucket flotation
Investigating environmental samples processed by bucket flotation

Another volunteer from the Powell-Cotton Museum supervised visitors in a soil sample processing activity to see how archaeologists explore what our ancestors ate and discover what the environment was like at the time.

Several visitors were able to take part in an introduction to geophysical survey techniques, with both resitivity equipment, demonstrated by the members of the Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society, and Magnetometry survey, demonstrated by a post-graduate student from the University of Kent using equipment owned by the university’s Classics and Archaeology department. There were also craft activities inspired by archaeological artefacts from the local area and beyond.

demonstrating the magnetometer
Demonstrating the magnetometer in a survey of the museum garden

With so many people from the Trust’s staff and from the wider archaeological community in Kent, there were many opportunities for visitors to make useful contacts for the future. At least two prospective archaeology undergraduates were able to chat with professionals and find out about fieldwork opportunities and events that will help them with their careers.

Once again Archaeology for You was a succesful opportunity to bring Thanet’s important archaeological evidence and research to a wider audience. We look forward to seeing all of you again at the next Archaeology for You event in 2013.