Lecture programme

WEAG celegrates its Golden Jubillee in 2008! We hold a varied and interesting series of lectures, normally on the second Monday of the month, from September to June. These are given in the VIth Form Unit, Woodford County High School, High Road, Woodford Green, starting at 7.45pm.

The programme of Lectures for 2007/2008 is:

September 10th, 2007
The Archaeology of the Thames
Gustav Milne - Institute of Archaeology

For our first meeting we are lucky to have Gus Milne from the Institute of Archaeology, who is an expert on the history of the Thames. In the Bronze Age and Iron Age ritual (?) metal objects were thrown into the river ,and possibly bodies. In 43AD Claudiius crossed the river. In a few years Londinium was a port and an administrative centre with grand houses. By 400 it was deserted but then the Saxons developed Ludenwic.Viking raids ended Ludenwic then in 884 Alfred returned to Lundenburg........and then London grew as a Port, Capital and Center of Commerce.

If you would like to investigate further, why not go to Museum of London to see what happened? There are exciting new finds!

October 8th, 2007
Late Roman Hoards
Richard Hobbs - British Museum

On Oct 8 Richard Hobbs of the British Museum will give a talk {and lowdown ) on the hoards deposited toward the end of the Roman Occupation around 400Ad when the administration was breaking down. All the hoards are in East Anglia and are on display inthe newly reopened Romano-British display at the British Museum.
At the end of the war at the Milsenhall airfield the dinner service came to light. The service contains a huge dish, bowls, ladle, spoons and more. The spoons suggest Christian features, the dishes are wonderfully pagan: bacchic hunted beasts, baccantes.
Hoxne was properly excavated. Hoxne also has Palaeolithic tools and animal bones. King Edmund was murdered by the Danes here. Over 5000 silver and gold coins from all over the Empire: rings, necklaces, spoons, a silver tigress.........more riches [Pagan and Christian}.
Thetford: more spoons.....Ashwell: gold and silver plaques

Richard is the curator of the collection and is a fine speaker, informative and humorous.

November 12th, 2007
Casting the Bronze
Paul Craddock- British Museum

Paul Cradock ,a scientist at the BM gives his third talk on ancient metal working, reaching casting, moulds, lost wax to make weapons, figurines and tools in bronze and iron. Casting was world wide from China to Europe. How did the newly cast artefacts look? Did they have a patina? Again a speaker I love to listen to.

December 10th, 2007
What did the Romans do for West Essex?
John Sheppard - Institute of Archaeology

Dec 10 What did the Romans do for West Essex ..anything at all in the long run ?

January 21st, 2008 - 7.30pm
Social Evening - Fun, Games and Food

February 11th, 2008
Out of Africa - Human Origins
Jill Cook - British Museum

The Archaeological record indicates Man originated in Africa - all the very early hominids finds suggest they evolved in Kenya or Ethiopia. Homo erectus migrated East. Some of our species stayed in Africa, spreading all over the continent in several waves. About 250,000 years ago some went to the rest of the world. How did they spread?

March 10th, 2008 - 7.30pm
WCHS Dining Room AGM followed by Golden Jubilee Evening
Talk, Refreshments

April 14th, 2008
Turners Hall Farm - A Roman Burial Site
Simon West - St Albans Museum Service

May 12th, 2008 - 8.00pm
RUDGE LECTURE - The Archaeology of the Olympic Site
Woodford County High School, Assembly Hall
Gary Brown - Museum of London

June 9th, 2008
Eqypt and Canaan
Rachael Sparks - Institute of Archaeology