SHARP lecture series 2018
Every Tuesday evening during the excavation season, at 7:30pm, Sedgeford's beautiful church becomes a lecture theatre for the weekly academic presentation.
Sometimes we have visiting lecturers, and sometimes the presenter comes from in-house to update Sedgeford residents, local visitors and the week's SHARPies on the current status of one of the Project's many sub-disciplines.
Whatever the subject, it is always a stimulating, topical and thought-provoking presentation.
The annual lecture series is put together by our own Dr John Jolleys, who has provided the following to whet our appetites for 2018...
"The season's lecture series kicks off on 3rd July when Paddy Lambert, a colleague of Phil Hill's at Oxford East, is coming to talk on Roman Roads, how they were constructed, where they went and why Watling Street is today a congested trunk route and yet the Peddars Way is a pleasant walk through the East Anglian countryside.
On 10th July, Matt Champion who is project director of the Norfolk and Suffolk Medieval Graffiti Society is coming to describe the various forms of graffiti carved into the stone and plasterwork of our medieval churches and their possible meaning. This should be particularly relevant as a large number of different types have been identified in Sedgeford church itself and these will be recorded by the medieval and historical team during the forthcoming season.
Neil Faulkner is considering the meaning of archaeology on 17th July and anyone who reads his column in Current World Archaeology will understand that this will be a stimulating and possibly controversial session - come and debate with Neil, you don't have to agree with all the ideas put forward, but Neil wants us all to think about what we are doing and why we are doing it.
24th July sees a change of format, the topic being "trade". The aim is to explore in open debate how trade developed through pre-history and history on an interpersonal, locality, national and overseas basis
Tess Machling, an independent researcher, who works for the Prehistoric Society at UCL and Roland Williamson, a replica maker, appear on 31st July - their topic being Iron Age torcs, particularly on how they were made and their significance. Tess and Roland are carrying out research on the subject and have done much research on torcs like the Sedgeford torc, particularly in comparison with other recent discoveries. SHARP's lead finds supervisor, Naomi Payne, assures us that their talk will be of enormous interest.
For the last talk of the season on 7th August, our own metallurgy specialist Dr Eleanor Blakelock will update us on the latest ideas concerning the Staffordshire Hoard. Ellie has done much metallurgical work on the Hoard, both for the British Museum and the Birmingham Museum. Any who have witness Ellie's night time fire and light shows smelting copper and zinc ores will know what to expect."
It looks like another great season of presentations, so expect a varied and stimulating series of lectures in Sedgeford church - along with a quiet visit to the pub afterwards and further discussion for those so inclined.
Lectures are £3 for visitors, and free for those on-site and Friends of SHARP. We look forward to seeing you there!
Check out the list of events for Season 23 here, and for more information about SHARP's 2018 excavation season and to book your place, visit our website.
