Festival of Archaeology Talks: Venue 1 – Marquee

Festival of Archaeology

Marquee Talks and demonstrations information 2024

Saturday 27 July

10.30 – 11.30

Marquee

Join Kayleigh Spring, Objects Conservator from the Conservation and Museum Advisory Service (CMAS), as she demonstrates how to store your archaeological finds. CMAS often work with excavated material from archaeological contractors, museums and metal detectorists, carrying out x-raying, treatments and packing. Kayleigh will discuss suitable conservation materials  and simple techniques for packing objects, including how to create controlled environments, to help preserve your finds for the future.

Saturday 27 July

10.30 start and then 13.30 start

Ceramics Gallery

Sunday 28 July

10.30 start and then 13.30 start

Ceramics Gallery

Julian Richards, archaeologist, writer, presenter and curator will be leading tours of the museum’s magnificent new Ceramics Gallery. Julian curated the gallery to be a trip through ceramic time, starting the gallery with examples from the Stone Age and taking us through the medium’s progression right up to ceramic’s use in the present day. Join Julian for a fascinating insight into how he curated the collection and hear some of the stories of artefacts he discovered along the way.

Saturday 27 July

12.00 – 13.00

Marquee

Emily Ryland-Langley of  TWO Bird Experience

‘Animals in a Changing World’.

This talk links to the new natural history gallery and looks at how animals are coping with the changing climate and the impact of urbanisation. Why are Kestrels, Peregrines and Buzzards adapting well to city and agricultural life and are now showing better breeding success in these areas compared to the countryside? During the talk a bird will be on Emily’s glove for people to see up close.

Saturday 27 July

13.30 – 14.30

Marquee

Phil Harding, archaeologist

We are very pleased to host Phil again this year. A huge supporter of the festival, and year-round of The Salisbury Museum, Phil will join us on both days for a session demonstrating flint knapping in the marquee. An expert in lithics, this will be a great insight into how with a trained eye a stone in a field suddenly starts to give up its secret history of being formed by an expert thousands of years ago.

Saturday 27 July

15.00 – 16.00

Marquee

Maerefolk

We round off Saturday’s programme in the marquee Salisbury-based folk band singing traditional and modern songs. We are particularly looking forward to a song the band have written all about the museum’s very own ‘Giant’!

Sunday 28 July

10.30 – 11.00

Marquee

Neil Lang – Companions of the Long Bow

A popular pastime today, in the past it was a prestige role in society to be master of the long bow. Neil Lang delves into the history of this formidable weapon and how it played such an important part in society, and when used in anger was something feared by all on the battlefield.

Sunday 28 July

12.00 – 13.00

Marquee

Damian Clarke – historic musician

If we asked you what a ‘hammered dulcimer’ and ‘hurdy gurdy’ were, would you know? Discover all with this fascinating practical talk from historic music and folk expert Damian Clarke who will reveal all about these beautiful instruments and play a few tunes for your entertainment too!

Sunday 28 July

13.30 – 14.30

Marquee

Phil Harding, archaeologist

Phil’s second appearance this year, joining us for a session demonstrating flint knapping in the marquee. An expert in lithics, this will be a great insight into how with a trained eye a stone in a field suddenly starts to give up its secret history of being formed by an expert thousands of years ago.

Sunday 28 July

15.00 – 16.00

Marquee

Kevin Goodman- Georgian Surgeon

As a medical historian and one of the leading Historical Interpreters of medicine and surgery from prehistory to the Victorians, Kevin is in demand as a speaker in schools and for groups and as a performer at museums, historical sites and historical festivals demonstrating medicine and surgery through history

Kevin have appeared in a number of documentaries including “Mystic Britain” for the Smithsonian Channel and “The Great Plague” for Channel 5.