Bronze Age Bressay
May 25th 2010
This summer will see the Bronze Age Bressay Project branching out in new directions. As custodians of the Bressay Burnt Mound, the Bressay History Group is working to develop the potential of this extraordinary site as a resource for both education and tourism.
Summer Events
Living History and Experimental Archaeology
14th – 19th July
Timezone will be entertaining all comers to Bronze Age Bressay with their popular brand of living history. Visitors will be able to find out more about life in the Bronze Age and see the Burnt Mound being fired up and put to use.
This year, Timezone will be carrying out an experimental archaeology project over the six days which will investigate how burnt mounds might have been used in boat building. They will be attempting to build a small coracle from animal hides and locally sourced wood. In this they will be assisted by Lauren Doughton, a PhD student who is investigating the possible uses of burnt mounds.
In the early part of the summer, Lauren will be conducting her own experiments and tests at the burnt mound in preparation for the main event.
Living History Workshop
18th July
Volunteers who would like to gain an insight into Living History presenting are invited to come along and take this opportunity to learn some of the basics. Contact poshpenguins@btinternet.com to register.
Site Open Day
19th July
We will be celebrating the end of our experimental week in style. See the results of our Bronze Age boat building! Enjoy a guided tour of the site, have a go at digging our practice trench, or just relax with a cuppa and some quality homebakes – there’s something for everyone…
Schools information
Education Pack
Work has begun on a Bronze Age Bressay education pack that will be available to schools in September 2010. The education pack will cover all aspects of the project including archaeology and history, as well as our responsibilities to our heritage and the issue of coastal erosion.
Aimed at upper primary / lower secondary level the pack will provide resources and ideas for both on-site and classroom based teaching and will be linked closely with the new Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. A hard copy will be circulated to all Shetland schools and in addition the pack will be available to download on GLOW, the Scottish Schools intranet.
Glow Scotland
Bronze Age Bressay now has its very own Glow group! Information about events and activities, as well as downloadable education resources is available to all Scottish schools through the network.
Shetland Environmental Education Partnership (ShEEP).
Bronze Age Bressay has joined the Shetland Environmental Education Partnership and is working to support and improve environmental education in Shetland.
Click here more details about the Bronze Age Bressay project and activities.