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At this event Jason Gellis will give us an introduction to human evolution. There have been many new discoveries of human fossils in recent years so this is a particularly good time to look at the subject. The visit includes lecture/practical components and lasts about 1.5 hours. It will include: taxonomy of fossil hominids; major trends in human evolution; human variation; new discoveries and future directions. If time allows there will be a hands-on activity with hominid cast material. We will be able to see the replica of the Homo naledi skull, hand, and foot, donated by Lee Berger, the leader of the team that discovered this newly discovered species in the Rising Star cave in South Africa. Jason Gellis is a PhD. candidate at the University of Cambridge. For information on the centre go to: http://www.human-evol.cam.ac.uk/ To check the location go to the University Map: https://map.cam.ac.uk/?inst=bioanth&loc=2#52.200542,0.121448,18
'The Huntingdonshire manor and its records' by Philip Saunders
Friday 2nd March 2018 at 7:30pm
Eyenesbury Junior School, Montagu St, Eynesbury, Saint Neots PE19 2TD
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £3.00).
'The long-term character and development of the (pre-) historic landscape of south-west Cambridgeshire' by Jonathan Last (Jointly with the Prehistoric Society)
Monday 5th March 2018 at 6:00pm
Faculty of Law, West Road, Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge, CB3 9DZ
There is no charge for visitors or guests at lectures. New members are warmly welcomed.
'Flag Fen Update' by Jonathan Latchford and Sarah Wilson (Vivacity Peterborough)
Wednesday 7th March 2018 at 7:00pm
The Parkway Sports & Social Club, Maskew Avenue, Peterborough, PE1 2AS
An update of the Heritage Lottery Fund application for the expansion and development of the FLAG Fen visitor centre. The FRAG Annual General Meeting will follow at about 8pm. All are welcome to attend and help shape the development of the group.
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £5).
'Romano-Britons' by Paddy Lambert (OAE)
Wednesday 7th March 2018 at 7:30pm
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing site, Cambridge
All welcome (CAFG invite contributions of £1 from non-members).
Birds pervaded the ancient world. They impressed their physical presence on the daily experience and imaginations of ordinary people in town and country alike, and figure prominently in their literature and art. They also provided a fertile source of symbols and stories in their myths and folklore and were central to the ancient rituals of augury and divination. Jeremy Mynott’s new book, ‘Birds in the Ancient World: winged words’, brings together all this rich and fascinating material for the modern reader, using birds to explore both the similarities and the often surprising differences between ancient conceptions of the natural world and our own.
Charge of £2 for non-members. More details at http://www.cambridgebirdclub.org.uk/meetings.html#mar
More information & booking form available from http://www.camantsoc.org/conf.html
'Latest findings at Northstowe' by Alison Dickens (CAU)
Monday 12th March 2018 at 7:30pm
Histon Baptist Church, 2 Poplar Rd, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9LN
Open to all. Members £2 and visitors £3, accompanied children free. Open evenings: free to all. Refreshments available.
Advance booking essential - http://norrismuseum.org.uk Tickets £5 or £4 for Friends of the Norris Museum.
‘A bone to pick: (zoo)archaeology of the Cambridge region’ by Vida Rajkovaca (CAU)
Thursday 15th March 2018 at 7:30pm (doors open 7:15pm)
Tony Cooper Suite, Cottenham Village College, High St, Cottenham, Cambridge CB24 8UA
Originally trained in Palaeolithic zooarchaeology and the Pleistocene fauna in the Balkans, Vida now works as the zooarchaeologist for the CAU. With over ten years of experience working in the commercial sector, Vida has studied assemblages from prehistoric rural settlements, Romano-British sites both within Cambridge and on the outskirts, as well as from city centre sites. Vida especially enjoys studies of butchery practices as one of the main tools to understand a range social rituals of collective food procurement and sharing.
Admission: Members £2; Non-members pay £3.
'The David Parr House – an extraordinary Cambridge home' by Tamsin Wimhurst
Thursday 15th March 2018 at 7:30pm
St Andrews Church Hall, High Street, Oakington, CB24 3AG
Free to members, a charge of £4 for non-members.
FenArch - Monthly Talk
'Our Coastline in the Medieval Period' by Quinton Carroll (Cambs County Council)
Wednesday 28th March 2018 at 7:30pm
Mendi's Restaurant, 21 Old Market Place, Wisbech, PE13 1NB
Advance booking is essential - text 07742 321 774 or email info@fenarch.org.uk Members of the public are welcome to attend. Entry is £2 for non-members.
Throughout 2018, we will be featuring a different Jigsaw resource guide each month to inform and inspire community archaeologists about best practice. Jigsaw has produced various guides on techniques for researching archaelogical sites, identifying archaeological artefacts and on recording and reporting the results of archaeological investigations.
This month's featured best practice guide is: An Introduction to Archaeological Report Writing https://jigsawcambs.org/images/Introduction_to_Archaeological_Report_Writing.pdf and accompanying report proforma https://jigsawcambs.org/images/Jigsaw%20groups%20report%20template.doc
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St Neots Local History Society - Monthly talk and AGM
'The poppy trail of St Neots' by Sue Jarrett (followed by AGM)
Friday 2nd February 2018 at 7:30pm
Eyenesbury Junior School, Montagu St, Eynesbury, Saint Neots PE19 2TD
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £3.00)
Discover why a unique Poppy Trail is being created to mark the 25 Commonwealth War Graves around the town, in five burial grounds – within two dioceses and two former counties. These graves, across two World Wars, include one lady and twenty four men. Ten are not listed on our war memorials and two are not English. Come along to find out more about this unique trail.
'Finding features on the flat fen edge: settling Histon and Impington' by David Oates
Monday 5th February 2018 at 6:00pm
Faculty of Law, West Road, Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge
There is no charge for visitors or guests at lectures. New members are warmly welcomed.
Monday 5th February 2018 Drop-in event between 4-7pm
School hall, Melbourn Village College, The Moor, Melbourn, SG8 6EF
Come and find out what OA East's archaeologists have recently didscovered near New Road, south of Melbourn. This is a free drop-in open evening for members of the public to see finds, photographs and meet the archaeologists involved.
Read about the discoveries on OA's website: https://oxfordarchaeology.com/news/777-unexpected-discoveries-in-melbourn
'Roman Pottery in the Peterborough Area' by Stephen Upex
Wednesday 7th February 2018 at 7:00pm
The Parkway Sports & Social Club, Maskew Avenue, Peterborough, PE1 2AS
Learn about Peterborough and Nene Valley Roman pottery from leading authority on the subject, Dr Stephen Upex. The talk will be in two parts: a presentation looking at the Roman pottery of the Peterborough area; a hands-on teaching session
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £5)
'Pre-Construct Archaeology – some highlights of our work' by Mark Hinman (PCA)
Wednesday 7th February 2018 at 7:30pm
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing site, Cambridge
All welcome (CAFG invite contributions of £1 from non-members).
Monday 12th and Monday 19th February 2018 7-9pm
Histon Baptist Church, 2 Poplar Rd, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9LN
Two free open evenings to exhibit local archaeological findings and describe future plans.
All welcome: free to all.
'Roman Glass in Londinium' by John Shepherd
Tuesday 13th February 2018 at 7:30pm (doors open 7:15pm)
Willingham Baptist Church, George Street, Willingham
Speaker meeting open to everyone. Admission: Members £2; Non-members pay £3.
The original speaker has had to withdraw so FEAG are very grateful to John Shepherd for agreeing to speak at short notice. In this talk John Shepherd will focus on the Roman glass industry in Londinium. John Shepherd was recently the academic consultant for the Bloomberg Mithraeum reconstruction project, having published Grimes’s original 1954 excavation back in 1998. He is currently a freelance archaeologist engaged in post-excavation analysis and publication work, mainly in London. He was at the Museum of London for 20 years, as curator of the Grimes London archive then manager of the London Archaeological Archive and research centre. Glass is his passion and he has been studying it since the 1970s. He was closely involved with identifying the evidence for the making of glass vessels in Roman London.
'A Dirty History of Cambridge' by Alan Denney
Thursday 15th February 2018 at 7:30pm
St Andrews Church Hall, High Street, Oakington, CB24 3AG
Free to members, a charge of £4 for non-members.
'Opium eating in the Fens' by Eric Somerville
Wednesday 28th February 2018 at 7:30pm
Mendi's Restaurant, 21 Old Market Place, Wisbech, PE13 1NB
Members of the public are welcome to attend. Entry is £2 for non-members.
Throughout 2018, we will be featuring a different Jigsaw resource guide each month to inform and inspire community archaeologists about best practice. Jigsaw has produced various guides on techniques for researching archaelogical sites, identifying archaeological artefacts and on recording and reporting the results of archaeological investigations.
This month's featured best practice guide is: The Jigsaw Best Practice Guide to Roman Pottery Identification https://jigsawcambs.org/images/roman%20pottery.pdf
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During an unseasonably cold snap for the final days of November 2017, Jigsaw ran two days of introductory training on geophysical survey in the field using a magnetometer and a resisitivity meter. Twelve members of eight different Jigsaw-affiliated groups attending the training, which was run by Karl Taylor of Oxford Archaeology. Now a Project Manager for OA's North office in Lancaster, Karl has worked for some of the the largest and most respected geophysical survey contractors in the UK.
The geophysical survey equipment used was purchased with the Jigsaw Heritage Lottery Fund grant five years ago and Jigsaw affiliated community groups are eligible to borrow the magnetometer, resistivity meter, a laptop for downloading and processing the data, and tapes and lines for setting out grids. In 2017, at least one of the geophysical survey instruments was on loan for twenty-seven weeks of the year. Step-by-step guides for using the magnetometer and resistivity meter, and setting out the survey, are available to download from the Jigsaw website here.
The field-based training was followed by a half-day session on the 1st December which covered how to download, process and interpret geophysical survey data. Karl demonstrated how to do this using the free geophysics software package Snuffler.
Jigsaw would like to thank Karl for another excellent training course which was very well received by the attendees. We are also grateful to the Histon and Impington Archaeology Group for offering a site to survey and for providing welcome refreshments and a venue for shelter.
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St Neots Local History Society - Monthly talk
'Milestones and Turnpike Roads' by Michael Knight (Milestone Society Representative for Bedfordshire and west Huntingdonshire)
Friday 5th January 2018 at 7:30pm
Eyenesbury Junior School, Montagu St, Eynesbury, Saint Neots PE19 2TD
The Turnpike Road system created the first real network of well-maintained roads since Roman times and was one of the major achievements of the 17th - 19th centuries. In this talk Michael will tell us about the history and condition of milestones, focussing particularly on those in the local area and the turnpiking of the Great North Road. This is a chance to hear the latest news about Loves Farm milestone and others in the district.
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £3.00).
Cambridge Antiquarian Society - Monthly talk
'Built on bones: 15,000 years of urban life and death' by Brenna Hassett
Monday 8th January 2018 at 6:00pm
Faculty of Law, West Road, Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge, CB3 9DZ
There is no charge for visitors or guests at lectures. New members are warmly welcomed.
Fane Road Archaeology Group - Monthly talk and workshop
'Roman Bedfordshire' by David Ingham (Albion Archaeology)
Wednesday 10th January 2018 at 7:00pm
The Parkway Sports & Social Club, Maskew Avenue, Peterborough, PE1 2AS
Whereas the Nene Valley was awash with Roman villas, Roman Bedfordshire was populated almost exclusively by low-status farmsteads. Was the area simply impoverished - or was it a key part of a much larger story?
All welcome (Members: Free; Non-members: £5).
Cambridge Archaeology Field Group - Monthly talk
'An update on excavations of HMS Colossus off the Isles of Scilly' by Jezz Davies
Wednesday 10th January 2018 at 7:30pm
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing site, Cambridge
All welcome (CAFG invite contributions of £1 from non-members).
Fen Edge Archaeology Group - Monthly Talk
'The Bedford Roman Villa project: community archaeological investigations at Manton Lane and its Roman setting' by Mike Luke
Thursday 18th January 2018 at 7:30pm (doors open 7:15pm)
Tony Cooper Suite, Cottenham Village College, High St, Cottenham, Cambridge CB24 8UA
Admission: Members £2; Non-members pay £3.
Oakington & Westwick History Society - Monthly Talk
'Scott’s Last Expedition to the Antarctic' by Peter Clarkson
Thursday 18th January 2018 at 7:30pm
St Andrews Church Hall, High Street, Oakington, CB24 3AG
Free to members, a charge of £4 for non-members.
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'Worth glancing at? Archaeology of the Manea Colony fenland 'utopia'' by Marcus Brittain (CAU)
Monday 4th December 2017 at 6:00pm
Faculty of Law, West Road, Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge
There is no charge for visitors or guests at lectures. New members are warmly welcomed.
Wednesday 6th December at 7:00pm
The Parkway Sports & Social Club, Maskew Avenue, Peterborough, PE1 2AS
In our workshop you will examine archaeological animal bones to identify, measure and age them as well as looking for what the animals were used for. You will discover how animals like frogs, tortoises, mice, sheep, and deer were part of the human story in the past.
The cost is £3 to attend.
'Holes and Hills: a review of Group fieldwork over the past year' by Terry Dymott and Mike Coles
Wednesday 6th December at 7:30pm
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing site, Cambridge
All welcome (CAFG invite contributions of £1 from non-members)
Saturday 2nd and Saturday 9th December 2017 from 10am-1pm
Wisbech & Fenland Museum, Museum Square, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 1ES
Join members of FenArch to help wash and catalogue finds from their recent fieldwalk at Wisbech St Mary. People are welcome to drop by to lend a hand or just see what's been found and chat about archaeology. Admission to the museum is free and there is wheelchair access from rear of museum and lifts between floors.
Hidden Lives
Saturday 16th December, 12 - 2:30pm
Cultural Zone, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA
This exhibition was inspired by a series of archaeological excavations conducted by Oxford Archaeology East at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton. By combining archaeology with cutting-edge genomics research we are discovering who lived on this site thousands of years ago. The exhibition features archaeological finds, including human skeletal remains, along with film and hands-on activities to reveal some of the conclusions of these hidden lives of our ancestors. The event is free but booking is essential: http://publicengagement.wellcomegenomecampus.org/events/open-saturdays-hidden-lives