Archaeolog No 2 April 1978

JruPS l

• Society of Great Britain I Photographic -

Roya

[

No2

April

1978

------~~~~ela

Editor:

Ang

Clarke

( CONTENTS) COVER W INGED

DEI TY

ATT

END

I NG

P H OTOGRAPHED

Reproduced

PHOTOGRAPH AN BY

A SS YRI AN BER

T

CRAWSHAW

by ki.nd permission Br itis h Museum,

EDITORIAL SUM MER WEEKEND

PROGRAM

CON

E- SM

E ARING A A PS

of t he Trustees London

ME

DETAILS

o f the

2 3 4

NEWS

5

L E TTERS

s

D IARY

7

LOOK I NG AHEAD · REPORT on

to

Av ebury Silbu ry Hill Vest Kennet - a featu r e f or thos e participating on 6th May HIGH

SCENE

LIGHT

-

9 10

1 1

EDITORIAL

Xn taking on "Archaeolog" I have set high eights for its future - I hope you will help me bring this about.

It is a magazine to reflect our group, your ideas and comments, and above all, your photographs.

I hop• through "Archaeolog" to offer those, both at home and abroad who are unable to take part in the London-orientated activities, an alternative.

At the very least, this will be a report on what the group · has been doing. ·

As we expand, I hope to offer the publication to societies, universities, colleges, as well as students and other interested parties, on an annual subscription basis, which in turn will increase our membership and hopefully widen our appeal to all age-groups.

I hope too, to sell commercial advertising space, and develop our own "classified" section.

But increasing the group's size, giving value for money, and making the magazine pay for itself is just the beginning ·.

Above all, with an increased readership, I should like to think that "Archaeolog" might become a croas-fertilisation of ideas and expertise from photographers and archaeologists, so that we may contribute towards an even higher standard i.n archaeological photography.

So why not switch the television off tonight, or for a change do something quite different to what you might otherwise be doing - print me a best-selling photograph, or write me a piece ~or the next edition of "Archaeolog",by 15th May, plea••• 2

,.,,.,,.,,.,SUMMER PROGRAMME 6th

The AVEBURY

May

MONUMENTS

Sat

10.00

S i lbu r y - W est

to 18.00

Kenne

t - Aveb

ury

It's just two weeks before the first of our summer weekend activities.

No doubt most of us, tired of the long winter, are looking forward to a breath of spring air.

So here's an excellent opportunity to put on your walking shoes, pick up your camera and spend a day exploring some of the most fascinating Stone Age monuments to be found in Europe.

Archaeologists believe that 4,ooo years ago, Avebury parish in Wiltshire ·was a thriving Neolithia metropolis.

It proudly claims, amongst its landmarks, what is thought to be the largest man-made mound in Europe - Silbury Hill; the great chambered cremetery 0£ West Kennet and the large sacred enclosure of Avebury.

We hope

to visit all three if time allows.

(See HIGlll,IGHT page 11)

STO\1\/E HOUSE & GROUNDS

10th

A

~une

Study

Revival

in the of

Sat

. Pa ll ad ian

England

10.00

to

18.00

1his is a uniq u e opportwiity to visit the imposing house and extensive gardens of the former seat of the Dukes·of Buckingham and Chandos. · Now a public school, the ho11Se demonstrates with remarkable charm, the Palladian vogue o~ 18th century England, while the grounds - finely landscaped

by Bridgeman, Kent and Brown - feature atructures such as miniature temples and a triumphal bridge

"

, for travel Pi£ASE TUU ovaa

3

travel arraneements GROUP TRAVEL IS BEING .ARRANGEDFOR BOTH STOWE AND AVEBURY MONUMENTS1 BOOKING

FORMS

to

•CLARE CONYBEARE, 43 Barberton Road, eor TONY PEARCE, 7 Ladbroke Walk, Saturday Depart

6th

May

10.00 (proaptJ

A.M.

London London

Saturday,

N.19

V.I~

10th

June

·

fro•

WILTON ROAD, LONDON s.w.1.

- by the at the aide of VICTORIA STATION "TUDOR" COACBl - COACH HIRE £3.50 per person ,.

SEALINX office

11.45

Arrive Silbury Hill RV Oar Park for those travelling by car.

Visit Yest Kennet Barrow - remember bring a torch.

!!.22!! - Arrive For

those arriving by it is suggested that a mutually convenient RV is arranged through John Fennell the Developaent Manager Tel. Buckingham 3164.

car,

Long to

Those who feel like a bracing walk to Avebury proceed on foot others by transport to the RED LION PUB for lunch.

13.00

Lunch at Red Lion

Those who do not travel by coach will be charged £1.50 for lunch.

13.00

the Pub.

Lunch

Restaurant and bar snacks available

in

the

Duk•'• State Dining

Room.

Mr. G. Clarke will give a talk on the buildings.

14.oo

Major Vatcher and Mr. Tate of Avebury Museum will give us a guide of the village and muaewa.

Then we are free to explore at will.

16.00

Stowe

School.

garden

Ye are then invited to photograph the gardena.

approx.

COACH RE'(URNS TO LONDON - ARRIVING AT VICTORIA AT 18.00

NEWS DERRJ:CK KNIGHT, o.B.E.,

F.R.P.s.

Mayr take this opportunity of congratulating the retiring President of the Society, Mr. Derrick Knight.

Ilia presidency has not only been distinguished but also friendly and relased during a very difficult period.

Mr. Knight was a founder member of the Archaeological and we learned to admire and respect him.

We expected of his term of office and we have not been disappointed.

-Robert April

-

Group a lot

Pitt

1978

FOTARCH

the

occasional newsletter ÂŁor Yorkshire members, produced Eric Houlder, will, in :tuture, be circulated with "Archaeolog".

At the risk of starting•another War of the Roses, it will be distributed to all Northern members.

All correspondence, and contributions should be directed to:

by

Eric

Houlder,

31 Fairview,

Carleton,

Pontefract,

V. Yorks.

WF8 :)NT.

Anyone who would like write to Mr. Boulder,

a copy or the

of "Fotarch" no. 6, please Secretary, Tony Pearce.

ACCOMMODATION Several members who live outside London have expressed a wish to take part in our weekend activities, and wonder - ia there anyone who might be able to offer bed and breakfast?

(I am sure reciprocal hospitality is what they have in mind).

If ao, please Archaeological

contact Group

the Office~

For INFORMATION, BOOKINGS Write tos Tony Pearce "Archaeolog" Photographs

Copy and to Angela

Clarke

ARCHAEOLOGICAL GROUP OFFICE: 7 Ladbroke Walk, London, Vll :)PW Tel. 01-221 1164

5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BOB PITT,

:the

Chairman,

vri t es

1

Part . ·-o.t· ··the Group'• growing self-confidence is revealed in the increasing amount of' photographic activity that i• going on •.

We aeem to be doing more work.

Perhap • not more vork and less talk, but certainly more photograph• are appearing •. · · I believe that the exhibition of our photography i• the only way a Group can make an impact on the archaeological institutions of' Britain, both for work at home and abroad.

Ve have an exhibition arranged :for mid-1979.

Thia should give all of' us time to produce photographs which are th• result of' considered criticism and which together will con • titute a presentation of' the bast photography of' antiquitiea the country has yet seen.

Ve have provided, in the coming summer, a programme which will a:f:ford any photographer an opportunity to take large numbers o:f suitable photographs.

I refer to the · vi.sit to Avebury - Vest Kennett - Silbury Hill, also the vi.sit to Stove .

School.

This in addition to the opportunities offered at the Durham Conference.

Replies are coming :from those excavations and we have been asked sites in southern England.

interested to send

:Ln photographing photographers to

Having made one -visit ·to the British Museum - Assyrian Galleries - and with another proposed for next February to the Duvaen Gallery of' the British Museum, we should have sufficient submissions trom which to choose an outstanding exhibition covering excavations and the whole range · of' antiquitiea, both documentary and interpretative.

TONY PEARCE, the

Secretary,

writes&

With this issue of "ARCHA.EOLOG"you will see that it haa been taken over by another of' the "new f'acee", .Angela Clarke.

I must say that I was delighted when Angela offered to take on the Editorship, because her background of an archaeology and history degree together with her television experience, suits thi • newsletter much better than mine.

Please support your magazine by sending her articles, letters, photographs, etc.

Bookings :for DURHAMare going well and are already up to the numbers who have attended previous conferences; I am sure that this will be a really excellent weekend, and if' you have not already booked, I urge you to do so soon.

Ou · two STOVE should have invited expect quite B

forthcoming visits to the AVEBURY MONUMENTSand prove exciting and interesting, and to these ve the Colour and Pictorial Groups to join us.

Ve a turn-out for those days.

•• • Wed. 26th - S.30

Ved.

26th - 4.30

• from the DIARY

PALESTINE EXPLORATION FUND at the Society of Antiquaries, Burling .ton House, London, w.1.

•field work with a tribe in North Yemen" tiaa Shelagh Weir INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL STUDIES {Room 612) •Chi,ldren and Stage Attendants in Greek Theatre• Professor Gregory Sifakis (Please check . date with Institute)

MAY

Tu•••

2nd -

5.30

- 4.30

Wed. )rd

S.)O

Thura.

Fri.

4th

Sth

- 4.30

-

s.oo

Mon. 8th

- 7.30

Tues.

-

9th

Wed. 10th

S.30

- 3.30

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGYAND INSTITUTE CLASSICAL STUDIES (Public Lecture) "Hellenistic Mosaics from Egypt" Professor W.A. Daszewski

OF

INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL STUDIES (Room 612) "Problems in Numismatics" R.H.J. Ashton - Rhodes UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Special University Lectures in Palaeography {Room )B20, Strand Building KCL) •script as illumination in Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts" Dr. Jonathan Alexander INSTITUTE Topics in

OF CLASSICAL STUDIES {Room 612) Ancient History

INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL STUDIES {Room 612) about fire dancers introduced

by Prof.

Gregory Sifakis (please

A film

ARISTOTELIAN SOCIETY {Mary Ward House, Tavistock Place, WCl) "How basic are basic actions?"

Dr. Julia Annas

check)

5-7

BRITISH SCHOOL OF ATHENS, INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY, INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL STUDIES Public Lecture "Excavations at Phylakopi in Melos 1974-77" Professor A.c. Renfrew INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL STUDIES {Mycenaean Room 612 "Recent Excavations at _Tiryns• Dr. c. Podzuweit

Seminar)

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON - Special in Palaeography II. "Initials and Alphabets" Dr. Jonathan Alexander

Lectures

University

7

MAY (contd.)

Tues.

Wed.

16th

17th

- S.JO

ROYAL NUMISMATIC SOCIETY (Society of Antiquaries) •Precious metal currencies in China• Mr. J.E. Cribb

- S.OO

SOCIETY FOR LIBYAN STUDIES (Jl-J4 Gordon Square, VCl) •Ancient Mediterranean harbours with special reference to Libya• Mr. J.B. Little UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Special University Lectures in Palaeography) II:I. "Frontispieces, title-pages and colophon•" Dr. Jonathan Alexander

Thurs.

18th

INSTITUT~ OF CLASSICAL STUDIES (Room 612) •Topics in Ancient History•

-4.JO

s.oo

Mon. 22nd Tues.

2Jrd

- 7.30 - 4.JO

Wed. 24th

- 2.JO

- 4.JO

ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS Sir George Birdwood Memorial Lecture "Monument conservation and policy in Dr. F.R. Allchin

India•

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGYAND INSTITUTE CLASSICAL STUDIES · •Cypriote Sculpture" Dr. Veronica Wilson ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS Fred Cook Memorial Lecture "Germania and 'Italia t: : Albrecht Venetian Art• ilistair Smith LONDON CLASSICAL SOCIETY (Jl-J4 (title to be announced) Professor E.G. Turner

. Dftrer

Gordon

OF

and

Square)

DURHAM Fri• June Sun.

JOth to · 2nd July

-

DURHAMCONGRESS - the Archaeological Conference based at the University Hadrian's among the

Vall field

Groupta of Durham.

and Beamish Open Air Museum are visits of this event.

The principal speakers are Mr. Frank .Atkinson (Director of the N.E. Open Air Muaeum)a Professor Rosemary Cramps Dr. John Mann and Mi·ss Alison Rutherford

e

·

AHEAD

LOOKING

to

FILMS For those foll.loving

Tuesda

interested in tvo programmes

2nd Ma

archaeology may be of

- 20.10

the

- BBC2 - THE BATTLE FOR THE ACROPOLIS

has been much in recent months concerning Parthenon, Athens, and

'lb.ere

on television interest.

the

press

the its

over

plight attendant

the of the buildings.

Pollution from aircraft fuel; vibrations foundations from air traffic and footsteps have forced the Greek authorities to take drastic measures to preserve their heritage which is at risk.

to

"Chronicle" assesses what has to be done, what is being done, and what has already been achieved in the Battle for the Acropolis.

Tuesda 9th Ma 20.10 ----------~--~---~-----

- BBC-2 - THE LOST SHIP OF

KYRENI A

In 1967 Andrea • Cariolou a sport diver and sponge fisherman from the ancient Cypriot port of Kyrenia located, ¡by chance, a huge pile of amphorae lying on the sea-bed.

Clearly these ancient wine jars were part of a merchant ship's cargo which had long since come to grief.

Andreas kept his secret until he could place it in the right hands those of Professor . Michael Katzev an eminent marine archaeologist.

After 8 years of work, "Chronicle" Corporation film

specia1ised and meticulous presents a Cyprus Broadcasting of this unique diaooye.,..

9

REPORT ASSYRIAN

SEMINAR

On Monday 3rd April, Terence Mitchell (Deputy Keeper of the Department of Western Asiatic .Antiquities) and Brian Tremain (RPS) led a Seminar on THE PHOTOGRAPHYOF MUSEUMEXHIBITS with special reference to November 16th .evening of 1977, when the Group was invited

by Mr. Mitchell 'to photograph in th• Assyrian Galleries of the British Museum, London.

More than a dozen members attended discussed the photographic prints by some ha1f-dozen photographers.

this which

meeting and had been submitted

Mr. Mitchell commented on the photographic requirements of a museum publication, while Mr. Tremain offered helpful advice on the technical aspects, especially that of lighting.

For those considering publication of their material, it is worth bearing in mind that ·prints containing plenty of contrast are favoured by block-makers, venturing into the hazardous field of' flash photography in an attempt to light large artefacts was . considered, on th8'whole, to be more time-consuming and often frustrating, than concentrating on detail or s~cif'ic. features.

Mr. Tremain suggested that by selecting a smaller area of' interest, photographers - stood a better chance of' lighting their subject evenly, and thus bringing out such essential features as the granularity of the stone, tool marks, aa well as making a pleasing photographic composition.

Whilst the lighting in the gallery appeared to be quite good and even to the naked eye, over the sculptures, it was observed that a light meter could detect a variation of' up to 3-stops between the top and the bottom of' these stones.

Thia obviously caused problems in printing.

The other difficulty which photographers had experienced was the apparent "ghosting" from transparent identification label• secured to the walls or plinths adjacent to sculptures_.

However, there were aome splendid photographs displayed during the course of' the Seminar, and one of these is featured oii_the cover o~ this edition of' "Archaeolog". .

For

,

those ·who missed the November evening, mark 14th February !.27!. in your diary - we shall. be re-visiting the British Museum for a similar evening.

Thia time we shall photograph the Duveen Gallery - home of the sculptures which Lord Elgin brought to England from the Parthenon in Greece.

BUT FOR THOSE :INTERESTED IN THE PARTHENON YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT- UNT:I~ NEXT YEAR·- FOR MORE ON THIS TURNTO "LOOKING AHEAD• page s • .

10

HIGHLIGHTon~ mound.henee & barrow

N

t 0

o,..t

Hlt.t!

, . ., 1(11.

SILBURY HILL

(Ord.

Survey

Sheet

157

(1")

Nat. Grid.

SU1l0068S)

Ref.

'lfhie largest man-made prehistoric mound in Europe, is perhaps the most mysterious of all the monuments we shall visit on 6th May. It rises to a height of 39.6 m. and contains about )54,ooo cubic metres of chalk.

A number of attempts have been made to discover the purpose o:f this massive structure, but as yet a conclusive result has eluded scholars.

The most recent excavation was carlisd out by Professor R. Atkinson (University of Cardi:f:f) during the seasons between 1968 and 1970.

He partially :followed the line dug by Dean Mereweather in 1849, and by engaging the Department o:f Mining (University o:f Cardiff) he was able to construct a tunnel into the centre of the hill.

The anticipation of a burial excited everyone, but sadly this was not to be found.

The most recent speculation as to Silbury Hill's. function has been presented

by Michael Dames perhaps it ~s a landform image of the Neolithic pregnant Goddess.

On that note, I shall leave you to decide yourself. ¡ Suggested construction date: 2660 BC. 11

WEST KENNET LONG BARROW

OS 157 - Nat.

Grid.

SUa 104677

A short distance from Silbury Hill, and 1½ miles (2fk.) south from Avebury, lies West Kennet Long Barrow.

The trapezoidshaped ·mound is the largest of its type in England.

Rising to just 2. 4m. and extending for 100m. the mound embraces a complex of 5 burial chambers - two opening off each side of the central passage and one at the opposite end to the forecourt of imposing sarsen stones.

Po~tery evidence suggests that the Long Barrow was in use for about 1000 years, and excavation produced the remains of 46 individuals, of which over a dozen were children.

A suggested date for its construction is 3250 B.C. AVEBURY HENGE·

OS 157 - Nat.

Grid.

SU: 103699

Th e Eastern par t of the village of Avebury lies within the site of this great Neolit hic at on e and ea r then circle.

It encloses an area of some 28 acres, and alth ou gh the circle originally consisted of more than 100 ston es , enoug h remain standing today to suggest to the visitor that h e is standing in the midst of a ritual centre of great imp o rtance and sanctity.

Suggested construction date 2500-2200 B.C. John Aubrey writing about as much exceed in greatness a Cathedral does a parish

books

suggested J.Dyer

F. and Vatcher

Southern Englanda Faber Paperbacks L.

M. Dames

s.

1663. claimed that Avebury "does the so renowned Stonehenge, as Church".

Piggott

An Archaeologigal (re-printed 1977)

Guide £4.50

The Avebury Monuments (DOE Official HMSO 1976 - Price 50p.

Good value The Silbury The Avebu!J:: The West

Treasure, C;Icle,

Kennet

R.J.C. Atkinson

ANTI9,UITY,

G. Daniel

Megaliths

44

in

Long (1970)

Histor:I

Thames

and Hudson

II

Barrow

Handbook) for money.

" Excavations

12!2!2-6

313

London,

1972

Published for the Archaeological Gro u p of th e RPS

by RPS Publi c ations Ltd. Prin ted ~by Swiftprint Campd e n Hill Rd. , London

12

£5.50 £6.50

wa