It was announced on Tuesday that the new secondary curriculum for history will include the teaching of the slave trade, its causes and effects. This includes, and is intrinsically linked to, the development of British colonialism and its long term effects on people of other countries.
Time Travelling by Water is offering a free workshop to schools in the south west of England which complements this new secondary curriculum.
The SS Mendi: a forgotten story explores the archaeological wreck of the Mendi to learn about the men who perished when she sank in 1917. These men, black members of the South African Native Labour Corps, were travelling to France to assist in the war effort on behalf of the British Government.
Through an exploration of the wreck, which today lies off of the Isle of Wight, we discover how the Mendi relates to WW1, British colonialism, ethnicity and racism. We then examine the legacy of the Mendi - in South Africa she is a famous symbol of a racially divided past and an icon of unity and reconciliation. In Britain she is almost unknown.
Follow the links to learn more about the SS Mendi: a forgotten story and about other workshops offered by Time Travelling by Water. To book a workshop, contact us via the tab above.
National Archaeology Week 2008 is nine days of events beginning on the 12th July. This annual event is organised nationally by the Council for British Archaeology and aims to give everyone the opportunity to learn about the heritage that is all around us by becoming involved in archaeology. This year Time Travelling by Water will be supporting events at Salisbury Museum on the 12th July where we will be celebrating and exploring our prehistoric past.
Visit the Time Travelling by Water stand to learn about the last Ice Age, between 70,000 and 10,000 years ago. During the last Ice Age the planet became very cold and water froze into huge sheets of ice. As the water froze, the seas retreated only to return as the climate warmed and the ice melted. Dry land where people, plants and animals once lived is now covered by water. It is in these currently underwater areas that we can expect to find some of the best evidence of how people lived during the last Ice Age.
Explore the evidence yourself and become a marine archaeologist by using diving equipment to explore submerged finds. See if you can sort the modern finds from those that are truly prehistoric. You might even find some real mammoth remains!
This is just one of the many exciting things you can do at Salisbury Museum on the 12th of July. You can also build ‘Stonehenge’ on the back lawn, reconstruct the face of a Bronze Age person and try your hand at metal detecting. There will be demonstrations of prehistoric flint knapping and bronze casting. In the museum’s lecture theatre you can explore the process archaeologists use to find out about our past and try some archaeological digging and recording techniques yourself! You can also view the museum’s displays including the newly opened Inspired by Stonehenge exhibition.
Entrance to the museum for National Archaeology Day is free and the museum is located opposite the cathedral cloisters, in Cathedral Close. We look forward to seeing you on what promises to be a spectacular day!
For more information on National Archaeology Week and other activities that will be happening across the country this July, visit the CBA’s National Archaeology Week website.
Details of the five workshops being offered to schools in the South-West by Time Travelling by Water are now available online. Read about our exciting workshop topics, the activities involved in them and how the workshops relate to the national curriculum.
Wessex Archaeology’s Time Travelling by Water project launches to schools, clubs and groups in Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset in summer 2008.
Our Coastal and Marine team have been working to protect our marine heritage since the early 1990s. This exciting new initiative, part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to provide learning and access to the work that they have undertaken.
Through the use of five themed workshops, tailored to the KS2 and KS3 curriculum, Time Travelling by Water explores our underwater heritage using real artefacts and first-hand dive evidence. Talks suitable for adult audiences are also available, including lectures to students of A-level archaeology.
To book a free workshop for your school or group, please contact Education Officer Gemma White.
Email g.white@wessexarch.co.uk or telephone 01722 326 867.
It was announced on Tuesday that the new secondary curriculum for history will include the teaching of the slave trade, its causes and effects. This includes, and is intrinsically linked to, the development of British colonialism and its long term effects on people of other countries.
