Join in the Pharaonic Fun at the Garstang Festival of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology
Posted on: 14 March 2019 by Nick Jones in 2018 Posts
Don't miss out some fantastic events and activities during the Museum of Liverpool's Garstang Festival of Archaeology, Classics & Egyptology, taking place on 5 & 6 of April 2019.
The Garstang Festival of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology is a celebration of the University of Liverpool Department of Archaeology, Classics & Egyptology and Garstang Museum past and present.
For the first time, the Department is fully opening its doors to the public, giving people the opportunity to learn about and participate in the exciting research being carried out here within ACE. The festival has something for all of the family to enjoy; from a public lecture on the history of the Department, speed date the experts over canapes and drinks in the VG&M and a family-friendly Open Day packed full of activities, where you can play, learn and interact like never before.
The full programme of events is below. Booking for all of the sessions is required.
A full list of events and times aned booking forms can be found here.
Archaeology, Egyptology and Classics Lecture
followed by
Speed Date the Experts - Drinks Reception
Location: Victoria Gallery and Museum
Date: Friday 5th April
Time: 6pm - 9:30pm
The Garstang Festival will begin with a series of evening lectures on the history of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology at the University of Liverpool. The festival will be an opportunity to learn about the quirky characters that founded the Department and the interesting professions of the current staff.
The talks are followed by a canapes and drinks reception held in the stunning surroundings of the VGM. The public will get the chance to speed-date some of the experts from ACE and find out more about their exciting, individual projects.
Due to the serving of alcohol, this is an over 18 event.
Booking required
Family Open Day
Locations: 12-14 Abercromby Square, Garstang Museum, Victoria Gallery and Museum and Central Teaching Laboratories
Date: Saturday 6th April
Time: 11am - 3pm
The festival will continue on Saturday 6th April when the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology is hosting a range of fun activities, interesting demonstrations and taster sessions. At our family-friendly Open Day, you can learn about ancient cultures from the experts, play archaeological detective and discover how artefacts were made in antiquity, get hands-on experience of the latest technologies revolutionising the way we study ancient objects.
You can also enjoy mini taster sessions in archaeological illustration, stone tool creation (flint knapping) and optical microscopy. Children can come along and be part of our Young Archaeologists Stone Tools Research Team, try cave art painting, make cuneiform tablets or create Egyptian scrolls to take home.
The Garstang Festival Open Day is a unique opportunity to delve into the ancient world like never before.
List of Activities
12-14 Abercromby Square
Archaeology in 3D - Zooarchaeological Photogrammetry Activity
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Archaeology goes virtual with our 3D scanning booths. Using animal skulls our archaeologists will demonstrate how 3D scanning can be used to study and compare precious objects and rare specimens.
Suitable for children
Duration: 40 minutes
Ancient Beer Brewing - Demonstration
11am, 12pm, 1 pm and 2pm
Brewing and beer was a central part of everyday life for many ancient cultures. However much about this daily process remains unknown. In particular, how was the beer brewing carried out without the necessary measuring instruments we are so reliant on today?
Come along to observe an experimental brew in progress find out more about how beer was brewed in antiquity.
Participation in this experiment is open to all and will not involve or require the consumption of alcohol. Suitable for all ages.
Duration: 40 minutes
Archaeological Illustration - Activity
11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm and 2 pm
Learn how to draw interesting archaeological objects by a professional archaeological illustrator, in our mini taster course.
Due to the technical nature of this session it is not suitable for young children.
Duration: 45 minutes
Garstang Museum
Myths and Stories from Ancient Mesopotamia by Leading Sumeriologist Dr Magnus Widell - Talk
11pm & 1pm
Listen to leading Sumeriologist Dr Magnus Widell talk about interesting myths and stories from Ancient Mesopotamia. The lecture will be held in the Garstang Museum where after the talk you can view fascinating archaeological objects related to Sumerian mythology.
Suitable for children 10+
Duration: 25 minutes
Object Handling Sessions - Activity
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Get the chance to handle and view some of the interesting pieces in the museum and learn about the history of the objects by one of the Departments leading lecturers.
Due to the technical nature of this session it may not be suitable for young children.
Duration: 45 minutes
Make Your Own Egyptian Scrolls - Activity
Drop In
Make your own Egyptian Scrolls.
Suitable for children
Duration: 30 minutes
Garstang Tours by Expert Egyptologist Violaine Chauvet - Tour
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Receive a guided tour of the Garstang Museum from expert Egyptologist Dr Violaine Chauvet. Get an in-depth insight into the ancient artefacts on display and learn about the fascinating cultures that created them.
Suitable for all ages
Duration: 45 minutes
Make Your Own Cuneiform Tablets - Activity
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Using samples of ancient Sumerian writing forms, make your own clay tablets and seals to take home.
Suitable for all ages
Duration: 30 minutes
Victoria Gallery and Museum
Young Archaeologists Stone Tools Research Team - Activity
Hand to Handle Exhibition
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Most of the stone tools you see in museums or hear about on TV have names that suggest we know how they were used. In many cases, these names were created in the 19th century and just based on similarities the stone tools had with familiar modern ones. As archaeologists, we have inherited these names and many assumptions about how they were used.
What if we are wrong? What if we get some fresh eyes and agile young minds to think about it? We need you to join our research team. With a lab coat on and a microscope in front of you, your task will be to examine a range of Stone Age tools and to tell us what you think they were used for by our ancestors. Remember we only want fresh eyes for this investigation – archaeology professors need not to apply.
Following your investigation, get a guided tour of the Hand to Handle Exhibition by Professor Larry Barham and have the opportunity to ask questions about the exhibit to the lead excavator himself.
While aimed at children and teenagers this activity is fun for all the family.
Duration: 45 minutes
Central Teaching Laboratories
Immersive Paleolithic Cave Experience - Walk Through Exhibition
Drop-In
Step back into the Ice Age in our immersive replica cave experience and view Palaeolithic art as our ancestors did.
Suitable for all ages
Duration: 30 minutes
Cave Art Graffiti- Activity
Drop-In
Using examples from prehistoric caves, try your hand at cave art in our prehistoric pop-up cave.
Suitable for children
Duration: 30 minutes
Make Your Own Stone Tools - Flint Knapping Activity
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Learn the basics of flint knapping, a process used to make stone tools for over 3 million years. In this session, you will also get the chance to try flint knapping for yourself and create your own Palaeolithic tool to take home.
Due to the technical nature of this session may not be suitable for young children to participate in, however, feel free to bring them to watch.
Duration: 45 minutes
Microscopy Taster Sessions - Activity
11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm
Archaeologists use microscopes to discover clues about ancient materials or objects. Play archaeological detective in our bookable microscopy sessions and find out how different materials were processed in antiquity.
Due to the technical nature of this session may not be suitable for young children to participate in, however, feel free to bring them to watch.
Duration: 30 minutes
Archaeologists in the Lab - Demonstration
11:30am, 12:30pm, 13:30pm, 14:30pm
Archaeologists use sophisticated scientific instruments to understand what objects were made from and how they were made. See some of these instruments in action and learn about how we can decipher the mysteries of ancient artefacts using the latest technology.
Due to the technical nature of this session may not be suitable for young children to participate in, however, feel free to bring them to watch.
Duration: 30 minutes
Keywords: Special Collections & Archives.