Getting into the swing of thingsIt's crazy to think that we're already a quarter of the way through 2022! It certainly feels like a lot has happened, but at the same time it feels like the year is only just starting. There have been lots of developments in The Archaeologist's Teacup - both PhD project related but also some exciting new opportunities that I'm looking forward to sharing with you soon! I'm very much enjoying the community that I've built up so far online, and I'm looking forward to expanding it further with some new project ideas. |
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There are also a few external projects that I helped to promote and collaborated with this month. One of them is archaeological, and run by a colleague and good friend of mine: Dr Kirsten Dzwiza. She has written the first German book which looks in detail at ancient magic, based on her own experience as a specialist in this area of research. She has started a crowdfunding campaign, which can be accessed here. If you speak German and are interested in learning all about the realities of ancient beliefs in magic, I would definitely recommend checking it out! The second project I created some content for is not archaeology related, but nevertheless has an excellent cause: 5asideChess is an organisation that aims to fight depression and suicide through community-building and conversation-starting focused around the game of chess. If you're interested in finding out more, check out their website through the link here. If you'd like to collaborate on a project, or just want some feedback or advice on how to promote your idea, feel free to get in touch via the contact form on my website! |
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PhD projectMarch was supposed to be the month when I travelled back up to the Arctic to run some sewing workshops with local Inuit, in order to discuss their thoughts on prehistoric sewing tools in light of their expertise with sewing skins in the present day. Alas, covid restrictions put a stop to that, but hopefully we will be going later in the year instead. For now, back to writing! |
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The EXARC ShowThe next episode of #FinallyFriday is tomorrow (no I'm not joking, even though it will be April 1st!) and this month we're talking all about zooarchaeology and indigenous collaboration. Make sure to visit the podcast homepage below for all information on how to listen. | | |
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Don't forget that you can also still listen to the pilot episode of EXARC Extracts, where I give a summary of the reviewed articles in the latest edition of the EXARC Journal - freely available online. You can access the episode and the online journal by following this link here. |
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Coming soon...I am currently working on preparations for a very exciting new project. Here's a little picture clue. I want to get everything finalised before I share the full details with you, but it will involve tea breaks and time travel! Watch this space... |
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Lessons LearnedIt's always hard to motivate yourself to continue your daily jobs when there is so much craziness going on in the world. But the important thing to remember is that making a difference in the world doesn't have to be achieved instantly through grand gestures. You might want to help straight away, but in reality most of the good work that we do is very much long-term. As someone impatient, I try to remind myself of this as much as possible. |
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Top TipsAs a PhD student, one of my main tasks is to produce published articles sharing my research with the world. These articles are often written in collaboration with co-authors, and the editing process can be extremely soul-destroying! One tool that I find very useful in this process is google docs - you can see any changes made, leave comments for all authors, and everyone can see what everyone else has commented and changed. No more repetition or contradiction! |
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#TeaDaysEven though February includes valentines day, it was March that featured some #TheoryThursday posts looking at dating (no not that kind of dating!), including dendrochronology and thermoluminescence dating. We looked at the oldest clay object in the world and the oldest computer in the world, and considered the history of objects like stone circles and calendars. Next month we'll be looking at large heads, small needles, and considering topics such as processual and post-processual archaeology. If you missed the videos, watch them now on The Archaeologist's Teacup Instagram page! | | |
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It makes me so happy that people are enjoying the #TeaDay posts so much, and my aim is to continue to make them for as long as I can. I believe one of the reasons for their success is that I am able to physically show people the objects that I am talking about. If you would like to help me make sure that I can continue to communicate as effectively as possible in this way, you can help to sponsor The Archaeologist's Teacup by contributing to the costs of replicas through Patreon! For only 1€ a month, you can already make a huge difference. Replicas will be bought from small businesses wherever possible, and patrons can also suggest which replicas should be featured in upcoming videos. If you're interested, you can visit the site and donate through the button below: |
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Below are some upcoming events, recently published archaeological studies, and exciting new projects that I think deserve to be highlighted this month. You can see the full details and access the complete articles through the links in blue. As always, if you have any events, studies, or projects that you think should be featured in next month's newsletter, do let me know! |
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Digging Archaeology through Social Media (hosted by me!) A free online workshop coming up on 20-21 April, looking at the use of social media in the dissemination of archaeological knowledge. Theoretical Archaeology Group Conference (TAG Antiquity) This conference will be in Edinburgh and isn't until December, but the call for sessions closes today! If you have a great idea for a session related to the theme of 'revolutions', send in your proposal now. Northern Palaeolithic and Evolut. Anthropology Conference (NOPE) If you're interested in joining a free online conference looking at ''new approaches' in palaeolithic and evolutionary anthropology, then you can still register for this event taking place next week. If you have an upcoming event and would like to feature it here, contact me and I'd be happy to share the news! |
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New Olds Instagram as a Tool for Archaeological Science Communication (Digital Applications in Archaeology and Social Heritage) The peer-reviewed paper we have all been waiting for! Gino Caspari shares his experiences of sharing archaeology research through social media platforms such as Instagram. Visualizing Childhood in Upper Paleolithic Societies (Journal of Archaeological Science) A very cool experimental archaeology project showing that there were a wide range of people who were creating rock art in different sites throughout Europe. Does LAMAP work for hunter gatherer sites? (PLOS) The new application of a non-destructive method of archaeological survey to identify hunter-gatherer sites in Alaska. If you've read any interesting studies that you think deserve to be mentioned, feel free to get in touch! |
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Cool Projects Wie funktioniert antike Magie? (Dr Kirsten Dzwiza) If you understand German and are interested in the facts and research surrounding ancient magic, then check out the crowdfunding campaign for this upcoming book! Glacier Archaeology Program (Secrets of the Ice) This program, which started in 2011, aims to save those archaeological sites that are being exposed due to melting ice caused by global warming. Archaeology Podcast Network (APN) If you enjoy the EXARC Show and are interested in finding other archaeology podcasts, then this is the place for you! A network of different series all focused on various aspects of archaeology. If you have a fascinating project and want to be featured, let me know and I'd be happy to share it here! |
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Monthly MicrowearThose of you keeping up with my PhD project updates should have been well aware of what this was: the hole of a needle! What's important when looking at any of these pictures is to look at the scale bar, and from that try to work out how big the thing that you're looking at is. Here, you can see that the scale bar shows just 1mm, which is about the size of the hole too. You can already see that the hole is fairly rounded, which implies that this needle was used a lot, and the surface of the needle looks quite shiny. However, there is also writing down the right-hand side of the needle, which could suggest that it has been covered in some kind of laquer or varnish to make it easier to write on. You would therefore have to look at it under a higher level of magnification to see if you can trust these traces! |
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This month's challenge is a bit trickier: Have a look at the picture here, and tell me what you see. Again, what material do you think it is? Can you see any traces which might show how it was made or used? What object type could it be? Any ideas, contact me through the link below! | | |
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