EXARC Journal Issue 2012/1

Reviewed Articles

Varus and the Lost Legions in Sagnlandet Lejre - A Re-enactment Success?

Author(s)
Ane Jepsen 1
Publication Date

In July 2009 a battle took place in Sagnlandet Lejre, in the heart of Zealand in Denmark. The battle was a dramatized re-enactment of the historical battle of Teutoburg forest in Niedersachsen in the year 9 AD - also known as the Varus Battle. Why should such a re-enactment event take place in Denmark - over 100 kilometres from the presumed site of the historic battle?...

What’s in an Experiment? Roman Fish Sauce: an Experiment in Archaeology

Author(s)
Sally Grainger 1
Publication Date

In the summer of 2009 I was engaged in the preliminary preparations for extensive experiments to manufacture fish sauces for my MA dissertation in Archaeology at Reading University. In my previous research into Roman food, it was clear that it was not going to be possible to truly understand ancient cuisine without...

The Theory of the Archaeological Raft: Motivation, Method, and Madness in Experimental Archaeology

Author(s)
P.J. Capelotti 1
Publication Date

Between 1947 and 2006, nearly forty expeditions set out in recreated maritime drift vessels to demonstrate hypotheses with varying levels of relevance to archaeology and cultural diffusion. This paper divides the motivations of these expeditions into four major categories...

Butser Ancient Farm

Author(s)
Maureen Page 1
Publication Date

Nestled among the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park, Butser Ancient Farm in Chalton has been an archaeological research site since 1972. The farm was originally set up on Little Butser, a spur of Butser Hill. It was established with support from the Council for British Archaeology...

Contribution to the Medieval Building Technology Based on the Reconstruction of a Rounded Church

Author(s)
Ákos Nemcsics 1
Publication Date

This article presents the experimental archaeological project to build a medieval rotunda reconstruction using rough stone building technology. Here, a medieval rotunda reconstruction is presented by contemporary building technology...

"But if you don't get any IRON..." Towards an Effective Method for Small Iron Smelting Furnaces

Author(s)
Darrell Markewitz 1
Publication Date

Few ancient processes are as mysterious as smelting ore into metallic iron. Just how, exactly, is this done? The exact processes used by the ancients are unknown, but modern experiments can suggest some possibilities...

Anatomy of Prehispanic Bells - Study of an Ancient Lost Process

Author(s)
Raúl Ybarra 1
Publication Date

The elaboration of bells in the Prehispanic Era was of great importance due to the special meaning attributed to them in religious ceremonies. Today, knowledge of the techniques that were used in their fabrication is scant and lacking in detail. For that reason, the objective of the present study was to carry out a morphological study of bells from western Mexico...

WEA’s Latest Life Experiment

Author(s)
Jaco Schilp 1
Publication Date

The WEA, Society for Experimental Archaeology, is a sub-society of the NJBG, the Dutch Historical Youth Association. It is formed by youngsters aged 12 to 26 who enjoy participating in several aspects of living history. WEA offers them a chance to learn about history, set up their own archaeological experiments, and the opportunity to participate in living history for example by learning a...

Unreviewed Mixed Matters Articles