Ancient Technology

The Role of Saltmarsh Plants in Iron Age and Roman Salt Production in the Thames Estuary, UK

Author(s)
Edward Biddulph 1
Publication Date
Analysis of plant remains and soils collected during excavations of the Iron Age and Roman Period salt production site at Stanford Wharf Nature Reserve on the coast of Essex have shown that saltmarsh plants and adhering sediments had been used as fuel to evaporate brine and crystallise the sea salt.

Needlework the Pazyryk Way?

Author(s)
Marja Haas 1
Publication Date

My work has been inspired by some of the most remarkable textile finds - those in the Pazyryk kurgans (burial mounds) - specifically the felt shabraks (horse blankets). The detailed, intricate designs of these items are achieved by appliquéing felt on felt (sometimes leather is used) in a manner that adds both decoration and strength (See Figure 1) and is still used among the steppe-land nomads (Barber 1991, 220).

Experiments on Possible Stone Age Glue Types

Author(s)
Werner Pfeifer 1
Marco Claußen 1
Publication Date
These experiments cover the making and testing of several possible glue types that might have been used in the hunter and gatherer period of the European Stone Age. Glue types produced in these experiments are: 1. Birch bark tar and pitch, 2. Pine wood tar and pitch, 3. Pine resin / wax glue, 4. Pine resin / wax / charcoal glue, 5. Hide glue and 6. Blue Bell glue...

Experience with Building Mesolithic Huts in the Stone Age Park Dithmarschen in 2014

Author(s)
Werner Pfeifer 1
Publication Date
OpenArch Dialogue with Skills Issue
***Two new huts in the Stone Age Park Dithmarschen in Albersdorf (Germany) were built in spring 2014 by the Experimental Archaeologist and Educator Werner Pfeifer with the support of some friends and with financial support from the Stone Age Park Dihmarschen and the EU co-financed project OpenArch.

Making Wine like Iberians: a Learning Experience with the International Workcamp at La Ciutadella Ibèrica of Calafell

Author(s)
Manel Gómez Gutiérrez 1
Josep Pou Vallès1,
O. Saura 1
Publication Date

The international workcamp in Calafell

The workcamps in Calafell are coordinated by the Fundació Pere Tarrés, a non-profit organisation of social action devoted to the promotion of leisure education and volunteering among other objectives, and the municipality of Calafell is one of the organisations that support these workcamps. So far La Ciutadella Ibèrica has held three of these projects (2010, 2012 and 2013) with international volunteers being the core theme of the activity.

From the Soil to the Iron Product - the Technology of Medieval Iron Smelting

Author(s)
Adam Thiele 1
Publication Date
2013 EXARC meeting at Csiki Pihenökert (HU)
***Nowadays, the development of technology rushes past the people of the machine-based technical civilisation, therefore they fail to understand the technological wonders that surround them. One of these is the ancient technology of iron smelting...

Reconstructing a Prehistoric Fish Trap

Author(s)
Eva IJsveld 1
Publication Date

Introduction

The conical fish trap with a funnel entry is used mainly in standing waters, slow streams and tidal areas.Fish traps without a funnel can be used where a strong current prevents the fish from swimming out again, but in slow-moving water, the funnel is indispensable to block the way out and keep the fish penned (Brinkhuizen, 1983:8-53).

Stone Moulds from Terramare (Northern Italy): Analytical Approach and Experimental Reproduction

Author(s)
Monia Barbieri 1 ✉,
Claudio Cavazzuti 1
Publication Date

Introduction

Although a long list of publications has been dedicated over the last several decades to the questions concerning early metallurgy, the achievements and the potential contributions of experimental archaeology in this area of interest still remain quite underestimated by a consistent part of academia, at least in Italy. At some official occasions the debate between the theoretical knowledge-holders and the technical skill-holders strongly emerges, but very few come back home with a true increased respect and acceptance for the counterpart's work.