Performing the past 2021
Take part in events and activities showing Hengistbury Head as a scene of settlement and ceremony for more than twelve thousand years.
Performing the Past
Supported by the Heritage Fund and our Partner Bournemouth University
Performing the Past is a three-year project that brings the archaeology of Hengistbury Head to life. It is supported by a grant of £44,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The aim is to bring about a step change in visitor awareness, to help protect the physical archaeological remains of this internationally important site. We are doing this through collective engagement in practical activities and experimental archaeology in partnership with archaeologists from Bournemouth University.
Events
We have brought the past to life at more than 30 amazing events since 2019. Due to Covid we took the programme online, so you can use these Facebook and YouTube links to relive the past!
Scroll down for our events from 2021 and you can discover more from previous years via these links below:
2021
31 August - Mixed Prehistoric Craft Day
Follow the fun on YouTube as we undertake flint knapping, pottery making, pigments and paints, weaving and spinning, and all in re-enactment clothing!
23 August - Flint Knapping & Arrow Making
Watch the making natural glue from beeswax and pine resin and then gluing flint arrow tips to the shaft. Follow the link on Facebook
10 August 2021 - Molten Metals & Bronze Casting – HOT HOT HOT !
Watch us on Facebook trying to melt copper and tin to make bronze jewellery in simple clay casts.
3 August 2021 - Pottery Firing in Kiln
Follow the link on Facebook to watch how our pottery firing experiment worked!
19 July 2021 - Bronze Casting Experiment
We had great fun melting copper and tin to make bronze – pretty hot stuff!
5 July 2021 - Ancient ceramics / pottery making
Follow the link on Facebook to see how we got on!
7 June 2021 - James Dilley Expert Flint Knapping Workshop
Watch the demonstration from Expert James Dilley on Facebook
26 April 2021 - Archaeology/Geology/ Wildlife Walk at Hengistbury Head
Look back at this walk with us via Facebook and discover the fascinating archaeology, geology and wildlife of this special place.
12 April 2021 - Bronze Casting Experiment / making prehistoric-style jewellery
Watch us on Facebook as we experiment with making prehistoric-style jewellery - hot stuff at 1000 degrees C!
22 March 2021 - Ancient Pigments & Paints
We spent the day grinding up natural materials such as ironstone to make paint and then created stunning cave paintings!
15 March 2021 - Prehistoric Pottery Making and Firing
Watch us via this Facebook link while we build the kiln using turf, then as we fire the pottery and finally find out what's left!!
23 February 2021 - A Virtual Walk at Hengistbury Head
Follow us as we take a virtual archaeology-focussed walk around Hengistbury Head.
15 February 2021 - A remote Prehistoric Pottery Session
We delivered clay to volunteers' homes so they could join this virtual session on zoom. Watch the event advert.
25 January 2021 - Flint Knapping & Arrow Making
Using natural glues from beeswax and pine resin; flint arrow tips are glued and tied into place on the arrow shaft. Watch the session on YouTube
18 January 2021 - Virtual Flint Knapping
Watch our Assistant Curator, Hayden give this Facebook Live demonstration
January 2021 - Sandbox construction
We constructed a sandbox for experimental archaeology, kilns and furnaces.
