Culture Matters: At War With King Charles
Meeting the Romans in Blackbird Leys
We'll Meet Again
Journeys to Wonderland
Museum of Oxford
St Aldates
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Meeting the Romans in Blackbird Leys
The museum created a three-stage project to raising awareness of the national significance of the Roman pottery industry excavated in Greater Leys, and to enable local residents to access the original archaeological material from the site currently held in store.
In the summer term of 2006, staff from the museum took original and replica artefacts into schools for 'taster' days. Using original archaeological remains and documentation from the site, pupils investigated the methods used and material found during the archaeological dig prior to building the houses in which they lived. These sessions included simple activities such as matching broken pottery to replica pottery, and more complex concepts such as why and how archaeologists dig.
In August 2006, local residents visited the Farmstead and Barn on Greater Leys for a celebration of Roman culture. Visitors met a lead trader and his Roman wife, a leatherworker, bone worker, potter and metal worker, watched Gladiators train, found out about the tortuous medical instruments used on Roman soldiers and played 'Circus Minimums' Roman games. There were opportunities to handle and investigate the archaeological material from the site, and to contribute to a series of mosaics that will be hung on the walls of the Barn. Over 300 people visited the site over two afternoons, and many families stayed for the duration of event, or came back for both days.
From later this year, boxes of original and replica Roman material will be offered to four schools in the Blackbird Leys area, and a complimentary workshop will also be available to all schools across Oxfordshire in the Museum of Oxford's Roman galleries.
