Water features take on a whole new meaning this September at the Scottish Crannog Centre by Kenmore, Loch Tay as the Iron Age team launch a series of wet activities in celebration of Scottish Archaeology Month.
Following on from the success of their Shallow Water Archaeology event held on 1 September, where visitors got to grips with measuring, mapping and manoeuvring in wellies, sessions of Come and Try Snorkel Archaeology are on offer on 8 and 15 September.
Suitable for ages 5+, the activity involves donning mask and snorkel and plunging head and hands into a mini-tank of water to ‘find’ artefacts. The keen snorkellers wear recycled binbags to keep them mostly dry. Once the objects are discovered while still face-down in the water, the would-be archaeologists draw the artefacts on a special slate which they place on the bottom of the tank.
Due to refraction in the water, the objects appear larger than actual size making for interesting drawings. The activity is hugely popular and a real eye-opener for many youngsters who go on to take up diving, archaeology, or both.
The water theme for these events coincides with current work being undertaken by the Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology who created the Scottish Crannog Centre.
The team is surveying and excavating a stretch of drowned forest in Loch Tay dating to 5,000 years ago. Upright tree stumps as well as long sections of fallen trunks have been incredibly well-preserved in depths of 2-3 metres. Operations will continue throughout September to gain insight into what caused the inundation.
Back on dry land, the archaeological celebrations continue with The Little Dig: Sandpit Archaeology on Sunday, 16 September. For those who don’t like to get their faces or their feet wet, digging up the Picts or the evidence from the Iron Age is another activity for all the family. Archaeologists from the Crannog Centre will guide visitors in trowelling techniques and in recording methods for their finds.
An archery activity day on Sunday 30 September will round off the month-long programme of educational entertainment. Participants can dress up as Celts or Picts and then get the chance to fire at a selection of targets.
In honour of Scottish Archaeology Month, which aims to promote widespread interest in and access to the nation’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, all of the archaeological activities this month at the Scottish Crannog Centre are free, although booking is essential. For further details, contact the Centre on telephone +44 (0)1887 830583 or visit the website at www.crannog.co.uk
