Hell-Fire Cave Survey

The Hell-Fire Caves at West Wycombe are a complicated series of tunnels and chambers, hewn by human hand in the mid 18th century. Sir Francis Dashwood commissioned the creation of the caves to serve as a meeting place for his friends who formed a club known as the Monks of Medmenham or the Knights of St Francis.

To date, very little archaeological evidence from the caves has surfaced. As part of my research on the Hell-Fire Clubs, I would like to undertake a 3D laser scan of the whole complex. This is an enormous task as the caves stretch for over a quarter mile underground, twisting and turning all the way. My previous attempts to hand survey have been moderately successful, but the laser scanning would offer the opportunity to record the site in full 3D, including detailed imaging of the wall surfaces. My intention is to make this 3D plan available online for anyone to access, and I will use the information collected to inform my archaeological PhD studies.

I have received a very low price to conduct the scanning, but it is still far outside my student budget. The scanning itself will cost c.£1500-£1750.

Please help me achieve my goal to scan the caves and share my findings widely - you can do this by donating as much or as little as you like here: http://wefund.com/project/hell-fire-cave-mapping/p59473/

Many Thanks! Ash

UPDATE: Great news - the BGS have offered to step in and support my research by providing the scanning for me! Wow! Really looking forward to working with them and sharing the results in the next couple of months.

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL PRESS RELEASE

Student undertakes landmark 3D scan of Hell-Fire Caves


Press release issued: 28 March 2014

Phallic find of the day

Sometimes archaeology is just hilarious. I just stumbled across this gem while doing some reading.

Source: Taverns and other entertainments in the City of London? Seventeenth- and 18th-century finds from excavations at Paternoster Square By SADIE WATSON and JACQUELINE PEARCE with ANNE DAVIS, GEOFF EGAN and ALAN PIPE / Post-Medieval Archaeology 44/1 (2010), 172–208

My life in pictures from the last month and a half

Fantastic fieldtrip to survey the Hell-Fire Caves

Had fun making a wordle of two chapters of my dissertation, on the Irish Hell-Fire Clubs

Hoped across the sea to visit the folks and survey the Hell-Fire Club of Dublin, Montpelier

Quote of the day: on the men and women of Ireland

Looks mattered in the past. Quoting from Thomas Dineley's tour of Ireland in 1797, this paragraph details the look of men and women in Ireland:

He paid more attention to the women...well-bottomed, ever growing, strangely proportion and with enormous legs... Thanks Dineley!

Quote of the day: on the value of the past and on different cultures

From Speech of Mr. Gladstone at Mold, 1873:

There is no greater folly circulating upon the earth at this moment, or at any other time, than the disposition to undervalue the Past, and to break those links which unite human beings of the present day with the generations that have passed away and been called to their account.

The above is taken from Selections from Old Kerry Records 1874 (Hickson, M. 2nd ed.), which contains a dedication poem by Thomas Davis:

What matter that at different shrines
We pray unto one God,
What matter that at different times
Our fathers won the sod,
In fortune and in name we're bound
By stronger links than steel,
And neither can be safe nor sound
But in the other's weal.

35,000 years old archaeology kicks ass...

Xzibit helps archaeology keep it real

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Photo: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.150023071682921.30804.149716745046887&type=1 Source: Probably © Universität Tübingen

[Source] and find out more here: http://donsmaps.com/vogelherd.html

Science or supernatural possession? The case of the moving statue

Archaeologists tend not to believe in ghosts or superstitions on the whole, but now and then eyebrows and questions are raised when the inexplicable presents itself. The case of the independently moving Egyptian statue is a case in point. And this story comes with time-lapse video proof!

Recent activity: from Mexico to Anglo-Saxons and a media bonanza

The last month has been a hectic jumble of archaeological wonderment, and I have yet again let my blog suffer as a result. But, it has all been for the greater good (of archaeology).

First up - a terrific trip around the Yucatan, Mexico

I discovered that I am very good at pointing at archaeology enthusiastically, while trying to hide from the sun. Chichén-Itzá was utterly amazing. The complex is dotted with stunning stepped pyramids, other religious buildings and detailed relief sculpture. Archaeologists are hard at work restoring the structures and no one is allowed climb the steps anymore. Trenches have also been opened, showing earlier occupation phases on the site - this work has been postponed until the drainage is sorted.

Exhibit A: Pointing at archaeology (extra 'points' as it includes both a pyramid and a trench)

The greatest book of all time?

As far as fabulous books go, this one is high on the list. It's title summons visions of Bette Midler as a wicked witch. It draws you in with promises of how to get rich quick, how to play with the animals (including cats). For the adventurous types, it dazzles with promises of balancing two knives on the brim of a glass (useful as a new parlour trick). Even parents get a look in as they can teach their children to read by using dice. You can become immune to the rascalous pick pockets, make fireworks and booze, and fix up the house with some plastering.

How is this not the greatest selling book of all time? Well, it's free. Download it now!

Why coffee is better than wine or ale

Stumbled across a great poem from the late 17th century, all about the virtues of coffee over the detrimental effects of boozing:

Coffee

When the sweet Poison of the Treacherous Grape

Had acted on the world a general rape; 

Drowning our Reason and our souls 

In such deep seas of large o'erflowing bowls, 

When foggy Ale, leavying up mighty trains

Of muddy vapours, had besieg'd our Brains,

Then Heaven in Pity

First sent amongst us this All-Healing Berry,

Coffee arrives, that grave and wholesome Liquor,

That heals the stomach, makes the genius quicker,

Relieves the memory, revives the sad, 

And cheers the Spirits, without making mad. 

-- Anon. (1674)

The story of ESD at Bristol so far - my perspective

This is a short report of my reflections on my internship with the University of Bristol - looking at Education for Sustainable Development. I wrote this storify as part of the online course E-learning and Digital Cultures (Coursera), it's my digital artefact assignment - hope you enjoy it!

Tutankhamun, his mum and the curvy king

Why the ever so informal title for something I should be treating academically? 
Because this is a personal story, one of mother and son.

News broke today that King Tutankhamun's mother was the legendary beauty, Queen Nefertiti. Looking at the bust of the queen and the death mask of the king, both share decidedly good facial features with marked symmetry (a hallmark of goodlooking-ness).

Image from i09's article on the subject

What's the evidence?

Months of busyness

With my part-time job and part-time teaching and this and that, I have woefully neglected this delightful gem of a blog. No more! My new year's resolution may be over a month late, but it's never too late to get back to spamming the internets with my mindless musings.

What have I been up to?
Undergraduate teaching to wonderful first years.
An University internship
Voiceover shenanigans

Golden Oldie Book Titles

They just don't write book titles like they used to... but, at 69 words, this might be a bit much!

A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, comprising the several counties, cities, boroughs, corporate, market, and post towns, parishes and villages with Historical and Statistical Descriptions; embellished with engravings of the arms of cities, bishopricks, corporate towns, and boroughs; and the seals of the several municipal corporations; with an Appendix describing the electoral boundaries of the several boroughs, as defined by the Act of the 2d & 3d of Willian IV

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this is rather short in comparison to the longest known title that contains some 1086 words. Eek! And, no, it's not some archaic tome, rather a book from within the last decade. 

Catch up photos from Berkeley Castle excavations

I had a chance to get out to Berkeley Castle last month during the University's excavations (run by the astoundingly good archaeologists Emily Glass and Sian Thomas). While the weather didn't hold the entire time, the students really got stuck in and did a fantastic job. I also got to run the one-day post-excavation session with a local school - those kids were a bunch of bright sparks and picked up the run of things quick smart.

Undergraduate students excavating:

Maritime Archaeology survey: interview with Sam and Tom

Check out this quick interview with University of Bristol Maritime Archaeology MA graduates who are working on their NAS (Nautical Archaeology Society) training -
Maritime Archaeology: interview with Sam and Tom

Photos from our productive day of survey work at Purton on the Severn (15/07/2012):

Whimsical challenge from the early 19th century

Searching through some catalogues today, I found a wonderful mention of something silly:

Whimsical anecdote relative to a challenge posed by actress Mrs. Humby, defying Theodore [Edward] Hook to make a rhyme to her name.

So, this is the challenge - think of a rhyme to Mrs. Humby's name. In the spirit of the early 19th century, keep it witty!

Later in July, I'll be visiting the Royal Irish Archives and will check out Mr. Hook's original response and post it. Let's see how today's witty minds compare!

Source

Old school dating

Posted in Aris's Birmingham Gazette, 7 March 1785:

TO THE FAIR SEX

A PERSON of Character, 26 Years of Age, of a genteel profession, and of moderate fortune, wishes to engage in the Hymenial State, with an agreeable, good-tempered LADY, in AGE inferior to himself, in FORTUNE equal, or nearly so; but, in GOODNESS, as superior as Emulation CAN excite. - One having no Objection to enter a Public Line or Shop-Keeping, would be preferred; And it would be no Object of Denial, if she happens to have a fortune of MORE Capital than required. - Any Lady this may suit, may depend on a punctual Answer by addressing (Post paid) for T. H. to be left at the Printers till called for.

It's such a pity we will never know if T.H. found his perfect woman!

Bog buddies, just more tourist tat?

Archaeologists are used to the ethical questions involved with bog bodies.....but what about tourist tat?

An industrious company has set up to sell "Bog Buddies", little characters and motifs (men, women, sheep, hearts, shamrocks) carved from bog materials. Not a terrible idea considering the lack of enterprise following the recession, and the fact that tourists will buy anything. They look nice enough when framed, but really, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of skill in the carving, and certainly not enough to justify the €14 price tag for the smallest piece in the cheapest box, or €40 for a small framed heart. 

I also wonder if they really thought through the name "bog buddies" - did they actively seek association with millenia-old corpses?

Hipster Indiana