Must Farm event programme

How to build a stilted roundhouse

Speaker: Mark Knight, Cambridge Archaeological Unit
Thu 26 Sep, 7.30pm

The charred, waterlogged remains of the preserved wooden architecture of the Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement included piles, ring beams, rafters, purlins, floor joists, wattle floors and walls. Non-wood elements involved clay, turves and straw. All the components necessary to build a home circa 850BC. A catastrophic fire and the nature of collapse (straight down) determined much of the structural debris was deposited in relative articulation. The aim of this presentation is to provide a detailed ‘how to build a stilted roundhouse’ instruction manual, complete with a full list of parts and required tool kit.

Ticket: £8 per person

Bronze Age cookery and home life at Must Farm.

Speaker: Rachel Ballantyne, University of Cambridge
Thu 3 Oct, 7.30pm

This talk outlines – from sampling to the laboratory – the diverse methods used to reveal microscopic and molecular evidence for home life at Must Farm. Results illustrate the preparation and storage of ingredients, the remains of different meals, and the organisation of household space. Although the pile-dwelling settlement was built over a fen waterway, a significant proportion of the plant and animal resources were brought from dry land elsewhere. When combined, these strands of evidence give an unprecedented insight into Bronze Age life, both at home and in the wider landscape.

Ticket: £8 per person

Extraordinary textiles and yarns of Must Farm Bronze Age settlement

Speaker: Dr Susanna Harris, University of Glasgow
Thu 10 Oct, 7.30pm

The textiles and yarns of Must Farm have transformed knowledge of cloth and its production in Late Bronze Age Britain around 850 BCE. In this talk we discover the different types of plant fibre fabric found in the Must Farm pile dwelling settlement. We consider the rich evidence for how the yarns and fabrics were made, and the interpretation of these processing, weaving and twining activities in the settlement’s wooden structures. Dr Susanna Harris is Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the School of Humanities, University of Glasgow. Her research focuses on the technical, scientific and experimental analysis, and interpretation of archaeological textiles. Susanna Harris led the fibre and fabric analysis of Must Farm.

Ticket: £8 per person

Introducing Must Farm, A Bronze Age Settlement Exhibition Tour
Saturday 21 September & Saturday 5 October, 3.35pm

Join one of our experienced guides for a tour of the Introducing Must Farm, a Bronze Age settlement exhibition. Discover the remarkably preserved and unique objects from the site, the story they tell of 'cosy domesticity' destroyed by catastrophic fire 3,000 years ago, and their implications for our understanding of Bronze Age Britain. Plus, get hands-on with replica artefacts made based on evidence from the site.

Duration: 40 mins
Tickets: £5 per person

Tours are also available for private group bookings at a time which suits you. Please contact Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery on 01733 864663 or museum@peterboroughlimited.co.uk

Bronze Axe/Dagger Casting Workshop
Sat 21 Sep, 10am – 4pm & Sun 22 Sep, 10am – 4pm

Take inspiration from Must Farm and join experimental archaeological Dr James Dilley of Ancient Craft for a day all about Bronze Age metalwork. A quintessential part of a Bronze Age toolkit, the process of casting a bronze axe is a fascinating one. The settlement site at Must Farm has yielded some beautiful examples - some even still hafted. Dr Dilley also crafted replica artefacts, including axes, for the Introducing Must Farm... exhibition. The day will begin with a 1 hour introductory talk to metalworking in the Bronze Age, covering materials, UK artefacts and manufacturing techniques. Participants will be taken through the process of sand-mould making before choosing an axe or dagger to make their mould with. Each participant will have the chance to cast liquid bronze into their mould. There will be time to clean, polish and decorate the templates in the afternoon.

Tickets: £140 per person

Bronze Age Jewellery Workshop
Sun 22 Sep, 10am – 4pm

At the Late Bronze Age settlement of Must Farm, over 56 beads were recovered made from amber, shale, siltstone, tin, faience and glass. This amazing collection of beads have helped archaeologists to uncover new clues about where these beads originated from and allows us to explore new stories in material movement and their importance in the Bronze Age. Join experimental archaeologist Emma Jones to learn more about the beads that were found at Must Farm and have a go at making some replicas of your own using a range of techniques that would have been available to makers over 5000 years ago! The day will begin with a 1 hour introductory talk to jewellery in the Bronze Age, covering materials, UK artefacts with a specific focus on the beads found at Must Farm and their manufacturing techniques. Participants will then spend the morning practising a variety of techniques to create a shale bead before moving onto working with shale and amber to create replica beads or pendants. In the afternoon there will also be an option to learn how to make prehistoric cordage from natural fibres if the participants wish to string their jewellery.

Tickets: £110 per person