fab. Roman fun day at the Roman circus centre!

On Saturday (16th July), the Colchester Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC) put the ‘fun’ into archaeology with their Roman fun day here at the Colchester Roman circus centre, on the first day of the national Festival of Archaeology 2016. Trust director Philip was at the fun day and says that it was a successful day. We estimate that up to about 500 visitors came to enjoy the fun day and we received a lot of good feedback. Admission was free and all the activities were free; the circus tea room was open and also our new circus centre visitor car-park!

The fun day ran from 11.00am to 4.00pm and included a wide range of activities for visitors to try. There was a ‘What is it?’ archaeological artefacts table with Trust archaeologists Emma Holloway and Laura Pooley, Roman jewellery-making with Trust volunteer Gillian Brown, and Roman-style theatre-mask painting with Trust volunteer Shirley Hillyard. There was an excavation chest with archaeologist Kate Clover (of A.S.E.) and Lego model-making with Colchester YAC members, assisted by Colchester YAC organiser Barbara Butler. Children could try on some Roman costumes and also try pot-making with Hannah Boyle of St Helena School, Colchester. Visitors could try archery with History Blooms and spinning yarn with Charlotte Leader. There were Roman info. sheets and puzzles by Jill Hamblin, and visitors could play Aquila, a popular board-game based on the Roman board-game ludus latrunculorum, with creator Alex Jones. Visitors could taste Roman-recipe food with Ann Turner and have their faces painted by Helen of ‘Helen’s Many Faces’. They could discuss Roman army/armour with Mike Mount and handle creatures and creepy-crawlies with ‘Feathers and Fangs’…

The Colchester YAC organised the fun day during their monthly meetings here at the Roman circus centre, and they were able to fund it with a grant of £1,800 from Essex County Council.

Many thanks and congratulations to the Colchester YAC for organising the fun day, and thanks to everyone who helped on the day. Thanks to everyone who came along! – we hope you enjoyed it. The Trust is presenting a summer season of free events on Saturdays here at the circus centre: details on this web-site at www.thecolchesterarchaeologist.co.uk/?p=29053 .

Colchester YAC organiser Barbara Butler has written a report on the fun day, on this web-site at www.thecolchesterarchaeologist.co.uk/?p=29429 .
*** A full-page, illustrated report on the fun day was printed in the Colchester Daily Gazette on Friday (22nd July).

The images show some of the Trust’s snapshots from the fun day, showing part of the fun day from our office window, medieval archery, the Roman army/armour display, a session of the board-game Aquila, and one of the creepy-crawlies with ‘Feathers and Fangs’…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.