News
Colchester Young Archaeologists’ Club at Colchester Castle Museum: April ’16
On Saturday 16th April, the Colchester Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC) held their monthly meeting at Colchester Castle.
Colchester YAC organiser Barbara Butler writes: ‘… The Young Archaeologists were taken on a tour of the castle. We found out how archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler was able to identify the two parallel vaults under the castle as the Roman foundations of the Temple of Claudius. We discovered how, when and why the Romans built the temple and how the remains were built over by the Normans with the keep of Colchester Castle. Our tour took us up the great stairs and on to the roof, where we saw the remains of the Norman chapel. To finish the tour, we descended the north-west staircase under the ruined tower and inspected the Norman garderobe.
We then looked round the displays in the Castle Museum. A quiz had been organised for after the tour, but the displays and activities proved too attractive and there was no time for the quiz! Trying on Roman armour and historic clothes proved particularly popular with the YAC members. Slave assistants helped one of the YACs into his toga, which immediately brought forward three more slaves ready to do his bidding. Because the YACs usually meet at the Roman circus centre, the chariot-racing simulation at the Castle Museum was of special interest and all the YACs enjoyed driving a chariot in a race before they went home …’.
The images show the YACs in the castle vaults; trying on Roman armour; and dressed as Roman citizens with an attendant slave…
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If you are aged under 17 and interested in joining the Young Archaeologists’ Club in Colchester, then please contact Barbara Butler on 07808 968766 or at barbara[at]peterbutlerdesign.co.uk or Barbara Butler, Colchester YAC Branch, c/o the Colchester Archaeological Trust, Roman Circus House, Roman Circus Walk, Colchester, Essex CO2 7GZ.
The National Young Archaeologists’ Club web-site is at www.yac-uk.org/ .
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