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Archaeology

Lectures

Our lectures are held at 7:00 pm in the Devonport Lecture Theatre of the Portland Square Building, University of Plymouth on the first Monday of each month.. PAS members, University staff & students, with valid ID, and all school students are admitted free. All others are welcome but asked to contribute £4 towards our expenses.

7th October 2024

The excavation of Penpoll tidemill (Restronguet)

A glimpse into the industrial revolution in Cornwall and its environmental impact today

Nicholas Johnson, MBE

The excavation of this small tidal bone mill in 2019 has allowed a glimpse into the extraordinary world of mining and clear evidence for accelerating sea-level rise. Nick was Head of the archaeological service in Cornwall from 1975 to 2010. Perhaps most notably, he led the team that achieved World Heritage Site status for Cornish Mining in 2006.

4th November 2024

Medieval and post-medieval pottery in Devon and Cornwall

A new resource for fabric identification

Kate Berlewen

The archaeological pottery of Devon and Cornwall has been the subject of much study over the last 70 years. This project aims to create a physical type series of known medieval and post-medieval pottery types in Devon and Cornwall. Kate graduated from the Institute of Archaeology as a Museum Conservator and has been managing the fabric type series project since 2022.

2nd December 2024

Sherford New Town: Ancient Origins

An exploration of the results of the ongoing investigations at Sherford

Rob Bourn

For over 10 years there has been a large programme of archaeological work on the site of the Sherford new town. An enormous range of archaeological remains have been revealed reaching deep into prehistory, including internationally important Ice Age animal remains & a previously unsuspected Roman road. This talk will provide an overview of what has been found to date & to the current on-going archaeological works. Rob Bourn is Managing Director of Prion Heritage & has been archaeological consultant for the developers of the new town since 2018, working with many other groups & bodies to implement the archaeological programme ahead of the construction work.

3rd February 2025

The Coronation

a Plymouth maritime tragedy and modern-day asset

‘Ginge’ Crook

The warship Coronation was lost off Rame Head in September 1691. This talk will look at the exploration of the wreck site and plans for the display of the finds recovered. ‘Ginge’ has been the Principal Licensee of the Coronation protected wreck since 2010 and has been instrumental in developing the 'Diver Trail' and creating the virtual trail to widen access.

3rd March 2025

The Royal Clarence Hotel and other lost buildings in Exeter

Dr Todd Gray, MBE

Exeter’s historic buildings were decimated through the work of the Improvement Commission and the Dean & Chapter of Exeter Cathedral. The rich printed, archival and visual resources allow us to understand a process which ultimately prompted Exeter to pursue preservation and conservation. Todd has a particular interest in historic buildings and his most recent publication, EXETER’S LOST BUILDINGS, followed a project with English Heritage on the loss of The Royal Clarence Hotel.

7th April 2025

Reconstructing Religion

The Archaeology of Late Antique Christianity in Samahij, Bahrain

Professor Timothy Insoll, FBA

Historical records refer to the existence of a Bishop in the islands of Bahrain, but no archaeological trace of a Christian presence was found until 2019 when the remains of a large building were uncovered occupied from the mid-4th to mid-8th centuries. Professor Insoll is Al-Qasimi Professor of African and Islamic Archaeology, University of Exeter and is Honorary Archaeological Advisor to the Crown Prince & Prime Minister of Bahrain, HRH Sh. Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

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