See below for an exciting update about a new partnership between the farm and the UCL Institute of Archaeology.
Left to right Maureen Page (Butser Ancient Farm Director), Fagan the dog, Sue Hamilton (UCL-IoA Director), Simon Jay (Butser Ancient Farm Director) outside the farm’s Iron Age round house.
‘We are delighted to announce that, from September 2019, Butser Ancient Farm will be hosting the UCL Institute of Archaeology’s annual ‘Prim Tech’ course marking the start of what both institutions intend to be a period of partnership in teaching, research, and public engagement in the technologies of the past and their contributions to present-day issues of sustainability.
The ‘Primary Technologies’ course has been run every year by the UCL Institute of Archaeology since 1982. It introduces their first year students, in the very first week of their time at University, to the basic elements of technology, essential crafts and skills. These include making stone tools, extracting copper from ore, making and firing clay pots, processing crops to make bread, and learning about constructing ancient buildings. As well as these core skills the students learn how important experiments are in understanding the past, how to build useful experimental approaches to archaeology and how to use the results to interpret data in more nuanced and sophisticated ways,
In considering where to relocate this course, after more than a decade based in West Sussex, Butser Ancient Farm was an obvious choice. Founded in 1972 by the celebrated experimental archaeologist Peter Reynolds, Butser has been a pioneering force in understanding ancient farming and prehistoric technologies and is internationally recognised for its contribution to the field. Run today as a community interest company, Butser Ancient farm is a powerful force in school and adult education in exploring the human past and in providing opportunities for unique experiences and experiments in the technologies encompassed by past societies and still used by many traditional societies.
Butser Ancient Farm Director, Maureen Page said
“I am excited to welcome UCL Institute of Archaeology to Butser Ancient Farm. For us this signals a new chapter in the farm’s development. We value this collaboration as it will enhance our ability to promote current research and encourage the enthusiasm of new archaeologists, enabling us to bring this knowledge and understanding to a wide and varied audience. Experience, experiment and education were the founding principles of Butser Ancient Farm for Peter Reynolds and this opportunity will help us to reinforce these principles.”
UCL Institute of Archaeology Director, Sue Hamilton said
“I’m thrilled by this collaboration and it could not be at a better place. The common ethos and interests of the UCL Institute of Archaeology and Butser Ancient Farm makes this a compelling partnership centre around investigating ‘primary technologies’ to better elucidate the past and provide more alternatives for sustaining present-day environments and resources.”
Both teams are now working to prepare for this September’s Prim Tech and welcoming the 2019 cohort of Institute of Archaeology first years. For the future, we hope to work together to deliver new research and exciting projects for the wider public.’
For further information, please contact:
Jo Dullaghan, UCL-Institute of Archaeology Research (Pre-Award) Administrator & Communications Manager, j.dullaghan@ucl.ac.uk
Maureen Page, Director Butser Ancient Farm, 023 9259 8838 (UK) or +44 23 9259 8838 (International)