Since the Experimentalists volunteer team began work renovating our Bronze Age roundhouse (see their last update here), they’ve been working tirelessly to not just repair damage but bring the house to life with new furnishings and decorations. With that project coming to an end, Margaret Taylor (Experimentalist and volunteer librarian) shares an update on the team’s work, and a look ahead to their next project.
The whole Bronze Age roundhouse needed tidying up; the walls and the floor. The floor needed attention as the entrance area had become quite uneven. We worked on an experimental patch at the back, using chalk, mud and water. However, this was not robust, although it looked good. After consultation with the Butser team, who repaired the drainage ditch outside the door, and provided some heavy digging help to prepare the ground, we altered the recipe and concocted a heavier duty mix of sieved mud/chalk, and water and completed the work.
Simultaneously, on our Thursday work days, another group tackled the repair of the rear wall of the roundhouse. The wall wattle was repaired and Jacqui added straw bundles between the wall and the roof. The next step was the daubing. Horse manure is a vital component, and was kindly donated from Clare’s horse. Jacqui, who was part of Operation Nightingale group, who originally built the hut, led the way and trained up other group members. It was finally completed by two enthusiastic volunteers; who slapped on the gungy mixture, which worked best on wet walls. This was particularly enjoyed by one of our newest recruits!
We added a colourful painted design to one of the chalk walls. However, although the design looks good it began peeling after less than two weeks, as the chalk wall covering is not robust enough for to retain the paint. A lime wash is more suitable; as shown by other hut decorations at Butser.
Alongside this, come rain or shine (retreating to another hut in inclement weather!), another group worked upon our peg loom mattress, which is steadily growing, with a smart brown and white design, and will be very cosy when completed. It will make a great addition to the Bronze age bed. On sunny days, whilst working outside, this activity proved particularly popular with visitors, who enjoyed chatting to us, and sometimes joining in. Of course, visitors have been interested in all aspects of our work too; some arrive with valuable background knowledge too! But all enjoy hearing about the Farm.
Exploring Iron Age pottery
The Experimentalists have been learning new skills: making pottery. This led me to delve into the history books to find out more.
Francis Pryor (Britain BC) describes how as people became more sedentary and the size of their communal territories became smaller, they adopted pottery.
Of course, it would have taken a very long time before this new skill to spread across Europe, beginning in the Middle East, and eventually reaching us in Britain. By the middle Stone Age pottery was everywhere. Then with the Bronze Age “the appearance of Beaker ware marked a sudden change in culture” (Culiffe). The highly decorated pottery had a variety of uses and it was particularly popular for grave goods. The different styles were linked to their place of origin, either locally made or having reach Britain by travelling/trading. For example, those Beaker pots found in central southern Britain were of a ‘maritime derived’ style and finger incised and all -over corded types were found north of the Humber.
By the time we get to the Iron Age pots were thicker and better fired and more likely to survive in excavations. The Danebury Iron Age Fort yielded a great deal of pottery; nearly 160,000 sherds! Barry Cunliffe writes that: “in the early period (c.500-300 BC) two basic pottery forms were in use; fairly shallow open bowls, usually made in fine sandy fabrics; and large jars, used for storage and cooking, made in much coarser gritty wares. The grits were a deliberately added tempering of crushed flint and crushed shell, mixed in to bulk out the clay of the heavier vessels to make it stronger and less susceptible to cracking during firing.” Experimentalist, Moo, had fun and great success with crafting Butser clay, although she knew that had she used the preparation above her pots would have a chance of surviving the firing process.
As I endeavour to ‘master’ this craft, I can confirm that it does get easier with practice! So, I was relieved to read in Barry Cunliffe’s book, that in Tunisian Berber communities the pottery construction was delegated amongst the community. The men and young boys dug the clay and brought it to the farmstead. The old women usually made the basic pottery, whilst the young women added decorations and tended to the firing. Unfortunately, evidence of our actual ancestor’s routines do not survive.
Of course, this wasn’t a hobby for our ancestors; a pleasurable way to spend time on Thursdays over conversation, supplemented by a packed lunch and biscuits. Although I am sure that they too would have enjoyed a good ‘gossip’! Elizabeth Wayland Barber writes in her excellent book, in relation to women: “Time was thus constantly available for use to promote survival, whether directly (e.g. by preparing food and building shelter) or indirectly – that is, by trying to elicit symbolically what was wanted. The latter is a use that many of us have forgotten”.
Bibliography: Elizabeth Wayland Barber, Women’s Work: The first 20,000 years; Francis Pryor, Britain BC; Barry Cunliffe, Britain Begins and Danebury Hill Fort.
volunteer library reminder
Volunteers: if you would like to read further on this topic your Butser Library contains a wide selection of reading material on this topic. Just don’t forget to log your loans in and out in the book provided (in the coloured folder)!
I must add too, that there have been several books kindly donated to the Library; so if you haven’t visited, pop up and have a look. Once again, please seek out the Borrowing log (in an envelope on one of the lower shelves), and don’t forget to log your books back in when you return them.
If you’re not a volunteer with us but are interested in becoming one, find out more about volunteering at Butser here.