Bronze Age sword casting workshop - 10th June 2019
Discover how some the earliest metal tools were produced in prehistoric Britain. This workshop is led by experimental archaeologist and PhD student James Dilley from Ancient Craft and the University of Southampton.
Following a safety briefing, workshop attendees will prepare their own mould, before working the leather bellows on the charcoal fuelled furnace to melt copper and tin. They will then cast the liquid metal into their prepared moulds to produce a replica bronze age sword (either a middle Bronze Age rapier or late Bronze Age leaf sword) to take home at the end of the day. Students can then begin filing off the casting flash and start cleaning the surfaces of the sword.
There will be short talk over lunch about the life and times of Bronze Age people in Europe. It will cover our current understanding of technology in the Bronze Age and how it is reflected in archaeology. It will be an informal talk with lots of scope for open discussion. There will be lots of replica and real prehistoric artefacts to accompany the talk by James.
Chris Nixon (Nov 2018) - "I recently took part in James Dilley’s bronze-age sword casting workshop at Berrycroft Hub...I can heartily recommend this workshop to anyone wishing for a hands-on introduction to bronze-age craftsmanship. I found it fascinating; the instruction and background information were first class and very competently and safely delivered, the results successful, and the welcome and facilities at Berrycroft were excellent".
Guidance will be on-hand at all times.
Accommodation is not included but if required it is available within the local area, some suggestions can be found on our 'local accommodation' page - please arrange this yourself. Refreshments are provided on the day but not lunches.
Toilet and classroom all easily accessible from the car park *Please bring a packed lunch*. Attendees must be over 16.
To book a place please select one of the dates below, then indicate quantity required before clicking the "Add to cart" button.