A Taste of Neolithic life

During the time in the Two bed with a thatched roof we made bread, the funny thing about the process was it seemed so familiar.

Twenty odd years I was very ill had no money so food was scarce and one day there was only a tin of beans and some flour I was going to make a sort of dumpling thing I mixed the flour to a thick paste and dry fried and heated my beans. It was not Heston Blumenthal but it was edible.

And for years I thought I had invented this new bread I had experimented with different flavours etc. but one day on TV there was a program about the outback and survival and they were making my bread but they called it outback bread. They did go on to explain that this bread was the oldest in the world and there were many variations.

You probably have eaten this type of bread recently –pitta, naan, or flat bread. But at the hut they used the recipe I used, so I thought it would be fun to teach you how to make this bread at home and give some variation and ideas to inspire you.

Basic bread

Large flat stone or non stick frying pan

I cup of flour

Water

Method

Place pan on high heat.

Place flour in bowl and add water to make a stiff dough pull and stretch and shape before adding to pan.

Give a few mins turn and flatten cook till you get a little scorching then turn and finish    

As you see there is no exact proportions just flour plus water.

Serve with stew or soup.

Advanced flat bread

Replace water with milk, cream, juice, beer, cider or mead.

If you think from the most basic point of view these liquids would have been easily sourced in the Neolithic age.

When making your own bread be adventurous if you add a fat your get a dumpling style bread so how will adding cheese to the mix make it taste?

What about adding herbs or spices or even bits of cooked meat?

How would it change if you cooked in oven or on a BBQ?

How do different flours make the bread feel and taste?

Episodes

Twelve go to the Stone Age 

Two bed with a thatched roof 

Neolithic building school 

A taste of Neolithic life 

About the project – http://humanhenge.org/

English Heritage & Stonehenge http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

 

Authors Resource

Name Mr BPD

Website http://www.my-dark-lyrics.uk

About Author I have Borderline Personality Disorder and as a writer and poet I explore my madness through the creative arts. I have a personal belief that even in darkness light exists and it is a personal responsibility to always seek the light and I find the light in creating something.

 

Neolithic building school

After leaving the huts we started off across the field luckily it was not to far we stopped at three fences, one build of wood, one with daub and one just begun. Again we were split into two teams this time groups of three.

Although I doubt that the Neolithic builder had to face health and safety on how to hold a stick and yes there is a right way! And no its not don’t hold the stick by the sticky end.

So we were about to start three people holding one stick one at the end covering the sharp end, one in the middle and one at the end. We then had to weave the stick between the uprights, and then push it down with FLAT!!! Hands, then stand on it to push it firmly down.

We competed as teams which as great fun and of course my team was the best it had me (ego much LOL). But being serious it was amazing how quick the walls where built. In a few days you could have a habitable home (see video on Two bed with a thatched roof).

We then moved on to the daub, which was made from chalk (Calcium carbonate CaCO3) mixed with straw and water. We then put on cold wet gloves (found out on way home the reason why they were wet it was group one they washed them after use) but still we grabbed a handful of the daub and smooshed it between the sticks and smoothed off.

The funny thing is these techniques are still used today not just for building mud huts, but for stylish garden fencing, fashionable leather work and even in modern architectural buildings. Which goes to prove while everything changes some things will remain the same.

So as this very informative session come to an end we return to the education centre for a coffee and debrief.  

Episodes

Twelve go to the Stone Age

Two bed with a thatched roof 

Neolithic building school 

A taste of Neolithic life

About the project – http://humanhenge.org/

English Heritage & Stonehenge http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

 

Authors Resource

Name Mr BPD

Website http://www.my-dark-lyrics.uk

About Author I have Borderline Personality Disorder and as a writer and poet I explore my madness through the creative arts. I have a personal belief that even in darkness light exists and it is a personal responsibility to always seek the light and I find the light in creating something.

Two bed with a thatched roof

Now in two groups of six; we made our way to the huts as the other group walked off. As they walked off knowing that our group would be going there next I did hope it was not going to be a long walk.
Photo by Louise Topp

As we stood outside the hut we could see a small fire burning through the small doorway. We were invited inside one by one we squeezed through the small door, for me it was like a cat trying to get through a mouse hole, I was dreading a “Winnie the Pooh” moment where someone would have to push me through the small hole. But I did get in.

The first thing that struck me was how spacious it was inside even with nine people. Looking around there were two beds / seats, a central fire used for heating and cooking. There were shelving units (ok more MFI than IKEA) with pots and cooking tools. There was clothing hanging from wall some fur / leathers and even a lining shirt. Along the walls arrows and bows and axes neatly stored.

The guides started off by making some bread by mixing flour and water and cooking on one of the stone from the fire. For more information on bread making please read  A taste of Neolithic life.

While the bread was cooking our guide explained how rope and threads where created from different types of plants. We were shown an assortment of different reeds and grasses for us to use to make cord.

So as we sat there, bread cooking, the heat from the fire, people conversing everyone twisting something to make rope a sense of normalcy filled the space. The hut became to feel very homely and sharing the bread transported us back in time.

Now with bread consumed, ropes made it was time for the next part of our adventure – I’m sure its going to be a long walk…

I am including a video about the huts for your enjoyment.

 

Episodes

Twelve go to the Stone Age

Two bed with a thatched roof 

Neolithic building school 

A taste of Neolithic life 

About the project – http://humanhenge.org/

English Heritage & Stonehenge http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

 

Authors Resource

Name Mr BPD

Website http://www.my-dark-lyrics.uk

About Author I have Borderline Personality Disorder and as a writer and poet I explore my madness through the creative arts. I have a personal belief that even in darkness light exists and it is a personal responsibility to always seek the light and I find the light in creating something.

Twelve go to the Stone Age

This week there seemed to be a lot more people at the education centre than in previous weeks. That could have something to do with the three experts who where going to show us around the Stonehenge exhibition and the Neolithic huts.

We walked in to the exhibition centre and into a circular room with video screens. The video playing was a history of the henge as if film from the centre of the henge. As the film played our guide pointed out the solar positions at the solstices and other poignant facts.

I probably missed so much information from our guide as I was transfixed at the sense of being inside the stone circle the 360-degree views being interrupted by people moving around only added to the atmosphere.

We then moved into the main hall and our guide showed us around and gave talks on the exhibits – again I probably missed loads well! -There were bones and arrows and I was like a kid in a candy store.

I did have a giggle to myself as tourists attached themselves to our group ear wigging to the guides information, as we moved off to a corner to discuss pottery several came with.

A large replica pot was brought out for us to hold and examine, the guide along with Yvette informed us of the contents and possible uses and how they where made several of the tourist had moved on but the woman next to me whose friend was bored and was badgering her to move on turn to her friend in almost perfect English said “I am not going nowhere till I touch the pot” I nearly choked.

Yes she did get to touch the pot and I am sure it made her day because she left smiling like the Cheshire cat. We then made our way to replica Neolithic hut where we where split into to groups.

One group went to the huts while the others went to build walls.

I have started to realise that so much happened this week that a single blog post will not do justice to the experience I and I hope others had so I will split the article into individual episodes

Episodes

Twelve go to the Stone Age 

Two bed with a thatched roof 

Neolithic building school 

A taste of Neolithic life 

About the project – http://humanhenge.org/

English Heritage & Stonehenge http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

 

Authors Resource

Name Mr BPD

Website http://www.my-dark-lyrics.uk

About Author I have Borderline Personality Disorder and as a writer and poet I explore my madness through the creative arts. I have a personal belief that even in darkness light exists and it is a personal responsibility to always seek the light and I find the light in creating something.

 

Circle of stones

Wind swept open space,
Secrets hidden in Gaea’s flesh
Time and technology advance the human race.
Ceremony in celestial orbit
Buried in barrows…
The far reaching curse us
The silence of far go woods.
In darkness seven sisters shine.
Now all in place we turn back time.

Photo by Mr BPD, original image © Historic England

Millennium times ten before a saviour,
With stone of axe and flint knife;
The story of Neolithic life.
The seas had taken the land away,
Building homes of brush and clay.
They sang songs of pig and dog –
While carving tools from bone and fallen log.
To the ground they offer – a body;
The caved in head of child of three,

Photo by Mr BPD, original image © Historic England

The wood of henge would fade away
But it’s the stones circle still seen today
First came a ditch, then a bank, and then Aubrey holes.
The entrance marked with ornate polls,
Time does pass then it’s welsh stone of blue,
Repaired in future with cement as glue,
A heal added with Sarsen stones.
So heavy to lift they must have moaned.
To the circle rearrangement once more.

Photo by Mr BPD, original image © Historic England

From then till now the sun and moon still calls
At mid summer and winter – spring and when autumns leaf falls,
By day and by night,
With High priestess and druid might,
The magick of the henge comes to life.
History and archaeology run rife…
So walk the land with me,
In circled stones the past your see
But time has not done there are more secrets to come.

Photo by Mr BPD, original image © Historic England

 

Authors Resource
Name Mr BPD
Website http://www.my-dark-lyrics.uk

About Author I have Borderline Personality Disorder and as a writer and poet I explore my madness through the creative arts. I have a personal belief that even in darkness light exists and it is a personal responsibility to always seek the light and I find the light in creating something.

 

A change of plan this week. We had been down to visit the Cuckoo Stone but instead we stayed in Education room for a Question and Answer session with Professor Tim Darvill.    

It was absolutely fascinating to speak to a real expert about the ancient landscape we have been exploring over the last few weeks. It was almost too much to take in but the highlights for me was that the Mycenaean Greeks believed that the god Apollo left his shrine at Delphi  in the winter at travelled to the mythical land of Hyperborea (land beyond the north wind) which some identify with Britain. This led to some intriguing speculation about the possibility of an ancient Greek priest travelling to the British Isles! Only speculation of course but a fascinating idea none the less.     

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Human Henge project for me has been the opportunity to explore the Stonehenge landscape at a slow pace and really appreciate it in depth.

I am now really looking forward now to next week’s Evening Walk on the Cursus and a further opportunity to pick the brains of the good professor.

Simon Chaplin

Here’s our latest Press Release, created by Jessica Trethowan, Stonehenge PR Manager.

Heritage and Historic Landscapes are good for you!

“Human Henge: Historic landscapes and mental health at Stonehenge”

• Ground-breaking project about archaeology, mental health and creativity
• Cultural therapy through a number of journeys across the Stonehenge World Heritage Site into the world-famous stone circle.

Human Henge is a collaborative project run by the Restoration Trust in partnership with Richmond Fellowship, English Heritage and Bournemouth University with support from the National Trust and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

The project draws on ideas that Stonehenge was once a place of healing and explores the relationship between people, place and the past. It examines whether a creative exploration of historic landscapes can help people with mental health conditions.

Through a programme of participant-led activities, 32 local people living with mental health problems and on low incomes, come together for fun, therapeutic adventures, with experts, carers and support workers in this remarkable and inspiring ancient landscape.

Laura Drysdale, Director of the Restoration Trust says, “We hope that Human Henge will get people doing things they’ve never contemplated before, from star spotting on the cursus, to chanting poetry inside the stone circle, to presenting at conferences, curating an exhibition or publishing a book. That’s the whole Human Henge journey.”

Participant Andria Walton says, “Human Henge is a personal journey of healing for me. I live with emotional health issues, and I feel very comfortable and accepted with this group. It’s meaningful to learn about our ancient cultures, it’s exhilarating being in the open air, it blows away the cobwebs. It’s rejuvenating and revitalising.”

The group is accompanied by curators and artists, archaeologist Professor Tim Darvill, and musician and creative facilitator Yvette Staelens, as they explore the monuments, features and layers of meaning in the Stonehenge landscape, enabled through the participation of English Heritage and the National Trust. Each series of journeys end with a ceremony inside the Stone Circle, collaborating with musician Chartwell Dutiro at Winter Solstice or Spring Equinox. The final activity is devised by the participants in response to their individual and shared experiences on their journey.

Professor Tim Darvill of Bournemouth University said “Human Henge has really opened up new ways of looking at the Stonehenge Landscape and thinking about the way people might have used it and experienced it in the past. By spending time at a selection of the sites around Stonehenge it becomes possible to think about the landscape, the skyscape, and the monuments themselves. We can look at how their form structured the way people approached them and moved around them. Materials such as stone and clay come to life in your hands as you think about their uses and meanings, while sounds help the imagination travel back in time to the world of the early farmers.”

Speaking of one of their journeys in the landscape, one participant said “It was a day of connections, connecting to new people, a new landscape and maybe in some small way our ancestors.”

Another added, “This week was reflective. It was about connecting on a personal level with the landscape by listening to the birds and the wind, feeling the cold, sitting in the grass and being surrounded by these amazing burial monuments.”

“The experience felt completely natural and restorative. Perhaps we were connecting to something beyond us. The stones towering over you remind you of your smallness in this big world, and yet bring you together as part of a wider history with our ancestors.”

Martin Allfrey, Senior Curator of Collections, English Heritage said “We all know that visiting historic sites and engaging with artefacts from the past can be inspiring and fun but we’ve never tried to measure the benefits that historic places can provide for people suffering from mental health issues. We are really pleased that Stonehenge is the focus for this groundbreaking project, which brings together expert researchers from Bournemouth University and local people in Wiltshire. We hope that not only will the project add to the quality of life of those taking part but we also want to share the results widely, promoting a much greater understanding of the health and well-being benefits of engaging with historic places”.

The Human Henge project runs until June 2018. Findings and further questions will be explored and shared through activities, focus groups, exhibitions and conferences.

 

Notes to editors

1. Human Henge enables 32 local people living on low income with mental health problems plus carers and volunteers to experience Stonehenge with expert guidance. They create an epic poem and ceremony that affirms the abiding connection between people, place and the past.
2. Human Henge engages disadvantaged people living in Wiltshire in a therapeutic sensory experience of the World Heritage Site.
3. Human Henge is a partnership with English Heritage, Richmond Fellowship and Bournemouth University supported by the National Trust and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. The project is also part funded by Wiltshire Council Amesbury Area Board and English Heritage.
4. About the Restoration Trust: We help people with mental health problems engage with art, culture and heritage; we call it culture therapy. Our life-enhancing projects are partnershipsbetween arts and heritage organisations and organisations that support people with mental health conditions. We research the evidence of what works for wellbeing, and we spread the word about what we do. http://www.restorationtrust.org.uk
5. Exhibitions at Amesbury Library, Salisbury Museum Festival of Archaeology and Bournemouth University, and proposed presentations at Theoretical Archaeology Group conference 2017, Culture, Health and Wellbeing international conference 2017 and an international Archaeology and Wellbeing conference 2018 share learning with the public and professionals.
6. About the Heritage Lottery Fund: From the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife, we use National Lottery players’ money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about.  hlf.org.uk.
7. For further information, images and interviews, please contact
   Laura Drysdale, Director of The Restoration Trust on mobile 07740 844883 and email laura@restorationtrust.org.uk

We sang in woods and rain

I was running a bit late so by the time we got there everyone was seated with a coffee and the session had started. Luckily we had not missed much apart from the piggy pig dogs song.

I grabbed a seat and “C” made me a coffee – black no sugar! There was a quick update of what we would be doing.

Ben from the Richmond Fellowship had brought in some flint tools and began to explain the process of how the tools where used and made. He started off with a bit of flint that tools had been made from. He explained the percussion marks and how to tell if a bit had tools made from it or had just crashed against other stones.

We were shown examples of Stone Age knifes and told how they were used. We were reminded that we were going to places where humans inhabited only used stone tools. A place where archaeology can make guesses and assumptions because any organic items would have broken down over time so there is no true evidence. We meditated on the idea of a world where the only tools people had were stone and any others could only be imagined as now they were lost to history and the earth.

Then we were off to Fargo Woods, do you remember Fargo woods from last week [3,2,1 Cursus] and yes it was still a mission, with the added joys of cold winds and rain. I did question my sanity as l looked up the long road, but it just laughed at me and went for a coffee as I started my hike.

The wind whipped from the front and right and with the uphill incline it did make the journey a bit of a struggle but I finally got there. We stepped off of the tarmac road and into a leaf-covered woodland, the wet soft ground insured you focused on where you stepped.

[1]

I have not mentioned the umbrellas yet, but someone had brought some, good thing because it was raining but they were bright and highly patterned. I not saying they were ugly but…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2]

We came together in to a small circle linking those ugly umbrellas into a faux roof. Trapped in the dry space Yvette decided it was time to sing and taught us a new song, “Now all the woods are waking” and had us sing it in rounds :-

Now all the woods are waking

The sun is riding high

Wake up love, get up love

Before the dew is dry

Funnily this was the best part of the day for me standing in the woods voices in almost perfect harmony my thoughts drifting to the trees, the bulbs getting ready to burst in to spring and the story of Persephone, returning to her mother Demeter whose madness would depart, and the icy grip of winter would have no hold on the earth and life would return.

We then spent some time looking at the trees and trying to identify them forming in to smaller groups for chats and discussions after a while it was time to return back to the learning centre.

[1]

The walk back should be much easier as it was downhill. Well it would have been if it were not for the blustering cold wind and very fine rain. I had that ugly umbrella raised like a shield defending my left side from the onslaught but I was getting wetter by the second, but with determination I marched back to the learning centre.

Finally back at the learning centre I was half soaked my left foot is so wet I was starting to wonder about trench foot. But now it was time for coffee and biscuits and discussions and question selection for next weeks guest. Luckily a few members of the group are very knowledgeable about the local area and its history so I am looking forward to hearing the answers myself. Then sadly it was time to leave – so till next week then

 

Credits

Images where provided

[1] The great photographer also known as “The chauffeur!”

[2] Yvette Staelens  Academic and natural voice practitioner, Human Henge Coordinator http://humanhenge.org/people-you-will-meet-2/

 

Further information

Fargo plantation (the woods) – http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-408000-141000/page/5

About the project – http://humanhenge.org/

English Heritage & Stonehenge http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

 

Authors Resource

Name Mr BPD

Website http://www.my-dark-lyrics.uk

About Author; I have Borderline Personality Disorder and as a writer and poet I explore my madness through the creative arts. I have a personal belief that even in darkness light exists and it is a personal responsibility to always seek the light and I find the light in creating something.