Floats My Boat

These two shots are of the 3600 year old Bronze Age boat found in Dover in 1992. Made from four oak planks it's held together with oak wedges stitched in place with yew withies. You can see the original stitches in the shot below.

To make the craft waterproof the seams and stitch holes were packed with moss and beeswax.

Such a survival is incredibly rare but it is interesting to note that unlike the Mary Rose [the updated exhibition for that is equally fascinating] it didn't sink. Instead it was abandoned in antiquity and it seems likely that the missing timbers were retrieved and used elsewhere....reclamation Bronze Age style! Sand in the bottom suggests it was a sea going boat rather than a river one as the simpler log boat construction would have been far easier to construct and more than suitable for the inland waterways. Other Bronze Age boat finds on the seabed prove that there was cross channel trade in multiple goods.

An important part of archaeology is testing out theories so in 1996 a team went ahead and built part of a reconstruction using the same tools available at the time. Using chain saws to fell the trees it still took them six weeks but they found that the tools used were far more effective than they had anticipated.

The boat gallery is one of a number of well laid out rooms at Dover Museum. Personally I found the information was presented in a very accessible way and was absolutely fascinating. At only £4 entry it's brilliant value. More about what I enjoyed on my visit in the next post.

Arilx

Mystery Object

Another one in an occasional series of little things that catch my eye. I'll put the answer up tomorrow.

Arilx

Some good guesses and not too far off. They're pipe stoppers and are Czech.

Timely.

"Like the bee gathering honey from the different flowers, the wise person accepts the essence of the different scriptures and sees only the good in all religions."

Gandhi

Wise words indeed for these troubled times.

Arilx

Scratching The Surface.

One of the things I had really hoped to see on my recent few days in Kent was the ossuary at St Leonard's in Hythe. As one of only two remaining in this country it would have been of great interest to me but it's only open during the summer months so alas it wasn't to be this time. However, I still made it to the church.

Reading the latest literature on the ossuary the most recent archaeological investigations have thrown up some answers and dismissed some of the more outlandish theories as to where the bones originated from. Firstly there are no dwarves...the more mundane answer is that these particular skulls are actually from children and the "victims" are unlikely to be pirates or all victims of the Black Death. Indeed there are more females than males and most it would appear were local to the area. It seems probable that many were exhumed from the graveyard when the church was extended. Evidence of trepanning in the skulls has also been brought into question....the skull damage is from head wounds inflicted by sharp weapons. Many of the remains show damage due to iron deficiency and one individual suffered from an overactive thyroid.

Despite not being able to visit the crypt St Leonard's didn't disappoint because it is equally well known for its medieval ship carvings. Sailors have always been highly superstitious throughout history [and with good reason I have to say] and I've found that maritime related rituals have often cropped up in folklore as they followed various practices to try and safeguard their lives. It seems likely that these were carved as a means of seeking God's blessing for a safe journey and return before setting forth.

The Hulc

The Longship

There are also pilgrim's crosses to be seen and in the final shot a daisy wheel believed to be a general symbol for good fortune. These are found in secular buildings as well.

Arilx

Chaucerian Caricatures.

Sorry to disappoint but you're not going to get some highbrow discourse on The Canterbury Tales from me....others far more learned have already got that covered. Instead carved faces from Canterbury. To my mind these put me in mind of the pilgrims so brilliantly described by Chaucer and I can see echoes of them in Hogarth, the wonderful 18th century cartoons lampooning the "good and the great" of the day, The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland and more lately the Spitting Image puppets. I feel that they were there to amuse but it's only my pet theory....for all I know they may have been issuing a serious moral message. It will have to remain a mystery.

The Wife of Bath perhaps?

This figure could have graced the cover of Punch in its heyday.

The devil with lady bumps really?! Not sure whether this is misogynist in the extreme or taking the proverbial out of Satan. Whichever it is I enjoyed the visual comedy of the pieces.

Arilx

Leighton House

Now I don't need much persuading to have an outing if I've got leftover pocket money burning a hole in my pocket [we each have a very modest allowance per month...we're talking £20 here...to spend on personal treats]...add a dear chum with a birthday last week...a mutual love of Art Nouveau, The Arts and Crafts Movement and Pre Raphaelite paintings and a building with beautiful interiors and yes I'M IN woohoo! Life is short and I'm here to enjoy myself thank ye!

Leighton House was the former home of Frederick Leighton- a contemporary of the Pre Raphaelite movement and many works both by him and the likes of Millais and Burne-Jones are on permanent display. The house was designed by the architect George Aitchison and is most noted for its amazing Islamic inspired interior.  Due to the delicate nature photography is prohibited but on a clear, bright day as was our visit the colours are sumptuous. This virtual tour gives you some idea of what we saw but in no way captures the intensity http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/leightonarabhall/virtual_tour_home.html

Besides being stunned by such sheer beauty we were there to see the exhibition "Victorian Obsession" featuring works from the private collection of Perez Simon displaying the different ways the female form was portrayed from 1860 to WWI. Standout pieces for me personally were

The Enchanted Sea by Henry Arthur Payne. He was taught stain glass window techniques and like the work of Burne-Jones it shows in the depiction of the faces.

Leaving Church in the Fifteenth Century by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Real faces not stylised ones.

The Crystal Ball by John William Waterhouse. A glorious depiction of a witch rather than the more usual old hag type that I am more accustomed to. One previous owner was so disturbed by the content that they had the skull painted over!

This final piece closed the show. It was set in a room aside from the others with the preparatory sketches hung on the walls around it. Amazingly even the room was scented with essential rose oil to enhance the effect. The Roses of Heliobabalus again by Alma-Tadema.

Sadly it finishes at the end of the month but hope you've enjoyed the little taster I've given.

Arilx

The Art Of Being.

Aah the old Protestant Work Ethic....I think it must be so hardwired into my brain that I am not really aware of it until something makes me take a step back. I am by nature a busy person who likes to feel I've achieved something at the end of each day. However, it can be insidious when you do take a break and feel nothing but guilt for "wasting" time. It's not a positive outlook and driving yourself to be industrious the whole time from this position only turns it into a vicious circle.

Today I've taken a step back. I've got the things that needed to be done done [like the ironing...you know it's attained mountain status when you find a lost tribe of Sherpas and a Yeti lurking amongst it!] but have discarded the other exciting things down on The List like cleaning the grout between the kitchen tiles. Honestly when did I get to be so rock 'n' roll?!!!

Shhh I've also taken the racy step [for me that is] of deciding that I can't be bovvered to run the five mile race I signed up for next weekend. I've got a bit caught up in the trying to run further hype that surrounds it all and putting myself under pressure. Now don't get me wrong I have the greatest admiration for those that are dedicated and run fast/far but it just doesn't float my boat nor am I willing to put in the time to train to see "better results". The whole point of the exercise was to relieve my anxiety not increase it. Sometimes I quite enjoy it but I certainly don't love it and sometimes I loathe it. Having made the decision that I am most definitely jogger not runner material it felt like a load taken off my shoulders!

So what has Aril done instead....after a day out in London yesterday with a chum [more of that later on in the week] she took a much needed Nana nap this afternoon. A spot of baking was in order....chocolate sponge and black treacle flap jacks. It's and activity I always find incredibly relaxing. A brief flit to our local nature reserve up the road....no camera so just enjoyed looking....and look I did...hard not to see the wonder in this year's first glimpse of primroses and a wren [even if the birding world rather disparagingly calls them a LBJ= Little Brown Job]. Those wonderfully stubby little tails delight me. Oh yes and I now have a completed gargoyle head done whilst tittering through the Vicar of Dibley DVD. A much needed change in pace to recharge the batteries. I am sure I will be back on the hamster wheel before long but I do at least have more awareness these days.

Mr Philip Callow puts the point across so much more succinctly!

"There is endless time to please yourself the moment you abolish the need to accomplish something."

Arilx