Events

Join Mike Bamforth (Department of Archaeology at the University of York) for the next in our series of free talks in association with our current exhibition, Star Carr: Life after the ice.

About the Talk

Star Carr is renowned for the exceptional survival of organic artefacts. The waterlogged wood excavated at the site allows an incredibly rare glimpse into the use of a material that, whilst used ubiquitously in the Mesolithic, almost never survives. Large deposits of wood describe lake edge platforms and possible trackways into the lake, with many well preserved wooden artefacts recovered, including a bow, digging sticks and probable spear shafts. The wood assemblage helps our understanding of the type of woodland being exploited and the ancient woodworking techniques people used to shape and form this versatile material.

From the challenges of excavating and recording 11,000 year old wood, to the experimental programmes devised to better understand what was discovered and  ultimately to some of the reconstructions this led to, this lecture aims to give a broad overview of the study of wood and woodworking technology at Star Carr and how it can help us to better understand the lives of the people who lived there.

Image credit: Cambridge Archaeological Unit

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Mary Beard in Conversation – Wed 21 May 2025

Date: Wednesday 21 May 2025, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

Mary Beard in Conversation
21 May 2025 | 2pm – 4pm | Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum | £15 per person | Book now

An interview with the famous Mary Beard on diversity in the Roman Empire and Eboracum in a broader perspective.

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Peter Addyman in Conversation – Thu 22 May 2025

Date: Thursday 22 May 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

Peter Addyman in Conversation
22 may 2025 | 7pm – 8.30pm | Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum | £5 per person | Book now

There is probably no-one in York with the depth of archaeological experience that Peter Addyman has collected since he arrived in the city in 1972.Ever since he co-founded the York Archaeological Trust in 1976, he has been involved in research, digs and written papers covering all periods of archaeological research in York.

At this event Peter will be talking about some of his experiences – some known, some still not published, many of them relating to Roman sites in the city and surrounds – aided and provoked by John Oxley, the former City of York Council archaeologist.

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New perspectives on Roman York: showcasing current archaeological research – Fri 23 May 2025

Date: Friday 23 May 2025, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Venue: Yorkshire Museum

New perspectives on Roman York: showcasing current archaeological research
23 May 2025 | 1pm – 5pm | Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum | £10 per person | Book now

The latest research concerning Roman York will be showcased in a symposium that brings together the most important scholars working on the archaeology of York and Yorkshire. Recent research has considerably changed the view of the city and the people who lived there.

Talks by Martin Millett, Alisha Meadows, Maureen Carroll and James Gerrard.