"Bling" went into the OED in 2003 which ought to make it acceptable. I'm just wondering how many kids are going to tune in tonight expecting to see a programme about some famous rapper or the other.
Ahhhhh, those were the days and I dont mean early medieval either, you could log on 40 mins after a TT special and see a mountain of opinions....and argue about them.
I posted outside this thread (sorry!), so just to reiterate, isn't the 'lyre' referred to in tonight's programme, being a localized variant of an instrument common to northern peoples of the time, an Anglo Saxon 'hearpa' (presumably 'harp')? This can't be just another attempt to use cosomopolitanism to undermine claims to a specifically Anglo Saxon culture, so any any information, since it is bound to be unbiased, would be very much appreciated.
Originally posted by Tetricus: I wonder what ridiculous title Ch4 will dream up for the Colchester Circus special ?
Formula One AD ....[/QUOTE]Sounds about right Is that a guess or inside info ? Probably something mundane like, Britain's Lost Roman Circus [/QUOTE]
It was going to be Formula One AD 100, but seems to be your mundane title in the listings. I guess someone decided two tabloid titles in a row would be too much ....
I havn't seen the program yet but i did you to see the finds at southend museum, they are extreamly lucky to get to the site, the plans to widen the road is still going ahead so the sight will be locked away for a few more years. Once I've seen the program i'll come back to let you know what I think of it.
Originally posted by Tetricus: I can just see Tony standing in the pouring rain on the site at Prittlewell saying " When you think of Southend, what comes to mind ? Candyfloss, Kiss me Quick hats, etc, etc
Appalling traffic and braindead morons come to mind when I think of Southend.
All in all, having waited a long time to see this special I was rather disappointed, there was little that we didn’t already know discussed. I would have liked to have seen more on the actual dig itself, and the techniques used in recovering and cleaning the finds. There was rather too much of the various academics padding out the programme, sitting around tables, speaking a lot but saying little.
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Facinating programme - really enjoyable, well presented and excellently researched. Helen Geake came over really well and seems to have relaxed significantly in front of the camera - maybe this more relaxed documentary style suits her better than the frenetic activity of a 3 day dig?
I'm intrigued to see that the finds are to be housed in Southend. It kind of makes a mockery of the British Museum's arguement that they can't give the finds from Sutton Hoo back to the purpose built and secure display environment there because they are of national importance and should be housed in London. Did the Museum of London experts not say that the Prittlewell finds were of 'national importance' too, and that this was a 'richer' burial than Sutton Hoo??? Why one rule for Essex and another for Suffolk?
what you mean when they are all old and decrepit - i thought tony looked a bit pinched either that or it was filmed in january! WHY SHOULD essex have all the best archaeology?
Originally posted by Tetricus: There was rather too much of the various academics padding out the programme, sitting around tables, speaking a lot but saying little.
It was a true reflection of the academic process! Whilst obviously there is a 'right' answer I thought Mick's analogy of how to get close to an almost impossible goal was excellent. He said at the beginning of the programme that there were academics out there who knew an awful lot about one tiny piece of evidence that this dig turned up. What was needed was for each fragment of expertise and knowledge to be tracked down, and then fed, like streams feeding a river, into a final body of knowledge about this burial. I found this facinating.
I agree, there wasn't a lot of new info - but the crux of the programme was *how* that info was achieved and distilled - a bit like a detective investigation.
I have to say my 14 year old daughter came up with the same explanation for the apparent Christian / Pagan burial rites conundrum, about half way through the programme!
Yes, this was a very enjoyable programme. Although I had heard of the site I didn't know very much about it and this seemed to be a comprehensive overview of the excavation and its finds. The process of trying to interpret the evidence was what held me. It is something that I feel is often missing from archaeology - a proper discussion of the site and its implications for our understanding of past peoples and cultures.
I agree with Lesley; I think Helen Geake looks much more confident in front of the camera these days. I was always suprised at the hostility to her that arose on this forum from time to time. Was it because she challenged the view of TT stalwart Robin Bush? I can't remember. I, for one, enjoyed the encounter as I'm sure Robin did.
The inverted snob in me questioned the venue for the round table discussion. White table cloths and water replacing early TT trademark pub table and beer - but, that's a TV thing I suppose. It made me realise that this is one of the things missing from TT these days and for me something that should be reintroduced.
I enjoyed the programme and it was news to me as I've been on Mars. The format is a good one with a grown-up feel and time to absorb the information. Very important when you get to my age and have a suspicion of cognitive decay I was pleased to see all those claw beakers and other glass but sorry the bones didn't make it through. With many of the grave goods in pairs or multiples thereof I wondered if it was a double burial. Interesting to see the royal family tree and chart the arrival of the new religious beliefs. What would Britain be like if we had stuck to the old gods ? What made the new one more attractive in that quasi pagan society?
The British Museum act has just been upheld so things can only be loaned to outside organisations, not given back in terms of ownership. Not even if the items were plundered, apparently. The BM has had the Sutton Hoo treasures a long time and visitors expect to see them there, however, there's no reason not to loan for exhibition purposes, providing the receiving institution can afford the insurance and meets the standards of security and conservation stipulated.
When they showed the reconstuction of the grave it reminded me of something. When they referred to it as more of a room it clicked; it looked very similar to the Hochdorf burial.
Originally posted by Lesley: Why Tet? Because then the finds would have been declared 'treasure trove'? I don't understand the technicalities of these issues... please do explain.
I'm no expert myself, just making assumptions. As they site was on council owned land, they have the say on where they are displayed, as they own them. I don't believe there is a treasure issue here ?
If it had been found on a private site, it may have depended on whether archaeologists or someone else had made the original finds. If it had been archaeologists, I would assume the finds would have been displayed in the nearest suitable museum, with the landowners wishes perhaps taken into consideration. They would have probably been persuaded to let them go to the BM.
If a member of the public had discovered the site, then there would have been a treasure issue, with valuations etc, and everything probably ending up at the BM.
I'm only guessing
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