The third Practical Epigraphy Workshop organised by the British Epigraphy Society was held from 22 to 24 June 2010 at the Great North Museum in conjunction with the Department of History, Newcastle University.
Relations with the Great North Museum and Dept. of History were excellent. We were afforded very helpful assistance in particular by Andrew Parkin (Education Officer, Great North Museum), Lindsay Allason-Jones (Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Artefact Studies and Reader in Roman Material Culture, School of Historical Studies), and Federico Santangelo (School of Historical Studies).
Instructors included Roger Tomlin, Graham Oliver, and Charlotte Tupman, and the course benefitted also from visiting specialists including Peter Rhodes, and Glyn Goodrick. The programme incorporated guest lectures by Maria Brosius, Lindsay Allason-Jones, and Andrew Parkin. Peter Haarer directed the event as chair of the organising committee. All the above gave generously of their time and without fee.
The course was over-subscribed and, unfortunately, five applicants had to be turned away. Sixteen participants drawn from the UK, EU, and further afield completed the course. Eight of our participants were based at institutions in the UK, five in the EU, and three Overseas. Ten participants chose the Greek option, and six the Latin.
Programme
Tuesday
14.00-14.30: Registration, introductions, and briefings
14.30-15.30: Practical sessions in two groups: A: squeeze-making (Tupman); B: drawing (Tomlin)
15.30-16.00: Tea & cake
16.00-17.00: Practical sessions in two groups: A: drawing; B: squeeze-making
17.00-18.30: Guest Lecturer: Dr Maria Brosius: "A Plea for the Greek Scribe"
19.30: Course Dinner
Wednesday
09.00-10.00: Practical session on photography.
10.00-11.00: Hands-on practical session on texts for study.
11.00-11.30: Coffee & biscuits
11.30-13.00: Hands-on practical session on texts for study.
13.00-14.00: Sandwich lunch.
14.00-15.00: Visit to the Great North Museum: Andrew Parkin: "Inscriptions and the New Exhibition".
15.00-15.30: Tea / coffee & strawberries in library
15.30-17.00: Hands-on practical session on texts for study.
17.00-18.30: Guest lecturer: Lindsay Allason-Jones: "The People of Hadrian's Wall".
Thursday
09.00-13.00: Participants' presentations
13.00: Lunch / close.
Report by Brad Bitner, Macquarie University
Participants from over half a dozen countries and many universities gathered in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the British Epigraphy Society's Practical Epigraphy Workshop hosted from 22-24 June by the Great North Museum and the University of Newcastle. During a gloriously sunny and warm Northumberland week we enjoyed the expert and patient instruction of BES members Charlotte Tupman (KCL), Graham Oliver (Liverpool), and Roger Tomlin (Oxford). Peter Haarer (Oxford), BES Secretary, organized a daily timetable that included not only practical sessions but also an evening at a Turkish restaurant, several lunches and teas, as well as supplementary lectures and a museum tour.
On the first day we split into two groups based on our choice of Latin or Greek inscriptions. The groups learned and practiced squeeze-making and drawing in turn. Charlotte Tupman cheerfully modelled the proper technique for wielding an epigrapher's brush (badger hair is best) as participants tried their hands at making squeezes, a skill still invaluable for anyone working with inscriptions in the field or in museum collections. Roger Tomlin demonstrated methods of tracing and fair copying inscriptions and discussed various approaches and materials employed by Collingwood, Wright, and himself in their work on the Roman Inscriptions of Britain. The course dinner was preceded by a stimulating lecture by Maria Brosius (Newcastle) on the role of the Greek scribe in the transmission and adoption of linguistic and documentary forms amongst ancient cultures.
On day two, after a helpful introduction given by Glen Goodrick to the techniques and kit necessary for photographing inscriptions, we were introduced to our inscriptions. Participants spent the better part of the day working through the steps involved in producing an epigraphic critical edition. For all involved the realistic challenges of working with heavy stones or squeezes, sometimes in less than ideal lighting or positions, were surpassed by the considerable advantages of examination by autopsy. That afternoon we were treated to a tour of the Hadrian's Wall exhibition at the Great North Museum by curator Andrew Parkin. After a bit more work on our inscriptions, Lindsay Allason-Jones (Newcastle, Museum of Antiquities) spoke to us on the topic of what we can know about the people of Hadrian's Wall from epigraphic and archaeological evidence.
The final day brought us to the presentation of our inscriptions. Having described the stone or squeeze, drawn up a diplomatic text, and made a translation, we offered our summary comments to the group. Lunch and a photograph brought our time together to a close. Several participants, however, joined Peter Haarer for a wonderful two day excursion along Hadrian's Wall, stopping off at Vindolanda, Housesteads Fort, and walking truly impressive sections of the wall.
Many thanks are due to the organizers, instructors, and lecturers for a workshop both delightful and truly helpful in terms of research skills. All the participants, whether epigraphers proper, ancient historians, or philologists, were well served by the experience. Thanks also to those in Newcastle at the Great North Museum and the University for so warmly hosting us for the training.
Below: instructors and participants at the workshop
Relations with the Great North Museum and Dept. of History were excellent. We were afforded very helpful assistance in particular by Andrew Parkin (Education Officer, Great North Museum), Lindsay Allason-Jones (Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Artefact Studies and Reader in Roman Material Culture, School of Historical Studies), and Federico Santangelo (School of Historical Studies).
Instructors included Roger Tomlin, Graham Oliver, and Charlotte Tupman, and the course benefitted also from visiting specialists including Peter Rhodes, and Glyn Goodrick. The programme incorporated guest lectures by Maria Brosius, Lindsay Allason-Jones, and Andrew Parkin. Peter Haarer directed the event as chair of the organising committee. All the above gave generously of their time and without fee.
The course was over-subscribed and, unfortunately, five applicants had to be turned away. Sixteen participants drawn from the UK, EU, and further afield completed the course. Eight of our participants were based at institutions in the UK, five in the EU, and three Overseas. Ten participants chose the Greek option, and six the Latin.
Programme
Tuesday
14.00-14.30: Registration, introductions, and briefings
14.30-15.30: Practical sessions in two groups: A: squeeze-making (Tupman); B: drawing (Tomlin)
15.30-16.00: Tea & cake
16.00-17.00: Practical sessions in two groups: A: drawing; B: squeeze-making
17.00-18.30: Guest Lecturer: Dr Maria Brosius: "A Plea for the Greek Scribe"
19.30: Course Dinner
Wednesday
09.00-10.00: Practical session on photography.
10.00-11.00: Hands-on practical session on texts for study.
11.00-11.30: Coffee & biscuits
11.30-13.00: Hands-on practical session on texts for study.
13.00-14.00: Sandwich lunch.
14.00-15.00: Visit to the Great North Museum: Andrew Parkin: "Inscriptions and the New Exhibition".
15.00-15.30: Tea / coffee & strawberries in library
15.30-17.00: Hands-on practical session on texts for study.
17.00-18.30: Guest lecturer: Lindsay Allason-Jones: "The People of Hadrian's Wall".
Thursday
09.00-13.00: Participants' presentations
13.00: Lunch / close.
Report by Brad Bitner, Macquarie University
Participants from over half a dozen countries and many universities gathered in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the British Epigraphy Society's Practical Epigraphy Workshop hosted from 22-24 June by the Great North Museum and the University of Newcastle. During a gloriously sunny and warm Northumberland week we enjoyed the expert and patient instruction of BES members Charlotte Tupman (KCL), Graham Oliver (Liverpool), and Roger Tomlin (Oxford). Peter Haarer (Oxford), BES Secretary, organized a daily timetable that included not only practical sessions but also an evening at a Turkish restaurant, several lunches and teas, as well as supplementary lectures and a museum tour.
On the first day we split into two groups based on our choice of Latin or Greek inscriptions. The groups learned and practiced squeeze-making and drawing in turn. Charlotte Tupman cheerfully modelled the proper technique for wielding an epigrapher's brush (badger hair is best) as participants tried their hands at making squeezes, a skill still invaluable for anyone working with inscriptions in the field or in museum collections. Roger Tomlin demonstrated methods of tracing and fair copying inscriptions and discussed various approaches and materials employed by Collingwood, Wright, and himself in their work on the Roman Inscriptions of Britain. The course dinner was preceded by a stimulating lecture by Maria Brosius (Newcastle) on the role of the Greek scribe in the transmission and adoption of linguistic and documentary forms amongst ancient cultures.
On day two, after a helpful introduction given by Glen Goodrick to the techniques and kit necessary for photographing inscriptions, we were introduced to our inscriptions. Participants spent the better part of the day working through the steps involved in producing an epigraphic critical edition. For all involved the realistic challenges of working with heavy stones or squeezes, sometimes in less than ideal lighting or positions, were surpassed by the considerable advantages of examination by autopsy. That afternoon we were treated to a tour of the Hadrian's Wall exhibition at the Great North Museum by curator Andrew Parkin. After a bit more work on our inscriptions, Lindsay Allason-Jones (Newcastle, Museum of Antiquities) spoke to us on the topic of what we can know about the people of Hadrian's Wall from epigraphic and archaeological evidence.
The final day brought us to the presentation of our inscriptions. Having described the stone or squeeze, drawn up a diplomatic text, and made a translation, we offered our summary comments to the group. Lunch and a photograph brought our time together to a close. Several participants, however, joined Peter Haarer for a wonderful two day excursion along Hadrian's Wall, stopping off at Vindolanda, Housesteads Fort, and walking truly impressive sections of the wall.
Many thanks are due to the organizers, instructors, and lecturers for a workshop both delightful and truly helpful in terms of research skills. All the participants, whether epigraphers proper, ancient historians, or philologists, were well served by the experience. Thanks also to those in Newcastle at the Great North Museum and the University for so warmly hosting us for the training.
Below: instructors and participants at the workshop
