Another Grand Day out at The Great North Museum with Lindsay Allason-Jones

I have blogged about the epigraphy/Roman inscriptions day that Hands-on-Latin ran on 30th May 2015 and here I am blogging about yesterday's epigraphy event (held at the same place). Both days were terrific fun. Here is some excellent feedback:

"Lindsay was excellent. Wonderful balance of showing us round and talk. Really enjoyed it and learned so much. Feel well equipped to attempt reading inscriptions." 

"This was a fantastic opportunity for myself and my students. An excellent and interesting day. Looking forward to applying new knowledge in the museum!"

"Good hosting and Lindsey was very engaging. Really felt like my knowledge of inscriptions improved over the day. The pack is also comprehensive and gives something good to take home."

"Well done indeed. Worth every penny!"

Photos relating to the course:

 Very sunny pictures of Newcastle University from the day before (the Armstrong Building) on Friday when Newcastle's weather was positively tropical...

 We began the day looking at the plaque to 'Her Majesty The Queen' showing when The Great North Museum was officially opened on Friday 6th November 2009.

These are not past customers !!!! (At the Small Clore Room - where the event was held in May and yesterday)

Lindsay showing us the Great North Museum plaque (relating to its official opening)

Looking at a plaque dedicated to the Hancock family located in the GNM atrium

In the torrential rain (yesterday)
Lindsay is valiantly pointing out an inscription in the gardens of GNM

A wonderfully life like sculpture of a rhino (Rhinoceros) in the GNM garden

  

We all look on (Lindsay is out of shot beside the rhino)

Lindsay in action complete with torch to look at another possible inscription
or is it? (We debated this.)

Lindsay showing us the library at the top of the GNM which is free for the public to use

The famous 'Roman Inscriptions of Britain'  (RIB) which is also now online

In the small clore room looking at the 'Regina et Barates' inscription (one of Lindsay's favourites)
RIB 1065

Lindsay in action in the Roman Gallery of the GNM

Lindsay with the altars found in Newcastle in the Tyne river (on the site of the Roman bridge in the north channel of the Tyne) dedicated to Oceanus (Sea Water God) RIB 1320 and Neptunus (River Water God) RIB 1319. They were found when the Swing Bridge was built in 1875.

Lindsay pointing out an inscription with the original red paint from Roman times which can be seen on the inscription

Tackling a tricky inscription to finish off the day consolidating our
new found knowledge on Roman inscriptions!

Many thanks once again to Lindsay Allason-Jones OBE who provided yet another fantastic day of
information, fun, anecdotes, stories...These all added to our fund of knowledge relating to the many varied characters, of all ages, who lived along the length of the Roman Wall and its vicinity.

A Grand Day Out at the Great North Museum - Inscriptions/Epigraphy Course

 Here we are gathering for a day's course on 'Learning to read Roman inscriptions' at the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle upon Tyne on a fantastically sunny day...with Lindsay Allason-Jones OBE

Great North Museum: Hancock in the sun

W & L enjoying the sun before the course

In the small clore conference room

Learning how to read Roman inscriptions

On the campus of Newcastle University looking at recent inscriptions and how they are written

"Now what does it say?" "What is it telling us?"

'Mens agitat molem' = 'The mind moves the matter' (Virgil)

Action photo: Lindsay Allason-Jones showing us what to look at and how to interpret it

How do we look at inscriptions? 'how can we apply this knowledge to how the Romans used them?'

The Museum of Antiquities of Newcastle University used to be in this area until it was demolished and replaced by The Great North Museum: Hancock

Another Lovely Long Latin inscription

Here is Lindsay pointing out a salient feature

Back in the lecture room soaking up the facts and the jokes

We finished off the day by looking around the Roman Gallery at the GNM: looking at the inscriptions from the Brocolitia Mithraeum; altars and tombstones; various inscriptions - Hadrian's Wall

Lindsay makes a comment on one particular inscription (we had looked at this previously on slides)

The famous 'Hadrianic' inscription (RIB 1637) at GNM from Hadrian's Wall
This inscription is important as it proves conclusively that Hadrian's Wall was built under Hadrian's orders. The name of the governor Nepos dates the stone to AD122-124 (found in 1715 at Hotbank Milecastle No.38)

W has spotted something!

Lindsay vividly related the lives and stories of the peoples who inhabited the area 2000 years ago

W & L are pleased with their progress over the day

Lindsay has dubbed this dedication slab found in 1744 at High Rochester  (RIB1279) 'The Times Crossword Inscription'

Now we feel ready to tackle more inscriptions when we are out and about in the museums

 and sites

 along Hadrian's Wall like this one (RIB 1713) about Cornelius Victor (his replica tombstone, the original one is at EH Chesters Museum) at Vindolanda.

The next 'Hands-on-Latin' learning to reading Latin inscriptions course will be at The Great North Museum: Hancock on 12th September.Please contact me if you would like further details to discuss this or anything else! :-) vale for now! Hadriana/Catherine

Introduction to Roman Epigraphy - Course Dates at Great North Museum:Hancock with Lindsay Allason-Jones OBE

Lindsay Allason-Jones OBE

An Introduction to Roman Epigraphy 

Saturday May 30th & Saturday September 12^th 2015

Great North Museum: Hancock

Hands-on-Latin is delighted that Roman expert

Lindsay Allason-Jones OBE,

will be introducing us to a wide variety of Roman Inscriptions

in the unique collection

at Newcastle’s Great North Museum: Hancock

10am Introduction to reading and understanding Roman epigraphy

(Gather in GNM small clore conference room ~ tea & coffee, biscuits, will be served)

11am Armstrong Building ~ A case study in building inscriptions 

(a fun exercise)

11.45am Looking at Building Inscriptions

12.45pm Lunch (Buffet lunch served at The Great North Museum)

1.15pm Looking at Funerary Inscriptions

2.15pm Tea & Coffee break

2.30pm Looking at Altars

3.15pm Religious Inscriptions (Roman Gallery)

3.45pm Conclusion (Inscripta)

4pm End of Introduction to Roman Epigraphy Day

 Books by Lindsay Allason-Jones OBE

2015 Ticket Prices 
^{£92 per place 
(includes buffet lunch, lots of tea, coffee and biscuits, 
materials, good company 
and plenty of knowledge)}

Please contact Catherine Jarvis for further information and details:

website: www.Hands-on-Latin.com (my email address can be found on the website)

Twitter: @handsonlatin

Facebook: handsonlatin.com

Hands-on-Latin

@

Four Wynds

Longbyre

Greenhead

Northumberland

CA8 7HN

Tel: 016977 47972

+ (44) 16977 47972

Mob: 07759 020885 + (44) 7759 020885

Or via my blog here...

Lindsay is super knowledgeable and great fun. Looking forward to those dates already.
Please do get in touch if you need any information whatsover!

Stone at Great Chesters Fort

I like Great Chesters fort a huge amount. Why? It is largely untouched and on a working farm above Haltwhistle. I always try and look at lots of different stones when I am walking around and about.

This fort is on the line of Hadrian's Wall. I'll write more about it another time.

Most people will not see this stone as it is in the outer side of the fort and you have to circumnavigate the fort to see it. You also have to be really careful as there is a lot of livestock around - as always take particular care when on a farm and treat the whole area with respect and caution.

I did not know what this stone was. I sent a photo of it to Lindsay Allason-Jones - Roman expert  (Reader in Roman Material Culture) and who is still involved at Newcastle University Archaeology Department (she's just retired from there - from her full time post at least!) and is the President of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle (amongst many, many other things). She says that it might be a lintel.

I enjoy all aspects of Hadrian's Wall plus the history before, after, during the life of the Wall...but sometimes chance discoveries and things which catch me off balance and, therefore, make me reassess my current level of knowledge have a special meaning for me...

What do you reckon this stone could be? I'd be interested to hear your suggestions....