Monday, June 09, 2008

Where were you

I came in on Monday morning and guess what! there in the room were a group of new folks . But it was interesting talking to them! ( and to have a cup of coffee). What more could a chap ask for.

Don B

Monday, June 02, 2008

Visit to Lindow Man 23rd May 2008

We had a very interesting tour arranged by Manchester Museum for us and set up with audio interviews by the Museum as well as a description by Ann at each section.
A great deal of consultation took place before the exhibition was arranged and it was decided that an interview with people involved with the discovery of the body would help to tell the story from numerous points of view.

The two brothers who had been excavating the turf and found the body described their reactions and there was also an exhibit of the type of tools they would have used.

A little girl at a local school at the time, who had helped in a project at the time told us as a grown woman what she remembered. She had also kept a tee shirt she had from that time and this was an exhibit.

The archeologists involved with the investigations gave their reactions to this most amazing find and there were various theories put forward as to how Lindow Man met his death. Some thought he had been murdered. Others thought he might have been sacrificed and yet more who wondered if he had just fallen into the bog.

The items on show included various tools relating to the iron age. Some jewelry including a bracelet of similar shape to a large spring, and some beads as well as other small items.

We moved from one small section to another, each one relating to the person who was interviewed. There was an audio to listen to, as well as us having the luxury of Ann's description. The area was deliberately constructed in rough unfinished materials, even the stools were of rough wooden squares with a padding strapped to the top which we could sit on as we went around.

At the end of the tour we had a handling session with lots of stone age items and there were Museum volunteers on hand to help us to examine the items and understand their uses.

A cup of tea rounded off the visit and when asked by the curator what we thought of the way the Museum had catered for visually impaired visitors and I personally did not think they could have improved it at all. A great deal of thought and consultation had been taken and I would like to applaud everything that the Museum has achieved for us.

Many thanks to the Museum and staff and to Ann for her audio descriptions yet again.