Independents' Day 2008

The Southern Marches Archaeological Festival

a meeting hosted by the Monmouth Archaeological society

Saturday August 30th 2008

Independents' Day 2008 will be held at Monmouth, hosted by the Monmouth Archaeological Society.
The meeting is called “The Southern Marches Archaeological Festival” a full day of talks and a most interesting archaeological visit. The festival is being held in conjunction with the Monmouth Archaeological Society with contributions from neighbouring Societies.

Monmouth is a very successful society of about 75 members which has been active for over 30 years. It has recently discovered the “Lost City of Trellech - which we shall be visiting later in the day. The Society has just published a book “Down the Dig – Monmouth Adventures in Archaeology” which details much of its work in Monmouth over the past 30 years. In 1988 the Society was the winner of The Pitt-Rivers Award for the best voluntary project and the Legal & General Silver Trowel for the greatest initiative in Archaeology. In 1992 they won the Pitt-Rivers Runners–up Award.

During the day we will hold a number of talks and end with a visit to “Lost City of Trellech”. The following is the provisional program

• Welcome by Andrew Selkirk (Chairman of the CIA and Editor in Chief of Current Archaeology)
• Introduction to the Monmouth area and the Monmouth Archaeological Society. Steve Clarke.
• Contribution from the Forest of Dean OR a talk on Roman Clay Altars—the first found in Britain.
• Archaeological digs in Monmouth Main Street—from Bronze Age to 18th. century.
• The Barrows of Hergest Ridge by Rosamund Skelton.
• Usk Archaeological Society - results from recent dig at Penpergwm OR Air Photography and Roman Fort excavation.
• Tombs of Trellech—results of geophysical investigations.
• Examples of the latest results of pseudosections (vertical sections) using the TR/CIA meter by Bob Randall of TR Systems.
• Visit to The Lost City of Trellech. (In the year 1250 Trellech was the most important city in Wales - a bustling settlement a quarter the size of London. Stuart Wilson, who now owns the field containing this site, will unearth the secrets of this find. Parking at the site is very limited so we have arranged coach transport.)

The cost for the day has been pared to the absolute minimum – a real bargain at only £15 each which includes tea / coffees and a light lunch. An additional £2 covers coach transport for the field visit.

The meeting will be be preceded by the AGM of the Council for Independent Archaeology at 10.30.

Coffee will be available from 10,00, and the conference proper will start at 11.00

Refreshments for delegates will be available throughout the Conference. A
light lunch is included in the fees. Soft and alcoholic drinks can be
purchased from the bar.

If you wish to guarantee a place or want further details please contact the CIA secretary Keith Foster on email skfoster@btinternet.com or telephone 01332 704148.

Click here for conference leaflet, which is a 1,274 kb pdf download.

Click here for "Where is the conference"

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