ArchaeoFox: Exploring the World Through the Past 
Experimental Archaeology at UCD
UCD undergraduates reach out and experience the ‘nitty-grittys’ of ancient activities during UCD School of Archaeology’s module: ARCH30500 Experimental Archaeology and Ancient Technologies; learning about a broad range of technologies including, pottery production, clay firing, stone work, bronze casting, woodwork, textile and leather production, sword cutting foods and textiles; they can each now conduct their own archaeological experiments, at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Ancient Technologies.
Scoring a pot with Flint
Some pots ready for firing
Our Professors here understand more than any, that Experimental Archaeology means getting your feet dirty!
The base of a clay oven in production.
Many hands make light work, especially with ancient technoologies
First time turning clay in the hands.
lining the base of a clay oven with stones.
Even when when not excavating, some relationships remain strong!
Always a whirlwind of activity at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
After taking over 3,000 images this semester, I can’t find a single photo where someone is not smiling!
Stephen is always watching 🙂
Appreciation for the final touches, delicately present themselves only after each student takes a pride in a pot they made; not something you get at an average museum.
Macro shot of the sand particle in the we included in clay
A view of my apartment block on Campus at UCD, with a full view of the experimental centre.
Bronze Casting at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
It seems everything needed to build a ceramic workshop is right at our feet!
The Mesolithic house watches the girls through the trees as they retrieve the grass we will use to make a clay oven.
With every touch, we slowly bridge the gap; removing that museum display case glass to touch the very matter of ancient worlds.
New meets old in this one
A Portrait of My colleague, IRC and fellow PhD Scholar, Brendan O’Niel
Even the little chaps are busy at work at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
A Student shapes a piece of clay for the first time, connecting with the past through his hands.
Prof. Aidan O’Sullivan at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
Everything starts with a ball
Grinding an edge, to make a stone axe
An old exam table still gets used in our centre, some souls die hard.
Brendan Passes on some tips about handing clay
PhD Scholar Bernard Gilhooly shows the difference between steel, bronze and stone when chopping wood.
Prof. Seamus Caulfield demonstrates grain and saddle quern techniques.
The Arch30500 Experimental Archaeology and Ancient Technologies students of 2015
ArchaeoFox: Exploring the World Through the Past 