Maiden Castle Day School with Dorchester Association For the Research into Local History and Archaeology
It is 40 years since the last major dig at Maiden Castle, the spectacular prehistoric hillfort on the outskirts of Dorchester in Dorset. Professor Niall Sharples, who led that campaign, will be joining us along with experts who have researched various aspects of the site, to tell us the current thinking about it’s archaeology. Discover how those excavations and recent research have changed our understanding of the site and its place in prehistory.
The day will examine what came out of that and also look at more recent work carried out by Bournemouth University and others. We will also consider the background against which the site developed in prehistory. A buffet lunch and morning and afternoon refreshments will be provided.
Speakers include:
Prof. Niall Sharples, Cardiff University and excavator of Maiden Castle
Title TBC
Susan Greaney, University of Exeter
‘Shifting perspectives: the Neolithic causewayed enclosure and bank barrow at Maiden Castle in their local context’
Sasha Chapman, Historic England and Win Scutt, English Heritage
‘Monumental Protection: The Law Behind Maiden Castle’s Legacy’
Dr Rebecca Redfern, London Museum and Newcastle University
‘Osteobiographies from Maiden Castle’
Dr Rachel Pope, University of Liverpool
‘The problem with Hawkes’ hillforts: W.J. Varley revisited (archive, biography, excavation)’
Dr Miles Russell and Paul Cheetham, Bournemouth University
‘Beyond the Castle: developing an understanding of the Durotriges’
Dr Miles Russell, Paul Cheetham and Dr Martin Smith, Bournemouth University
“The stream of years that have borne these deeds away from us” Radiocarbon analysis of the Maiden Castle burial population.
Dr Melanie Giles, Manchester University
“Glinting White Bones” Art, archaeology and creativity – Maiden Castle and the work of Paul Nash
Emily Prtak
‘Writing a history of hillfort studies from the Molly Cotton archive’.
