Talks and Workshops
There is a time and a place for formal talks and PowerPoint presentations, however most effective learning comes from questioning, and that works best in a more informal setting.
ArchaeoLearning provides a range of different learning approaches, with the aim of being accessible for all. If you think you are too old or too young or even if you worry about limited mobility - DON'T. If you are interested then get involved, book a place, come along and indulge your passion; immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Archaeology. Just have fun learning!
Click on the ArchaeoLearning logo to find a list of workshops, talks and events aimed at those of us who don't formally qualify as children. There will be a range of activities such as pottery talks and demonstrations, workshops introducing the basics of archaeology, fieldwork methods and techniques, excavating and interpreting human remains, talks from Archaeologists fortunate enough to have travelled the globe learning about and doing their bit to protect some incredible Archaeology and artifacts, such as that in Iraq and Libya. Keep an eye out for updates.
Adult Learning
Adult Learning
AL the owl (with a trowel) is the mascot for Children's activities and workshops. Each workshop has an age guide, but these aren't set in stone. Some are for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 aged children (6-11 years) , some are more appropriate for Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 aged children (11-17 years). If you really want to get involved but are unsure if you are too old or too young, just get in touch.
Each workshop or event has all the details listed, just click on the one you are interested in to see all the information you need.
Archaeology is the history of us all. The artifacts discovered should be seen, studied, held, questioned and appreciated for what they are.
Our aim at ArchaeoLearning is to encourage, develop and foster an enthusiasm for the past through engaging, interactive activities, workshops and talks for all ages. Archaeology is the study of objects used and modified by our ancestors.
OUR ancestors.
Hold a brooch, a bead or a pot in your hand and imagine the tales it could tell.
What has it seen? Where has it been? Who owned it?
Get hands on, reach out, touch history and imagine the sights, sounds and smells that brooch, bead or pot has experienced.
Workshops and Events
Adult Learning
Each of our Workshops has an age guide to help you select an appropriate workshop. But don't worry, this is not a rule just a guideline. If you are interested in something but are worried about being older or younger, drop me a line and we'll see what we can do.
Upcoming Events
Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington, UKCan you tell a Neolithic piece of pottery from a Post-Medieval example? Why did ancient potters add things to clay? Did they really use manure? Have a go at dating and sequencing some pot sherds, before having a go at making a pot yourself.
Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington CT7 0BH, UKHow good are you at identifying human bones? Could you work out what is missing and what could have been the cause of death? What can bones tell us about the health, lifestyle and and age? Can we tell what they looked like?
Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington, UKWhat is the difference between an ecofact and an artefact? What exactly is environmental archaeology? What can we tell from the remains of the past? Can we tell what people ate, and how does diet change through time? And what exactly is a coprolite?
Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington CT7 0BH, UKIf you had a scale 1 cm to 1000 years, how many meters would human evolution begin? When did humans reach Britain? Why was there a 10,000 year absence of human habitation in Britain? Were Neanderthals clever? Come along and find out the answers to these and more on a journey through Prehistory.
Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington CT7 0BH, UKWhat is Archaeology? How is it done? Where does an Archaeologist start? Does Archaeology ever end? Join us for this short taster course introducing all things archaeological.- Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington CT7 0BH, UKIf you had a scale 1 cm to 1000 years, how many meters would human evolution begin? When did humans reach Britain? Why was there a 10,000 year absence of human habitation in Britain? Were Neanderthals clever? Come along and find out the answers to these and more on a journey through Prehistory.
Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington CT7 0BH, UKDid you know there were lots of different sides to archaeology? Do you know how an archaeologist dates objects? What can the different layers in the soil tell us? Why is it so important to draw and record objects that are found?- Time is TBDThe Antoinette Centre, The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park, Birchington, UKCan you tell a Neolithic piece of pottery from a Post-Medieval example? Why did ancient potters add things to clay? Did they really use manure? Have a go at dating and sequencing some pot sherds, before having a go at making a pot yourself.
Just to be sure...
What is archaeology?
The purpose of archaeology is to learn more about past societies and the development of the human race. Over 99% of the development of humanity has occurred within prehistoric cultures, who did not make use of writing, thereby no written records exist for study purposes. Without such written sources, the only way to understand prehistoric societies is through archaeology.
It is about the evidence that man has left behind. It is most definitely not about dinosaurs.
About me...
I have been fascinated by History since I was five years old. My Dad took me to see the Roman Painted House in Dover and actively encouraged me to imagine what these pretty pieces of silent stone could tell me, if only it could speak. That was it. Imagination took over.
During holidays as an undergraduate, I worked for Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT) to gain experience in fieldwork. I graduated from The Institute of Archaeology (University College London) in 2001 and immediately started full-time work for CAT on the Canterbury Whitefriars Excavation, now the site of Fenwicks. Ever wondered why the ground has those funny drawings and etchings in? Drop me a line and I'll happily explain.
Site assistant, finds assistant, conservator, UAD (Urban Archaeological Database) Project Administrator are just some of the many roles I had. Among many interesting locations (urban, rural, big and small), I have been fortunate enough to have worked on two Anglo Saxon cemetery sites here in Kent; one as part of the Channel Tunnel Rail-link project in 1999.
I strayed away from Archaeology for a while to teach adults how to use MapInfo GIS as a supply lecturer at Canterbury College, then retrained as a primary school teacher. I have been teaching (adults and children) in the county for 14 years. I hold a current and up to date DBS enhanced disclosure certificate.
I am now combining my teaching skills with my love of History and Archaeology as the Education Officer at The Trust for Thanet Archaeology. I firmly believe there are people who would love to learn more about our shared past in an interactive, friendly, informal way. People who would relish holding ancient artifacts and using their own imagination to consider the tales such artifacts could tell, regardless of their age or experience.
Look at the workshops and talks listed above. If one grabs your attention, great; I'll look forward to seeing you there. If you have an area of History or Archaeology you would like to know more about, get in touch.
I look forward to meeting you.
Diana
Diana Holmes BSc (Hons), PGCE, PCIfA
Useful Links
I am an Assistant Leader for the Canterbury Young Archaeologists Club (YAC). It is a wonderful opportunity for young people to see the many different sides of Archaeology.
I am the Education Officer and a Trustee at The Trust for Thanet Archaeology, promoting education, taking part in pop-up museum roadshows, visiting schools and organising ArchaeoLearning workshops and activities at
The Antoinette Centre, Quex Park Estate.
Archaeology is tough. It is backbreaking. It is muddy. You need patience, stamina and a good sense of humour.
But it is, quite simply, the best job in the world.
CONTACT ME
Please Note:
For the love of all that is good, if you email me and do not receive a response within a polite period of time, please please please check your spam filter, junk mail folder or whatever it is you use to filter out that nasty annoying spam.