
Dr. James Dilley
@ancientcraftuk
Experimental Archaeologist @sotonarch; Media consultant; Specialist in Flintknapping & Bronze casting: see my work displayed at @britishmuseum & @EH_Stonehenge
ID: 481863227
https://linktr.ee/AncientCraftUK 03-02-2012 08:03:50
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A challenge from the Bronze Age While stone and especially clay moulds were commonly used, a metalworker over 3000 years ago tried something audacious. They tried to make a mould that was more reusable and easier to transport, by casting bronze into bronze. 🎥 emmalouwynjones


What tools would you need to make a Palaeolithic handaxe? Most were made using hammerstones, some were flaked using antler soft hammers to make thinner shapes. What flint shape should Iook for? Ideally a nodule that is already fairly thin and lenticular! 🎥 emmalouwynjones

Em has been working with Leicestershire Museum Collections and Charnwood Museum to make a replica and film of the stunning Cossington early Bronze Age necklace for their new exhibition: My Jewellery, My Story. You can check out the film here: youtube.com/watch?v=43kbJl…



Grimspound - Dartmoor In the saddle of Hookney Tor & Hameldown Tor is a 150m wide oval of rocks that encloses 24 hut circles. Excavations in the 19thC by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee uncovered worked flint & pottery suggesting a late Bronze Age date. 📷 emmalouwynjones


Making a bronze spear head As part of our video series for English Heritage, we wanted to show that although Grimes Graves is best known for its Neolithic flint mines, it was also home to Bronze Age metalworkers who specialised in making basal looped spears. 🎥 emmalouwynjones

A cache of Neolithic flint axes Not as common as bronze axe hoards (because worked stone detectors don't exist), but the action of grouping stone axes appears to be consistent across Neolithic Britain. Today I make hoards as stock for the Replicas Shop! 📷 emmalouwynjones


Home is where the hearth is ....4000BC A snippet from a recent filming project with Jersey Heritage inside their stunning Neolithic longhouse at la Hougue Bie museum. I'm showing how fire might have been made using iron pyrite and flint. 🎥 emmalouwynjones

I can't resist thrusting some gneiss rocks on twitter, that with a bit of pecking, grinding really make you want to call them Moine. Geology puns over. Two of my favourite replica Orcadian style axes of the sort that have been found at the @NessofBrodgar 📸emmalouwynjones


What a weekend we've had at the workshop! Bronze sword casting and arrow making were on the itinerary, and we were delighted with everyone's hard work. There are a few places left on other workshops in the year, check them out! ancientcraft.co.uk/workshops-and-… 📷 emmalouwynjones


Bronze, Beer and Boats! Join me at Stanwick Lakes on Friday 9th May at 10am for their special exhibition series of 'Tea & Talks'! I'll be looking back at the highs, lows, spills and thrills of the Big Bronze Age Boat Build at the lakes: stanwicklakes.org.uk/events/heritag…




Brilliant Bronze! Its user-friendly, multi-purpose, exciting, zeitgeisty & most importantly of all, its slightly shiny! Those boring old stone axes have had their day, so make sure you're attending one of our bronze orientation days! ancientcraft.co.uk/workshops-and-… 📷 emmalouwynjones


Bronze, Beer and Boats! On Friday at 10am I'll be looking back at the highs, lows, spills & thrills of the Big Bronze Age Boat Build at Stanwick Lakes. From amusing predicaments to exploring prehistoric archaeology in today’s world. stanwicklakes.org.uk/events/heritag… 📷 emmalouwynjones


What a day! Making a bronze axe at the Bronze Age Great Orme Mines - living history indeed! Big thanks to Dr. James Dilley for an epic experience. All absolutely legitimate writer’s research naturally … here’s one I made earlier, with a cold one for scale



😃 We really enjoyed welcoming the Great Orme Country Park wardens to Great Orme Mines during Dr. James Dilley latest visit. There was plenty of laughs, getting hands-on with history and discovering the skills of Great Orme’s Bronze Age residents!

