Arfur minute!!!

[BAJR]

This is the lottery fund award: http://www.hlf.org.uk/ourproject/Pages/F...UwjMlevNNI

And this is the tender document for the archaeology work: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.u...=MAR140202




saw this..
Tuesday 8 January 2013

A MAJOR new Scottish trail will explore the life and battles of King Arthur – following research that suggests the real Arthur was a tribal chief in Dark Age Scotland whose reputation was secured after he subdued the Picts at the turn of the sixth century.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-...r.19852573

as they say in the vernacular... OMG!!!!! or even WTF!!!!

WEll I know that the Archaeology is under control... and that will be done to the best ability... BUT can I put in an HLF grant application for the search for Merlins Palace... Saurons Cave and perhaps a Fairy Castle. -



Arthur.... Does a character from Fiction/Legend exist?

1) No
2) No
or 3) NO!!!

[Sith]

I am Merlin! Legendary WIZARD of King Arthur.

This put me in mind of an argument between Adrian Chadwick, at the time working as an excavation supervisor for the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service, and a representative of the Doncaster Borough Council's education department. He was being briefed ahead of a day of school visits to the excavation, but the suggestion from DBC that he could frame the medieval period as being 'the time of Robin Hood' led to an outraged tirade about how he would not indoctrinate children about a quasi historical figure.

[P Prentice]

adrian chadwick is a quasi historical figure!!

[Dinosaur]

Can't wait to read Mr Crichton's book (...ok, maybe I can...). From the synopsis, shouldn't most of the trail actually be in England? :face-stir:

[Wax]

As archaeologists who try and deal with facts we often forget that a lot of our cultural heritage is not factual. There is nothing wrong with exploring cultural heritage, many fictional characters are linked to our landscapes. And at least the archaeology will be done properly. And I see no reason why someone could not put in a HLF bid to explore The links between the fictional Middle Earth and the real British landscape.

The stories places hold are not all interpretations of scientific and factual evidence. I shall now run and hide from the inevitable flak.}

[BAJR]

Now that idea I like... as I could see a real connection that could be followed. Just as long as I had not just published a book saying I had found Isengard - just off the M62 and want to excavate it.

I think the Borders archaeologist ( Chris - who I chatted to about this ) is doing a damn fine job at guiding a delicate situation into a safer harbour.

My worry is with HLF -- whats da game?


and in teh 5th 6th century was there such a place as England or SCotland or for that matter - bloody Arthur!

-- if I were you- I would wait for the book to be in teh bargain bin in bargain books, during bargain week. even then..

[Jack]

I can't believe that our hard earned idiot tax is being wasted on such an idiotic quest.......erm, oh......theres some poetry to that........or is it iron-(age)-y

[Wax]

let's face it the HLF is the proceeds from gambling, if idiots want to pay into it then why should we bother what is done with the money. Except that Government sees it as away of funding things they should be responsible for. As far as I am concerned that's the real issue here.

[ken_whittaker]

Can't see where the problem is with the project. It clearly distinguishes between research of an authentic place/time/ethic groups and the 'exploration of the Arthurian legend'. If archaeological research is directed at validating a myth, the critics may have a point, albeit one that disregards any aesthetic appreciation of 'romance' as a great early European literary tradition. However, it seems perfectly legitimate to seek to understand the contemporary context in order to better comprehend the Arthur of literary tradition, which, it should be remembered, can be traced back beyond Geoffrey of Monmouth, to Y Gododdin, in which Aneirin, describes a battle at Catterick, possibly at the beginning of the 7th century. Interestingly Aneirin's lament for the loss of the Gododdin warriors, echos down the centuries to collide with the fate of the Jacobites, and of course, that of the 'flower of Scotland' at every 5/6 Nations Championship since.

[Dinosaur]

Maybe we could get a grant to dig up Catterick? - can suggest which gardens to target :face-approve: