World Archaeology Festival 2018

The UCL Institute of Archaeology's annual World Archaeology Festival will take place this year on 9 June.

Endless Journeys

Come and join the UCL Institute of Archaeology for some free, fun family events at the World Archaeology Festival. The festival will host a range of exciting archaeology-related activities, including behind the scenes tours, art activities and artefact handling for all ages.

Activities

Institute of Archaeology building

• Conservation Laboratory - piecing together the past: see what is involved in conserving objects for display in museums. Find out what we discover during conservation
• Making and faking money: learn how the ancient Romans made counterfeit coins. Forge your own coin out of chocolate
• Your face, your fate: discover how the ancient Chinese made cosmetics
• When Bad Things happen to Good Books: come and see how damage and decay affect our books. Learn book mending and basic conservation techniques
• I Spy Through the Keyholes of Time: become a time traveller and peer into the lives of people in the past through a world of miniature interiors
• Writing Lab: A Splash of Ink: what did people use to write with in the past? Discover Western calligraphy and make a bookmark in the style of a medieval illuminated manuscript
• Writing Lab: Tracing stokes - try your hand at Chinese writing and calligraphy
  

Gordon Square Gardens

• Sandpit Archaeology: learn how to excavate and unearth the past
• Face painting: will you be a face from the past?
• Sealing the Deal: discover ancient Mesopotamian seals and learn how they 'signed' documents and protected property
• Talking Tatoos: explore the world of decorated skin
• Superstitious London: good luck or bad luck - the superstitions of London
• Cleaning up the past: how did you wash in the past? Discover ancient hygiene
• Egyptian Rituals: make your own servant to work for you in the Egyptian afterlife. Wax modelling and painting of Shabtis
• Threads of Time: practice weaving techniques that have been used throughout time
  
• What is my Stuff? use the Institute's X-ray fluorescence (XRF) equipment to find out what your jewellery is made of
• Make it in Stone: see how to work flint into tools (flint knapping)
• Fire in the pot? watch how early humans made fire
• Meet the Alchemist: turn your coppers into gold and silver!
• CSI Gordon Square: explore the world of forensic archaeology and excavate the crime scene
• Heritage Futures: create an object for the museum of the future
• Archaeology and Education: what do archaeologists study?
  
• Meat - The Ancestors: see how our ancestors processed meat

An information desk will be available in the in the Institute of Archaeology reception area. This is also a first aid point. A pop up cafe will also be available on the 6th floor for when you need a rest!

Additional activities

Tours of the Institute of Archaeology Collections & Object Handling Session
Tours start from the information desk in the Institute of Archaeology reception area at 2:00pm and 3:00pm. Please sign up in advance as we can only accommodate 15 people per tour.

Family Trail: The search for Leo
Follow the clues and find the missing object! Trail starts in the reception area.

Defying Death: A Human Journey through Medicine
The Institute's new student exhibition, Defying Death: A Human Journey Through Medicine is on display in the ground floor Leventis Gallery and is free and open to all.

The World Archaeology Festival is part of the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of Archaeology Fringe 2018. The UCL Festival of Culture is also taking place at this time (4-8 June).

Further details

• Eventbrite tickets (free)
• Council for British Archaeology
• UCL Festival of Culture

Contact

• Ian Carroll, Collections Manager, UCL Institute of Archaeology

Please note: Photography will be taking place on the day. We will be butchering a deer carcass in Gordon Square, as well as processing a deer skin to make leather. The Defying Death exhibition contains human remains which are licensed for display by Human Tissue Authority Public Display Licence No. 12620.