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- Sep 27, 2002
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This weekend was Middle Earth Weekend at Sarehole Mill in Birmingham. J. R. R. Tolkien and his younger brother lived a few yards away from the mill for part of their childhoods so the mill, the surrounding fields and nearby Moseley Bog were their playground.
The weekend is LOTR linked but there are a number of events and activities which are more loosely related.
One of these was the Viking reenactors wh had a camp in the meadow and put on splendid fighting displays, even if their kit was not quite 100% authentic.
Viking hardware:
Arrow maker:
We went on a one-hour guided tour of Moseley bog, a green area a few yards away from the mill which contains a number of features of archaeological interest. Most interesting perhaps though is the ancient "burnt Mound", one of 43 burnt mounds discovered so far within Birmingham. They are all carbon-dated to the period between 3,500 and 3,000 years ago. The consist of a huge number of pebbles which have been burnt and cracked by fire, combined with charcoal.
The City Archaeologist defines the extent of the burnt mound:
The mound is something like 40x50 feet and is nowadays bisected by the small stream in the foreground. In ancient times the stream ran around the edge of the site. The wattle work is to reduce erosion of the mound by the stream.
The most usual explanation for these mounds is that they consist of stones which have been heated to boil water or cook food. However excavation at several sites in Birmingham has found no trace whatsoever of food remains or cooking vessels. The most likely explanation now is that the heated stones were used to make steam in a sweat lodge, similar to those used by North American Indians.
Pieces of burnt and heat-shattered pebbles:
There is a possible location for the sweat lodge itself a few yards downstream, where more burnt stones can be seen exposed in the bank of the stream.
Meanwhile, back at the mill, a farrier was demonstrating metalworking techniques:
I asked him if he could make me a firesteel:
Grinding the striking surface:
Finished job:
I'm very pleased with this, now I've just got to find some decent flint!
The weekend is LOTR linked but there are a number of events and activities which are more loosely related.
One of these was the Viking reenactors wh had a camp in the meadow and put on splendid fighting displays, even if their kit was not quite 100% authentic.
Viking hardware:
Arrow maker:
We went on a one-hour guided tour of Moseley bog, a green area a few yards away from the mill which contains a number of features of archaeological interest. Most interesting perhaps though is the ancient "burnt Mound", one of 43 burnt mounds discovered so far within Birmingham. They are all carbon-dated to the period between 3,500 and 3,000 years ago. The consist of a huge number of pebbles which have been burnt and cracked by fire, combined with charcoal.
The City Archaeologist defines the extent of the burnt mound:
The mound is something like 40x50 feet and is nowadays bisected by the small stream in the foreground. In ancient times the stream ran around the edge of the site. The wattle work is to reduce erosion of the mound by the stream.
The most usual explanation for these mounds is that they consist of stones which have been heated to boil water or cook food. However excavation at several sites in Birmingham has found no trace whatsoever of food remains or cooking vessels. The most likely explanation now is that the heated stones were used to make steam in a sweat lodge, similar to those used by North American Indians.
Pieces of burnt and heat-shattered pebbles:
There is a possible location for the sweat lodge itself a few yards downstream, where more burnt stones can be seen exposed in the bank of the stream.
Meanwhile, back at the mill, a farrier was demonstrating metalworking techniques:
I asked him if he could make me a firesteel:
Grinding the striking surface:
Finished job:
I'm very pleased with this, now I've just got to find some decent flint!
