Fancy building a Neolithic House

[BAJR]

Was sent this and not sure where to put it...

Rewards include a free pass to EH properties.. ( and possible tea towel concession?)

Be part of an archaeological experiment and help us present the story of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site. Using traditional building methods and locally sourced materials, you will help recreate a Neolithic house based on archaeological findings.


Location

Old Sarum
Castle Road
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP3 6RR

Role Description

Key Tasks

Depending on which stage of the house building project you are part of there will be the following tasks:

• Stage 1 - Preparing hazel for wattling, making rope withies for securing roof and stakes, gathering materials
  
• Stage 2 - Setting out stakes, hazel wattling, preparing chalk cob, cob wall construction
  
• Stage 3 - Thatching, laying chalk floor, helping to make furniture and dressing house
  

Hours and Time Frame

It is planned that the project will run from Tuesday to Saturday during March to May 2013. We are looking for volunteers to commit to at least five days volunteering across the project. Inductions will be held each Tuesday morning and we would require all volunteers to attend an induction session on their first day of volunteering.
Skills and Qualities

• An interest in working in the historic environment
  
• An interest in working outdoors
  
• Ability to work as part of a team
  
• Ability to undertake physical work for a period of time
  
• To be flexible and enthusiastic
  
• To communicate effectively with other members of the team
  

Support and Training

Full training will be provided by English Heritage and it will include:

• Induction with team leader
  
• Training on construction methods and using tools
  
• Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment
  

What English Heritage Expects from Volunteers

Volunteers should:

• Maintain good working relationships with staff, other volunteers and members of the public
  
• Attend appropriate training and learn about the work of English Heritage
  
• Be reliable in attendance
  
• Observe organisational policy and procedures
  
• Protect English Heritage property from theft, damage or loss, within the limit of their responsibilities
  
• Safeguard confidential information about English Heritage and refer any controversial matters relating to the work of English Heritage to their manager
  

Other Information

• Volunteers may be reimbursed for travel costs between home and volunteering location within agreed limits
  
• A volunteer pass allowing free access to English Heritage sites is available after a satisfactory period of 4 months and the completion of 60 hours of service
  
• A certificate for your personal profile to demonstrate work carried out for English Heritage to show future employers or further education establishments
  

How to apply

To register your interest see how to apply.

[Dinosaur]

That based on any particular excavated example or just someone's fantasy idea? Certainly nothing like that has ever been dug up here....

[kevin wooldridge]

Will it be on TV? It sounds a little like a prehistoric version of 'Grand Designs' - I personally would get in a group of European immigrants to do the job. On time and under budget.....oh damn it the UK version has now taken so long we are into the Bronze Age!! Actually could explain one of my own personal archaeological 'time-lag' theories.....

[P Prentice]

That based on any particular excavated example or just someone's fantasy idea? Certainly nothing like that has ever been dug up here....

keep up will yer - been finding these at durrington walls since at least 2005

[Dinosaur]

keep up will yer - been finding these at durrington walls since at least 2005

The pics on tv have all been of floors etc, what's the evidence for the walls, roofs etc. I reiterate, nothing like that around here, the only evidence for walling is solid clay, for instance, and maybe a few little stakes, no indications of big posts and fancy wickerwork (what's the evidence for that at Durrington, by the way?)

[Dinosaur]

I personally would get ia group of European immigrants to do the job. On time and under budget.....

Beaker people do you?

[kevin wooldridge]

Just building a house and saying this is neolithic sounds too much like a doddle. How about a little bit of group interaction to spice things up and possibly test a few theories of social cohesion etc etc

One scenario might try out is to actually build 3 houses...1 could be a small group of people shown an image of the finished building, a pile of raw materials and the location and then told to get on with it but no further instruction (Intuitive Group); 2 could be a group of labourers told that they have to do everything that is told them and the sooner they are finished the sooner they are released from the project (Slavery Group) and 3 basket weavers of Salisbury and surrounding district (Basket Weaver Group).

It would be interesting to see how the rate of work, the finished project, the general ambience amongst members of the different groups varied over the period of the project.