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Duncan Mackay

@theduncanmackay.bsky.social

2.9K followers 840 following 1.7K posts

Writer, archaeologist, wild swimmer, wild gardener. New book Echolands, A Journey in Search of Boudica out now from @Hodderbooks.bsky.social https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/duncan-mackay/echolands/9781399714143/ Rep. Jim Gill at Felicity Bryan Associates

www.hachette.co.uk

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Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · Nov 29

#Echolands #BoudicaFriday

Front cover of Echolands - A Journey in Search of Boudica by Duncan Mackay

Reposted by Duncan Mackay

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 21h

Ooh! Ooh! I know this! I know this! It’s err
it’s err, Boudoo…
it’s err, Bondi….
it’s err, Boaconstric….
it’s err, Baobab….
Nah, it’s no good, it’s gone now…

Valiant testing essential general knowledge February 1974.
Strap on your spinning scythes of death, people, it’s #BoudicaFriday!
#Echolands

Valiant comic cover with a colourful depiction of Boudica in her chariot with the title Who is It?

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 17h

If you click on #PlaymobilInfestation they are sometimes to be found…

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 18h

They do it all themselves! But, yes, I believe they stole a chamois and loom bands to make them.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 18h

A little researching and writing about Roman York today, so have a bit of 3rd/4th century Multangular tower Playmobil action.
#PlaymobilInfestation

A group of Playmobil Roman legionaries standing in front of a Roman tower in York.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 19h

Occasionally they cross over and get a double hashtag…

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 21h

a man with a beard and a hat says blasphemer while holding a chess piece

Alt: John Cleese in Life of Brian shouting Blasphemer!

media.tenor.com

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 21h

Ooh! Ooh! I know this! I know this! It’s err
it’s err, Boudoo…
it’s err, Bondi….
it’s err, Boaconstric….
it’s err, Baobab….
Nah, it’s no good, it’s gone now…

Valiant testing essential general knowledge February 1974.
Strap on your spinning scythes of death, people, it’s #BoudicaFriday!
#Echolands

Valiant comic cover with a colourful depiction of Boudica in her chariot with the title Who is It?

Reposted by Duncan Mackay

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

Carrawburgh Mithraeum, Hadrian’s Wall; the shyest member of the contu-baaa-nium
#RomanFortThursday

A sheep pokes its head out around a Roman altar in the ruins of a Roman temple.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

I was impressed.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

Interestingly that’s where the word barbarian came from…

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

a man in a knight 's costume is running in a field with another man

Alt: Monty Python King Arthur galloping an imaginary horse.

media.tenor.com

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

Good lord!

Reposted by Duncan Mackay

Dan Herbert @danherb10.bsky.social · 1d

Always nice to bump into some of your favourite people in Waterstones Piccadilly
@durotrigesdig.bsky.social @theduncanmackay.bsky.social @stonelands.bsky.social

A photo of a bookshelf with books about British Roman history

A photo of a bookshelf with a large array of hardback books

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

Always nice to see Echolands in such good company!🤩

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 1d

Carrawburgh Mithraeum, Hadrian’s Wall; the shyest member of the contu-baaa-nium
#RomanFortThursday

A sheep pokes its head out around a Roman altar in the ruins of a Roman temple.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

Fools rush in…

Reposted by Duncan Mackay

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

“I bet the wind will hold me up.”
No.
It won’t.

Idiot about to fall off a hillfort; Mam Tor c.1994.
#HillfortsWednesday

A foolhardy young man on the edge of a steep drop holding his bellowing white shirt open to catch the wind, and leaning dangerously far into it.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

a man in a suit and tie is holding a pen and hammer .

Alt: Magnus Pike shouting “science!”

media.tenor.com

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

“You can.”
“I caaan’t.”

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

To be fair, I had some whopping great shirts back in the day…

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

Icarus complex

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 2d

“I bet the wind will hold me up.”
No.
It won’t.

Idiot about to fall off a hillfort; Mam Tor c.1994.
#HillfortsWednesday

A foolhardy young man on the edge of a steep drop holding his bellowing white shirt open to catch the wind, and leaning dangerously far into it.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 3d

I wish

Reposted by Duncan Mackay

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 4d

Lorica hamata.
Iron Age / Roman mail armour.
Every other ring individually riveted.
1/

Close up of about a square foot of reproduction Roman/Iron Age mail armour.

Duncan Mackay @theduncanmackay.bsky.social · 4d

This example from the Folly Lane burial in St Albans looks like it could just be picked up and shaken out into the shape of my reproduction set.
3.

Archaeological find of scrunched up mail armour, beautifully preserved.

Reproduction mail armour on mannequin.