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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 3h

Researchers from Athens say that the ones like the gold-studded Bush Barrow dagger (a later version of the one in this drawing) inspired Mycenaean gold-workers. Lots of European links in the Bronze Age - Cunnington and Colt Hoare were right!

Rob Hedge @robhedge.bsky.social · 1d

#ArchInk 4: bronze; 5: flint; 9: ivory
#archaeology #illustration 🏺🏛️🗃️
Combining three prompts to look at early-19th century views of early Bronze Age artefacts.

Ink and graphite sketch of a dagger and arrowhead. Text reads: #ArchInk
The early Bronze Age was a time of remarkable transformation in material and social lives. People and materials came together in new ways.
I’m interested in how early observers interpreted these changes. The early-19th century excavators of these artefacts, Colt Hoare and Cunnington, were not afraid to draw parallels with continental Europe.
“Some may think it derogates from the dignity of our country to allow a Gaulish (i.e. foreign) original; but, be the consequences what they will, whenever we are in search of truth, although we discover her in ruins and rubbish, we must acknowledge and revere her.” Richard Colt Hoare, 1812
*Colt Hoare and Cunnington were, by the standards of the day, pretty good at recording. But in a sheepish footnote in their discussion of barrows in the severely area of Wiltshire, Colt Hoare admits that he’s not sure which of the barrows this dagger came from!
#5 flint One of four arrowheads within a burial in a bowl barrow: Which Show affinity with those from Armorica, NW France.
FLINT ARROWHEAD, WIMBORNE ST GILES.
4: Bronze BRONZE DAGGER, SILK HILL MILSTON*
9: ivory The pommel is ivory from a marine mannal, possibly a walrus. It is very worn, suggesting it might have adorned other artefacts before this dagger
The wooden handle was re-constructed based onCunnington's dig notes.
* Or is it ? Colt Hoare and Cunnington - and their illustrator /surveyor Philip Crocker- were pretty good at recording their f, by the standards of the day. But in a sheepish footnote in their discussions of barrow-digging in the Everley area of Wiltshire, Colt Hoare admits the dagger was "in one of these, but I cannot specify which!'

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 3h

Both in our collections. A researcher from Paris said that they didn't think the arrowhead was French, but made by someone very skilled who had seen French arrowheads.

Rob Hedge @robhedge.bsky.social · 1d

#ArchInk 4: bronze; 5: flint; 9: ivory
#archaeology #illustration 🏺🏛️🗃️
Combining three prompts to look at early-19th century views of early Bronze Age artefacts.

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 1d

Now in display in our Downland exhibition are items from our collections that inspired Rose Ferraby. One of the highlights is the 'White Horses' dummy of a Puffin book by Eric Ravilious. Find out more here ...
www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/news-article...

White Horse - dummy Puffin book by Eric Ravilious - Wiltshire Museum

In 1939 Eric Ravilious was commissioned to create a Puffin book for children about the chalk downs and White Horses. He began a 'dummy' of sketches showing how the book might work and began to paint a...

www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 2d

Search more of our collections here at: www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/search-the-c...

www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 2d

The decoration on the handle bears some similarities to integral buckle plates from the medieval period, although a late Roman or early-medieval date is suggested, though we are uncertain of the date. Found in Purton in 2016.

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 2d

This week on #findsfriday we have an incomplete copper-alloy spoon. The majority of the bowl survives and both internally and externally it is undecorated. The handle projects from the bowl and is decorated with multiple motifs.

Front and reverse of copper alloy spoon, disintegrated in parts. Handle with pattern

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 5d

Excavated from the villa at Cherhill, now under the church. Bruce Eagles suggested continuity from Roman House chapel to Saxon Church in a 'British' enclave.

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Reposted by Wiltshire Museum

The Salisbury Museum @salisburymuseum.bsky.social · 10d

Get involved in sharing history...

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 9d

Search more of our collections here at:
www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/search-the-collections

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 9d

Axes of similar fine-grain greenstone are known from North Wales (Penmaenmawr) and Langdale. Without petrological analysis however we cannot be certain of the axehead's origin

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 9d

This week on #findsfriday we have a Polished Neolithic axehead, 3500-2100 BC, probably made of greenstone, with damage at the butt end, from Luckington, Wiltshire.

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 11d

Come and see him in our Iron Age gallery! More about the Marlborough bucket (including an amazing online talk by Dr Ellis-Haken at www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/news-article...

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Reposted by Wiltshire Museum

Martyn Barber @martynjb.bsky.social · 14d

Amesbury to Shrewton road, later the A344. Stonehenge is off camera to the right. As well as being a prize winning photograper, Clarissa was an expert dowser, and undertook experiments published by the Society for Psychical Research into thought communication over distance (ie telepathy). (2/2)

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Reposted by Wiltshire Museum

Martyn Barber @martynjb.bsky.social · 14d

For #StandingStoneSunday, I was going to post one of Clarissa Miles' photos from Stonehenge in 1901. She was the photographer during architect Detmar Blow's operation to straighten Stone 56, and William Gowland's excavations, but instead, here's a passing shepherd and his sheep on the (1/2)

A black and whte photograph showing a shepherd and his dog, in mid-1901, standing in the middle of a trackway that crosses the photo from centre left to bottom right. Scattered around on the grass either side of the track are numerous grazing sheep. THe landscape beyond is open pasture with a couple of plantations of trees on the slightly higher ground in the distance. Clarissa Miles' photos of Detmar Blow and WIlliam Gowland's work at Stonehenge in 1901 were included in both of their reports. Those photos have been republished many times since, often without crediting the photographer. Sets of her photos exist in various archives, including WIltshire Museum, Devizes, and the National Record Office at Kew. In the latter, each print is attached to a copyright declaration form submitted in Clarissa Miles' name.

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 15d

And a GWR poster for Devizes!
www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/item-record/...

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The Salisbury Museum @salisburymuseum.bsky.social · 16d

✨Last call! Final days to experience the highly acclaimed ‘Elisabeth Frink: A View from Within’ exhibition✨

⏳Exhibition ends this Sunday, 28 Sept 2025.

#ElisabethFrink #ArtExhibition #ArtLovers #ThingsToDo #Wiltshire

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 16d

This axehead can be placed typologically in the Llyn Fawr metal working phase, now thought to have been contemporary with the earliest Iron Age, dating to c. 800-600 BC.

Search more of our collections online at: www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/search-the-c...

Search the collections - Wiltshire Museum

Search the nationally import Designated collections of the Wiltshire Museum - many drawn from the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site

www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · 16d

This week on #findsfriday we have An Early Iron Age copper alloy linear-decorated socketed axehead, found in or near Oldbury Castle hillfort, Cherhill.

Shiny metal axehead with circular end and loop

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Reposted by Wiltshire Museum

The Ghost Monk @theghostmonk.bsky.social · 18d

John Constable's watercolour of Old Sarum: an Iron Age hill fort, taken over by the Romans, before becoming the early medieval Salisbury. The site was abandoned when the city grew too big for the enclosure.
#HillfortsWednesday #Constable #landscape #watercolour #medieval #Wiltshire

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Reposted by Wiltshire Museum

Chippenham Museum @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social · 25d

Opening 15 November, 'Subversive Forms' will feature artworks by some of the leading sculptors and innovators working with ceramics in the UK today.

Learn more at our ceramics symposium in February. Sign up to stay up-to-date 👉 bit.ly/ChippenhamMus...

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · Sep 12

You can search more of our collections here at: www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/search-the-c...

Search the collections - Wiltshire Museum

Search the nationally import Designated collections of the Wiltshire Museum - many drawn from the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site

www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · Sep 12

One of these records is a new acquisition found by metal detectorist Bob Daniels and the help of his son James, in Hilmarton, Wiltshire this year! This
Medieval copper alloy and enamel Limoges hollow cast figurine from a crucifix dates to AD 1150-1250.

Figure of christ with a crown front and back

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · Sep 12

Our Curator and Museums Platform have just added another 2,000 collection records to the online database. The database is updated 3 times a year and we have approximately 130,000 records with 24,000 images.

Having an online database means that you get to see all the amazing finds we have!

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Wiltshire Museum @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social · Sep 10

New research on archaeological archives in our collections featured in article on Bronze Age feasting sites in Wiltshire. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

People gathered for great meat feasts at end of British bronze age, study shows

Evidence of millions of animal bones at sites in West Country and Surrey points to ‘age of feasting’

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Wiltshire Museum

MuseumShops @museumshops.bsky.social · Sep 9

Celebrate #NationalTeddyBearDay with @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social Alfred the Great bear. Dressed in his royal cloak and crown, this exclusive teddy is inspired by King Alfred, Chippenham’s most famous royal connection.

Shop online bit.ly/AlfredTheBear or visit in-store
#chippenhammuseum #TeddyBear

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