Kate Sheehan-Finn
@katesfwriter.bsky.social
2.1K followers 370 following 1.5K posts
Writer, Untold Stories/Perspectives, Historical Fiction, Roman Archaeology, Ancient History, Pottery, Books, Travel, Gardens, Walking, Landscapes, #UNWC 2023/24, Winner #FNL #LFOW24 Jericho Writers
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Reposted by Kate Sheehan-Finn
alisonfisk.bsky.social
The Royal Game of Ur is the world’s oldest playable boardgame!

Played by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia about 4,500 years ago!

It is a two-player race game, the rules of which have been deciphered from a cuneiform tablet.

Game from the Royal Cemetery of Ur. 📷 British Museum

#Archaeology
British Museum photo showing a two-player board game with gaming counters known as the Royal Game of Ur. Dated c. 2,500 BC.

The game board is composed of a hollow box made of wood adorned with shell plaques. There is a drawer at one end for storing game pieces and dice. The top of the board is covered with twenty square-shaped off-white shell plaques, each bordered with dark-blue lapis lazuli. The shell squares are intricately decorated with blue inlaid patterns including dots inside circles and eye-shapes. Five squares are inlaid with flower-shaped rosettes with red limestone and blue lapis lazuli petals.

The game board is roughly rectangular in shape. Viewed from above in the photo, on the  left side of the board is a block of 12 squares made up of 4 across by 3 down. On the right side of the board is a block of 6 squares made up of 2 across by 3 down. The two blocks are joined by two squares extending between the second square down on the end row of the left block and the second square down on the first row of the second block.  

Dimensions H: 2.40 cm,  L: 30.10 cm, W: 11 cm, (W 5.70 cm at narrowest part)

Beneath the board are 14 disc-shaped gaming counters. On the left are 7 white pieces, inlaid with 5 spots of blue lapis lazuli. On the right are 7 black pieces inlaid with five white spots.

Between the game pieces are three tetrahedron-shaped dice. L to R: Dark blue, brown, cream.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
I was at a funeral yesterday. I wasn’t expecting it to be as uplifting as it was.
Beautiful rural church, packed to the rafters, the churchyard outside bursting at the seams, the local farmers making fields and yards available for parking.
The whole rural community bid one of their own farewell.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
A bit of autumn 🍂 colour - these trees run along the bank of the burn at the end of our garden. In this evening’s sunlight, everything turned to gold. It was magical.
#Northumberland #Autumn
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Huge puffball mushroom 🍄 growing on the verge by our cottage.
#Funghi #Autumn
Reposted by Kate Sheehan-Finn
katesfwriter.bsky.social
I love hosting the monthly Writers’ Cafe for my fellow #BeingAWriter members of @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social - it’s such a warm space to share our writing ups and downs and find support from people who get it.
#WritingLife #WritingCommunity
thelitconsultancy.bsky.social
Join us this Thu 9 Oct for our Writers' Cafe, a space where writers come together to talk about their writing lives.

📓What’s working for you? What isn’t?
📓How can we support each other?

A chance to share & find motivation in the company of fellow writers, hosted by @katesfwriter.bsky.social
Being A Writer
A programme of support for writers that prioritises literary creativity and emotional resilience. Curated by the UK’s leading editorial consultancy, The Literary Consultancy (TLC), Being A Writer is…
literaryconsultancy.co.uk
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Lord Beveridge wasn’t perfect. He was known for supporting eugenics, which I find horrifyingly evil.
However, we would not have an NHS in Britain, or much of the protections for vulnerable people, those things we are fighting to keep, were it not for people like him.
#TombTuesday #EpigraphyTuesday
katesfwriter.bsky.social
For #TombTuesday here is the tombstone of Lord Beveridge in Thockrington, #Northumberland. He played a key role in creating the British welfare state. His 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services was the basis for the Labour government welfare state (elected 1945).
#EpigraphyTuesday
📸 my own
katesfwriter.bsky.social
That’s a great exam Q:

Catholicism is less crazy than Protestantism, but individual Catholics can be crazier than specific Protestants. Discuss with reference to three examples from historical sources.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
A wave forms, curls over
Sprays frothy salt lace -
This aquamarine dance is on rinse and repeat.

#AmWriting
📸 my own, #Crete
katesfwriter.bsky.social
A god or goddess for protection from every problem or risk.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Maple’s #SundayVibe 😜
🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛
katesfwriter.bsky.social
So much silver, gold and bronze was melted down. We are lucky to have the objects that survived being recycled. Hopefully a few of our best pieces will last long after we are gone.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Love Forum books. Corbridge is my local small town. I used to work at the Roman site near Corbridge several years ago.
Reposted by Kate Sheehan-Finn
classicalalan.bsky.social
The Roman camp of Raedykes near Stonehaven is one of the best preserved in Scotland. It covers around 38 hectares and has an irregular outline. Probably built in the late 1st century, by the 1700s it was being associated with the elusive site of the battle of Mons Graupius. #RomanSiteSaturday
The ditch of the Roman camp of Raedykes in north east Scotland
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Did you go inside? There’s so much of interest inside the church too.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
These photos are from my archive on other turbulent days. I did not make it up to the Wall path today.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Even when it’s stormy I still love #HadriansWall and the landscape the Roman frontier occupies.
#RomanBritain #RomanSiteSaturday
📸 my own, Northumberland.
katesfwriter.bsky.social
Power on and off, but we are fine. Reminds me of storm Arwen. So we have board games, chocolate and wine and just enjoying a quiet evening as the electricity comes and goes. Hope all’s well with you too xx
Reposted by Kate Sheehan-Finn
kpw1453.bsky.social
Some of the surviving frescoes from the House of Livia, the wife of Augustus, on the Palatine Hill in Rome. The frescoes date to around 30 BC. 📷 My own. #FrescoFriday #Rome
katesfwriter.bsky.social
The heavy rain before the winds pick up. Lights on. The afternoon is darker than dusk. #StormAmy approaches #Northumberland.

Three wishes:

1. that the storm doesn't take any lives
2. that we don't lose power
3. that it isn't half as bad as predicted

#weather
a cat is holding an umbrella in the rain while a dog is looking at it .
ALT: a cat is holding an umbrella in the rain while a dog is looking at it .
media.tenor.com