Young Archaeologist issue 139

Spring 2009

YAC UK member Daniel Rose-Jones tells YAC about making his very own lyre!

We dig deeper in aviation archaeology with Historic Environment Record Officer, Jeff Spencer.

Finds Officer, Rachel Cubbitt tells us what it was like to find Britain’s oldest brain in York.

YAC delves into an archaeologist’s tool kit.

Norman the archaeological Worm takes us on a whistle stop tour of Britain’s archaeological periods from the Palaeolithic to the present day.

YAC visits China in our ‘Where in the World’ feature to find out about the astonishing tomb of the First Emperor in Xi’an and we explore the mysterious Sanxingdui ruins in the Sichuan province.

Belfast YAC Branch make their own model of the volcano, Vesuvius.

Why not create your own stained glass windows in this issues YAC Attack!

Making Music Anglo Saxon Style

As you will have seen in issue 139 of Young Archaeologist we had an article all about Anglo Saxon music. It was inspired by an amazing project carried out by YAC UK member Daniel who made his very own lyre. The Cornwall Archaeological Society had had a fascinating lecture on the Prittlewell Prince site. This is a rich 6th century Saxon burial in Essex. The burial had been made in a wood-lined chamber, which was then filled with a remarkable range of personal items, including a lyre (a harp-like stringed instrument).

The Prittlewell Prince lyre survived only as a thin layer of very decayed wood and corroded metal fittings on a thick block of sand, but enough survived to tell that it was similar to one that was excavated at Sutton Hoo (a rich Anglo Saxon ship burial found in Suffolk).

Daniel’s dad had seen the lecture and suggested to Daniel that he might like to try making a lyre. They bought some wood and Daniel got going straight away. His lyre is modelled on the Sutton Hoo lyre but it is about one-third shorter.

The strings that Daniel used are actually ukulele strings and the sound-board is held on with drawing pins. The pegs and bridge he carved himself with left-over bits of wood. It can be strummed or plucked, and makes a remarkably good sound. Once he had done his research, it took only a couple of days work. Not only did Daniel make his wonderful lyre but he has mastered playing it too.

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