Mesolithic

Event Review: Food Workshop in Archeon at the OpenArch conference 2013

Rüdiger Kelm (DE)
EXARC Journal Issue 2014/3
Mixed Matters
OpenArch Dialogue with Skills Issue
***Food and drink are basic needs for every human being. From the perspective of our modern culinary practices, with all its specialities and customs, the traditional cuisines, and especially the pre- and protohistoric dishes, seem not only very far away, but also very primitive and have a negative connotation...

Book Review: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences by L. Shillito, E. Fairnell and H. S. Williams (eds)

Katy Whitaker (UK)
EXARC Journal Issue 2014/2
Mixed Matters
A set of eleven articles resulting from the call for papers for the Sixth UK Experimental Archaeology Conference (held in York in January 2012) is now published in a special issue of the Journal of Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences...

Conference Review: Reconstructive & Experimental Archaeology Conference REARC 2013

David Wescott (US)
EXARC Journal Issue 2014/2
Mixed Matters
REARC Conferences
***This article is republished from the Bulletin of Primitive Technology #46. The 4th Annual Reconstructive and Experimental Archaeology Conference was recently held in Gastonia, NC at the Schiele Museum of Natural History. The conference theme was Education and Reconstructive and Experimental Archaeology...

Conference Review: 8th Experimental Archaeology Conference, Oxford 2014

E. Giovanna Fregni (IT)
EXARC Journal Issue 2014/1
Mixed Matters
EAC Conferences
***The conference unofficially began in the Royal Blenheim pub at 6 pm on Thursday evening. Conference staff and attendees filtered in throughout the evening eventually filling the back room. The pub had excellent food and a good variety of local ales. Those who managed to brave the flooding introduced themselves and got to know...

Reconstructing a Prehistoric Fish Trap

E. IJsveld (NL)
EXARC Journal Issue 2014/1
Ancient Technology

Introduction

The conical fish trap with a funnel entry is used mainly in standing waters, slow streams and tidal areas.Fish traps without a funnel can be used where a strong current prevents the fish from swimming out again, but in slow-moving water, the funnel is indispensable to block the way out and keep the fish penned (Brinkhuizen, 1983:8-53).

Living Museum of the Mbunza (NA)

Member of EXARC
No

As with all Living Museums in Namibia the main focus of the Mbunza Living Museum is to provide visitors to the museum with a detailed and authentic insight into the traditional, pre-colonial culture.

The Living Museum, situated at the Samsitu Lake, is a traditional village of the Kavango, who have lived in this area for centuries. The village has been built entirely from natural material and the actors of the Museum carry clothes made from self- tanned, with Mangetti nut oil refined leather. The outfit actually had to be reconstructed from old photographs.

Living Hunter’s Museum of the Ju/’Hoansi, Xa Oba (NA)

Member of EXARC
No

Apart from getting to know the fascinating ancient culture of the Ju/’Hoansi, native to the Kalahari desert for thousands of years, experiencing a real hunt with hunters from the Living Museum is the focal point.

Here the traditional bow hunt with poisoned arrows, the digging out of spring hares and porcupines, the snare catching of guinea fowls, khoraans and other birds for the daily hunt for food has never been terminated. The San living in this area are actually the only ones of their cultural group that are officially allowed to still hunt traditionally. Thus they still master the art of reading tracks and are delighted if visitors show special interest herein. The opportunity for visitors to be able to take part in such a hunt is also unique.

Living Museum of the Damara (NA)

Member of EXARC
No

Together with the Bushmen the Damara belong to the oldest nations in Namibia. Their original culture was a mixture of an archaic hunter-gatherer culture and herders of cattle, goats and sheep. Due to their loose social structures the Damara were not able to defend themselves against aggressors during the colonization of Namibia. This is one of the reasons why their culture has to a great extent fallen into oblivion.

Within the framework of the Living Museum of the Damara an attempt was made to reconstruct the “lost culture” of the Damara. Here the visitors have the unique opportunity to get to know the fascinating traditional culture of the Damara, thus contributing to the preservation of the culture as well as to a regular income for the Damara community that built the museum.

The museum is member of the Museums Association of Namibia; the LCFN is member of EXARC.