| Children from Arkengarthdale School enjoyed their time on The Hagg today, 12th July. Walking up from Reeth Showfield, we discussed everyday life for the people living in Swaledale during the Roman occupation, and how they might have tried to make the best of the situation. Some children thought that becoming a Roman slave might have been a better option than running away or trying to fight. Others came up with the idea of trading goods.
Life on the Hagg would have been hard work. We talked about how difficult it would have been to have to use a quern to grind all your flour, and how long it must have taken to fetch water, spin and weave your own clothes and look after your animals. The steep climb was enough for some. "Do you have to climb up here every day?"
Project Manager Philip gave the children a tour of the site and explained the latest thoughts on finds and layout. Most of the children had visited The Hagg last year and were very keen to get an update. It was wonderful to be able to illustrate aspects of daily life with actual finds such as the cosmetic palette and the collared hopper quern.
We then spent some time in the roundhouse as guests of the original Romano-British householder. Jane Sammells looked extremely elegant in her gown and headdress and was a wonderful hostess, urging us to try all sorts of Roman delicacies with our spelt or barley bread. Recipes from Roman chef Apicius included a kind of "guacamole" made with peas, a dish of butter beans, a spiced, savoury pear purée and some delicious home-made cheese with nettles in place of rennet. Children then got the chance to make a knotted bracelet to take away with them. Grateful thanks to Jane for all her research, hard work and brilliant presentation. Many thanks also to Mrs Thomas and Mrs Martin for their careful supervision of the children and for their contagious enthusiasm. |
