Wait, did I say the end?  Not quite.  We still have this year’s AGM to get through, taking place on Wednesday 28th March.  We have to elect a new committee for next year and all it’s possible to stand for all places: for more information on each committee position, check the Facebook event.  We’ll kick of at 12.30pm at Malone’s ‘Irish’ Bar, and if your burning desire to ensure the survival of our society isn’t enough to make you turn up, then perhaps the free food that will be provided will be.  We’ll also be voting on whether or not to accept the new constitution as crafted by two guys on the committee who, I hear, are not just intelligent, morally upstanding and good at writing legislation with multiple numbered sections, but are also damnably attractive.

We hope to see you all there.

Fortune and Glory.

The next lecture in our series is a change from the advertised programme.  Dr Richard Knecht of Aberdeen University was to lecture on climate change and prehistory in Alaska, but has unfortunately had to cancel.  We are grateful to his colleague, Dr Charlotta Hillerdal, who has agreed to step into the breach to present on the same research area. The project at Nunalleq is conducted in partnership with a Yup’ik Eskimo village in Alaska in excavating a very well preserved pre-contact village site.  The excavation has revealed some fantastic organic preservation and raised many interesting points about the history of the Yup’ik and broader Eskimo culture.

The lecture will take place next Tuesday, 6th March, at 6.00pm and will be held in the Meadows Lecture Theatre.  As ever, entrance is free for members and £2 for non-members.

However, we also know that by now your sugar levels are probably dipping and you might need a little boost to carry you over to the weekend.  Well, we’ve thought of that too.  So tomorrow, Friday 2nd March, we’ll be running a cake stall at Doorway 4 from 11am to 3pm.   From it you will be able to purchase some sort of delicious biscuit or cake to get you through those long, essay-filled days.  Prices are as yet undecided, but I am assured they will be reasonable.

Alison Sheridan is Head of Early Prehistory in the National Museums of Scotland Archaeology Department, where she has worked since 1987. She was part of the curatorial team responsible for the Early People gallery of the Museum of Scotland.

The lecture will take place on Tuesday 28th February at 6.00pm in the Meadows Lecture Theatre.  As ever, entrance is free for members of the society and £2 for non-members.  It is still possible to join the society at this lecture and enjoy the benefits of membership for the rest of the semester.

Doubtless we will repair to Doctor’s for a beverage or several after the lecture, so do feel free to join us there.

Fortune and Glory.

First, Thursday 17th November is our Pancake Social.  Meet at Teviot at 7pm and, I am reliably informed, we’ll head on to a kitchen to rustle up some delicious goods.

If you manage to haul yourself into university on Friday after such good eating, you may find yourself requiring a bit of the hair of the dog.  In that case, feel free to swing by our bun stall, which will be outside Doorway 4 from 11.00am to 4.00pm.  Various delicious items will be on sale, made by our own society members, so make sure to take advantage of the situation.

Fortune and Glory (and cake)

The lecture will take place on Tuesday 15th November at 6.00pm in the Meadows Lecture Theatre.  As ever, entrance is free for members of the society and £2 for non-members.  It is still possible to join the society at this lecture and enjoy the benefits of membership for next semester.

Unfortunately our usual watering-hole for theoretical discussions, Doctors, is closed for some swanky refurbishment.  However, rest assured, dear member, that we will find a way round this seemingly impassable obstacle!

Fortune and Glory.

This weekend we will be off on our almost annual trip to Craigmillar Castle, just on the outskirts of Edinburgh.  We have secured a limited number of free entry places for the visit, so if you want to go, meet at Doorway 4 at the Department at 11.00am on Saturday morning.

The Castle was built in the 14th Century and was occupied by the Prestons and Gilmours at various points over the next few hundred years.  Allegedly Mary Stuart stayed there as a guest of the former, although several sites make such claims.  There are all sorts of hidden places to explore, including some particularly fine bread ovens.  If you haven’t yet had the chance to get there, you really ought to avail yourself of the opportunity.

Remember, the bus costs £1.30 for a single, so you will need two sets of exact fare (they’re fairly sticky about that).  Hopefully see some of you on Saturday.

Our speaker this week is David Strachan, the Principal Archaeologist of Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust.  David has worked in local and national government archaeology throughout Britain for twenty years.  His background lies in archaeological records, specialising in both aerial photography and inter-tidal archaeology.  He also hold a particular interest in Scottish Iron Age architecture and ancient wood-working.

The lecture will be held on Tuesday 8th November at 6.00pm in the Meadows Lecture Theatre in the Old Medical School, just off Bristo Place.  Head to Doorway 4 at the back of the courtyard where, no doubt, an intrepid committee member will be on hand to aid you in your quest.  Entrance is, as always, free for ArchSoc members and £2 for non-members.

Not content with this, ArchSoc are holding not one, not three, but two events this week.  Already returning by popular demand is our pub quiz, which will take place at Malone’s ‘Irish’ Bar on Forrest Road at 7.30pm on Wednesday 9th November.  Entrance for members is free and £1 for non-members and we have been promised by our secretary, Katie, that a most majestic wooden spoon will be produced at some stage in the evening.

Fortune and Glory!

Hopefully by now you’re all bouncing merrily along through this semester, full of the joys of archaeology.  Our lecture series is also now in full swing, and our next offering is presented by Ian Suddaby of CFA Archaeology, a local commercial archaeology unit based in Musselburgh.  The talk will be on Tuesday 1st November in the Meadows Lecture Theatre in the Old Medical Building, just off Bristo Place.  Just head to Doorway 4 towards the back of the courtyard.

Ian has worked for CFA since 1997, excavating a wide variety of sites throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK, and has considerable experience in dealing with the benefits, and the pitfalls, of commercial archaeology.  This talk will be especially interesting to those thinking of pursuing a career in the commercial discipline, but will also be intriguing for anyone involved with archaeology.

Entrance is free for society members and £2 for non-members.

Additionally, and importantly for the society, we will be holding an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 3rd November.  Unfortunately our current treasurer, Sarah, has had to step down and so it’s now crucial we elect a new treasurer to take on the responsibilities.  It can’t be stressed enough how critical this is for the society, as without three officeholders, the society can’t function.  Any matriculated student of the University of Edinburgh can stand for election, and w would encourage anyone to do so.  It really is a fulfilling role and, while demanding, is enjoyable.  As if that wasn’t enough, we’re having a social afterwards in Malone’s pub, so do feel free to join us then.

The talk will take place on Tuesday 8th March at 6.00pm in the Sydney Smith Lecture Theatre in the Old Medical Building.  As always, enter from Teviot Place and go through Doorway 1.  An indefatigable committee member will be on hand to offer assistance.

Entry is £1.50 for non-members and free for members.  We hope to see you on Tuesday for what should prove to be a very interesting lecture.