Interactive Ancient History

Here you will find information on items you have excavated in our "Archaeology Lesson Kits"

Find the category of kit you have excavated....

Search for the image and relevant information about the artifact you are now researching. Use the links provided to help you search for more information.

Oil Lamp - Head of Medusa - First Century AD

This oil lamp has two small filler holes beneath the image of the Greek head of Medusa.
Question: Who is Medusa and what role does he play in Greek mythology?
Why would someone have an oil lamp with Medusa on it?

Oil Lamp - Athena - c400BC

This oil lamp has the head of Athena wearing a helmet emblazoned with olive leaves.
Question: Who is Athena and what role does she play in Greek mythology and Greek life?

Oil Lamp - Greek Amphorae - c400BC

This oil lamp has three wick holes and a central filler hole with imagery of Greek amphoras and other items on it.
Question: What benefit is there in three wick holes on this oil lamp? What imagery is there on the lamp and what is its purpose?

Dekadrachma of Syracuse - 400BC

Tetradrachma of Athens 480-400BC

Tetradrachma of Alexander the Great 336BC

Tetradrachma of Gela Sicily 470BC

Tetradrachma of Rhegium, Italy 435-425BC

Tetradrachma of Naxos, Sicily 735BC

Questions: What side of these coins are the reverse and obverse?

Why the imagery of these coins?

What role do you think each coin uses its imagery as a form of propaganda to the people?

Why Greek coins from Italy and Sicily?

  Click HERE to go to the TIME TEAM website where you can read all about the program,
Watch video clips, do an interactive "time Team" dig on line and much more.

Watch the series on the History Channel.

  Click HERE to go to one of Archaeology Magazine's Interactive digs in Pompeii. Learn all about the excavations going on there, follow the day by day experiences of the archaeologists and much more.

Roman Wine Cup and Strainer. Based upon a pottery cup and strainer found in Pompeii. The strainer, also called a "Cola Nivaria" was used for several purposes, namely to strain beer or wine before drinking or to cool the wine by first placing the strainer on the top of the cup and filling the strainer with ice or snow.

Question: Why would the Romans need to strain their wine and beer?
Question: Where would they get ice from?

Roman Amphora. Amphorae were used for many purposes, particularly for storage purposes. They varied considerably in size from as small as the one found in our kit to well over a metre high. They would be sealed in various ways, with a stopper and cloth and sometimes the stopper would be sealed with the merchants or owners seal.

 Question: Why did amphorae have pointed bottoms? 

Roman Oil Lamp. A replica of a single wick oil lamp from Pompeii. This lamp has a single filler hole and a single wick hole in order produce a single flame. The lamp has a wreath imaged around the filler hole and a handle that has a hole in it in order to be able to hang the lamp up when not in use. This lamp show evidence of having been used, notable the soot around the wick hole.The original has a patina that includes hardened grey ash. The lamp has the makers mark on its base.

Question: What were wreaths symbolic of in ancient Rome? 
Question: Why would they wish to hang the lamp up when not in use?
Question: What sort of oil would they have used in this lamp?

Roman Oil Lamp. A replica of a double wick oil lamp from Pompeii. This lamp has a single filler hole but a double wick hole producing a double flame. The lamp is embellished with floral designs on the handle which again has a hole for hanging when not in use, and on the top surface has a relief of a charioteer. This lamp has no makers mark.

Question: Why would they wish to hang this lamp when not in use?
Question: What is the benefit of two wick holes?
Question: What is the trade off of two wick holes?

Gladiator Gaming Token. A small bronze token with a single letter on it. These tokens are thought o have been used to gain entry to particular section of the Gladiatorial arena. Most Gladiatorial games were provided free to the public, but specific areas were allocated for certain members of the public and those in elite sections of society. Some tokens (often made of clay) were used to garner support fora particular gladiator or to try to urge the swaying of support in the event of his defeat in the arena. 

Question: Why were Gladiatorial games provided free to the public?
Question: What sections of society were segregated in the arena seating?

Pompeii Graffiti. Graffiti was common throughout Pompeii, not just as vandalism but more as a political statement. Prior to elections graffiti appeared on many walls in Pompeii, one particular prominent personage being imaged on one of these panels. Other graffiti made statements against members of the public as seen in the "Secundus" graffiti.
Other panels display another common form of graffiti, namely that of Gladiators. Much has been learnt about gladiators from these images scratched onto the walls of the city. The names of popular gladiators often accompanied these images as supporters embellished the walls with their support. The graffiti in the bottom right hand corner is  perhaps the start of a children;s song though at first it appears to be no more than a shopping list! The words are

“I am a pure mother and it is me which nourished absolutely all that you buy.”

Question: What can you find out about gladiators from these images?
Question: Why would someone write the words of this song on the walls?

Roman Jewelery Moulds. Jewelery was moulded in gold and silver as well as a glass paste called faience. Various moulds would be cut from stone or gypsum to allow quick fashioning of pieces. 

Question: What types of jewelery were common to Roman citizens?

Question: Where would they have found some of the precious stones and metals used for making the jewelery?

Roman Legionary Stamped paving brick. A stamped paving brick from the Roman Tenth Legion subtitled "Fretensis" Many legions when occupying a city would stamp bricks and pavers with their own legionary insignia.

Question: Who was the Roman Tenth legion?

Question: Why "Fretensis"?

Roman Flint Strikers/Fire Starters. Flint strikers were used from ancient times right through to the late medieval period. 

Question: How would a flint striker have been used?

Roman Lead Weight. Lead weights (as well as weights made of stone) were used throughout the ancient world for various purposes.

Question: What do you think a small lead weight of this size could have been used for?

Roman Iron Nails - The larger nails are identical to Roman nails excavate din Roman Britain and would have been used for various purposes throughout the empire. They have a flattened cross-section and would likely have been used in furniture or smaller projects.

Question: What do you think the smaller cup headed nails would have been used for?

Roman "Lionhead" Cloak clasp - to affix ones tunic or cloak both men and women would use either a "fibula" broach that worked not unlike a present day safety pin, or a more ornamental version was the clasp as seen here that hooked together the two corners of the cloak around the neck. 

Question: Who would most likely have worn gold cloak pins such as these? Where did the Romans get their gold from?

Penannular Broach - Cloak Pin - Used somewhat like a fubula was used as a sort of pin that held the tunic at the shoulders. 

Question: Can you work out how this pin was attached so that it could not fall out?

Roman Iron arrowhead - this is one of many designs of arrowhead used throughout the Roman Empire. It has a tang so that it could be attached to a hole in the end of the arrow shaft.

Question: What metals were arrowheads made from during the Roman period? How were arrows used in battle?

Here you will find information about pottery classification...

Ceramic Vessel Parts

Ceramic Colour Attributes.

Colour is usually recorded using the "Munsell" colour chart system.

Use the Panetone Colour Chart HERE to identify colour of pottery pieces.

General Attributes.

 Identify the following:

1.  Decoration = Technique of application of decoration be it incised into the surface or applied to the surface.
2. Glaze = Glassy, vitreous coating on either the outside or inside of the pottery piece.
3. Maker's Mark = Is there a stamp or mark somewhere on the item (usually the base) indicating the maker or pottery workshop.
4. Paste = The material that the clay fabric is made from.
5. Part of item = Rim, body, handle etc
6. Function = jug, cooking pot, bowl etc
7. Shape = Cylindrical, ovoid, sphere, ellipsoid, hyperboloid or cone.
8. Colour of fabric.
9. Hardness = Use the"Moh's" Scale of hardness - generalization may be necessary here.
10. Inclusions= what materials are included in the pottery to strengthen - see cross section of your pottery sherd before you restore the item.
11. Core Colour = Is the cross section of a pottery sherd - even/uneven in colour? What does this indicate about the pottery? An uneven colour usually indicates that the pottery piece was fired at a lower temperature, possibly even in a pit kiln.
12. Is there a slip, wash or glaze applied to the pottery? If this applied to decorate or protect the pottery?

Judean Inkwell

A pottery inkwell based on originals found in Israel 300BC onwards.

QUESTION: Have you found any written matter with your inkwell (papyrus or parchment)? If you have what text is on it and what can you learn from the text? Have you found any writing instruments? Why not? What were the commo0n writing instruments made from and why may they not have survived?

Try HERE

at OMNIGLOT

 You have found a papyrus manuscript fragment, and perhaps an inkwell....

QUESTION: What does this tell you? Does it necessarily mean writing took place here or not?
What form of text is written in it? Can you approximately date the text? Can you decipher any of the text? Why are fragments of papyrus found in some areas of the ancient world and not in others? ie What makes some papyrus survive buried yet other disappear altogether?

Tribute Penny

A tribute Penny is believed to be a solver denarius from the reign of Caesar Tiberius (AD 14 to 37). The portrait on the coin's obverse (front) is Tiberius who ruled during the life of Jesus Christ. The obverse reads: " Tiberius, Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus." The reverse shows a seated female thought to be Livia, Tiberius' mother with the inscription "High Priest".

QUESTION: Why do you think this coin was called a tribute coin? How does this coin found in your excavation help date the level? What is the earliest date of this excavation level?

Shekel

The shekel or Tetradrachm, was the largest silver coin issued by the city of Tyre in Phoenicia. The coin's obverse depicts an image of Melkart or Hercules and the reverse shows an eagle with its claw on a ships rudder, the date, mintmark and the inscription; "tyre the holy and inviolable" It is thought that the shekel may be one of the thirty pieces of solver paid to Judas for betraying Christ.

QUESTION: What role does propaganda play in the minting of coins? Why do almost all coins have the head of a ruler imaged on it? Why an eagle on the prow of a ship?

Below are images of just some of the items included in our "Antiquities of the Ancient World" Archaeology Kit. These items are all genuine antiquities, and all are from the Roman period.

See our "Archaeology" page for details and prices.

Roman Coins

QUESTION: When did the Romans start using coins? What was the importance of the imagery on the coins?

Roman Rings

Roman Firestarters

QUESTION: How would you start a fire with one of these?
Where would the Romans have sourced flint from?

Roman brooch, ring, hair pin, hinge section, coins...

QUESTION: The Romans are famous for their decorative items that they wore on their armour and on their clothing. Why do you think this is so?

Why so much decoration on their armour?

Roman Fibulae

QUESTION: What is a fibular, and what was it used for?

Ushabti/Shabti/ Shawabti - Servant of the Afterlife. These small mummiform figurines were buried with the deceased with the intention of saving their owner of menial tasks in the afterlife, the "Field of Reeds". They often came with prayers written on them as well as various other texts. Some tombs such as that of Tutankhamen had hundreds of these figurines in cases within the tomb of various sizes and styles. Some of them were very ornately carved while others were very crudely formed. Many excavated today are found broken. Some  of these Ushabtis are made of stone (limestone) some of faience, some of wood.

Question: Why would a person desire a servant in the afterlife? Why would a wooden or stone statue be of any use after death? What is the Egyptian belief of imagery used within tombs? Why do we find so many broken figurine?

Question: What is faience?

Question: Why do you think many items are found broken? Some have the noses broken off yet others are broken entirely in two, but why?

Oil Lamps - A light in the tomb. Oil lamps were the main means of providing light throughout ancient times. The early lamps were simple bowls with a floating wick made from flax, while later lamps such as the one imaged here are a closed in style of lamp with a separate filler hole and wick hole, with an image embossed onto its surface. This lamp common in the first and second century AD has the image of a frog carved into the lamp surface surrounding the filler hole. See our "Oil Lamp" page for various other lamps.

Question: Why an image of a frog? How do these oil lamps work and what sort of oil was used in them?

Pottery Seal. Seals such as this were used by the royal court or by merchants to identify the pottery vessels that contained their oils and grain prior to shipping, so that it would be identified on delivery.

Question: For what other purposes might a ruler want to stamp his seal on pottery vessels?

The Egyptian Scribe - seated cross legged in the typical scribes pose. 

Question: Where did scribes fit in society? What was the process to become a scribe in ancient Egypt? Who was the god of scribes?How many different scripts were there in Ancient Egypt?What is the difference between the scripts? What dis scribes write on? What did they use for ink?

Scarab - Scarabs come in many sizes and designs. Some are made from soapstone, some from precious stone, while some have hieroglyphic text inscribed on their bases.

Question: What is a scarab, and what does it represent?

Question: What is a heart scarab?

 Egyptian gods - The Egyptians had many gods. They worshiped specific gods for specific purposes and in specific places. Why do you think there were so many gods in the Egyptian pantheon? What were they attempting to placate?

Question: One particular Pharaoh worshiped a single god. What was his name, and why do you think he so radically changed the religious system of Egypt by worshiping only one god? What was the reasoning behind the dramatic restoration of the old system of worship of many gods during the reign of the boy king Tutankhamen? Was it merely religious or was there more at stake?

A number of different Egyptian god figurines can be found in these kits. You will need to note the particular characteristics of each one before you can identify it. There are many sites on the internet to help you identify them. Note their head wear, zoomorphic characteristics, or basic shape.

 Bastet -
The ancient Solar and war goddess - found in many forms and shapes mostly depicting a cat or cat headed human.

Question: What other names was Bastet known by? Why the earrings? 
What role did cats play in Egyptian life? What other deities were signified with the image of a cat?Why do you think the Egyptian mummified cats? What does the word cult mean?

 Anubis -

QUESTIONS: What is "embalming" and why was it used in ancient Egypt?
Was embalming used in any other civilizations?
Why did the Egyptians choose a jackal as the symbol for the god of embalming?
What other functions did he perform? Why was Anubis portrayed in so many different forms?
Why would you need an animal to help you through a critical part of the afterlife?

Hathor

Why a cow? What is the significance of the head gear? Many civilisations worshiped the cow in one form or another. Why do you think this is so? At Mount Sinai Moses came down from the mountain and found the Israelites worshiping a golden calf, where do you think they got this idea from?

Anubis -  god of Embalming.

QUESTIONS: What is "embalming" and why was it used in ancient Egypt?
Was embalming used in any other civilizations?
Why did the Egyptians choose a jackal as the symbol for the god of embalming?
What other functions did he perform? Why was gold used so much in Egyptian tomb statuary?
Why did the Egyptians have a god of the dead?

Anubis - god of embalming.

QUESTIONS: Why is Anubis shown in this case with a human body?
What symbolism does gold have in ancient Egypt?
What symbolism does black skin have in ancient Egyptian imagery?
Why were so many animal "figures" worshiped in ancient Egypt?
What is the "Book of the Dead" and what role does Anubis play in it?
How does the process of the "Book of the Dead" compare with other beliefs on eternal life such as that of the Bible?

The Seated Pharaoh - representing his people to the gods.

QUESTIONS: Why should a man represent the people to the gods?
Why can't the people themselves speak to the God he/she worships?
Again why is this pharaoh portrayed black?
What sort of headdress is he wearing? Why did the statues have writing around their base?
What happened if someone removed your name from you statues? Is this fair? Who is a famous Queen of Egypt who suffered this fate? What sort of headdress is he wearing?

Isis - Winged - Queen of the gods.

QUESTIONS: Why the wings?
Why the feather on top of her head?
How else is Isis represented in Ancient Egypt?
Where in Tutankhamun's tomb could you find images of Isis? What role does she play in Egyptian Mythology? What does the word "Mythology" mean?

Scarab - "Winged" -  rebirth.

QUESTIONS: Why would a beetle that rolls its eggs in dung be used as a symbol for rebirth?
Why the wings? What is it holding? What is an amulet? How many different forms of scarabs are there in ancient Egyptian mythology?

Scarab - amulet

QUESTIONS: What is an amulet? What is superstition?
Why does the scarab have hieroglyphic writing on its underside?
What is a heart scarab? What sort of amulets do people wear today?

Queen Nefertiti - 

QUESTIONS: Who was Nefertiti and who was her famous husband? Why is her sculptured bust so famous? What was it carved from? When did she reign? How many children did she have? Why is the period in which she lived important to the study of Ancient Egypt?
Who found the bust of Queen Nefertiti? Where is the famous statue displayed today?
Egypt is trying to have all Egyptian antiquities that reside in foreign museums returned to Egypt, such as the bust of Nefertiti and the Rosetta Stone. Do you think this should happen and why?

Death Mask of Tutankhamen -

QUESTIONS: Who was Tutankhamen and when did he reign? Who are most likely his parents?
Who discovered his tomb? Where was it found? Why is it so famous? Despite the many varied designs of replicas of his death mask some questions have arisen over whether the actual image of his death mask is actually a representation of Tutankhamen himself or maybe someone else? It has actually been shown that many items in his tomb did not actually belong to him but to someone else. Why were these items in his tomb? If every tomb of the Pharaohs of Egypt were to be excavated undisturbed, considering Tutankhamens tomb was small, how much gold do you think would have existed in Ancient Egypt?Compare the tomb plans of Pharaoh Seti I and that of Tutankhamen.How much different do you think the contents of each tomb would have been? Why?

Sarcophagus - Tutankhamuns Tomb -

QUESTIONS: What does the word "sarcophagus" actually mean? How many sarcophagii were found in Tutankhamen's tomb? (Be careful as the were not all large in size). What do the symbols on it mean?Why did the Egyptians use so much gold? What did gold represent? What does this say in relation to eternal life - for those who were not so fortunate to afford gold and all the fancy additions for a tomb? If you were poor did that mean you could not gain eternal life? How does this compare with religious beliefs today?

Horus - Falcon Headed

QUESTIONS: How many different image representations did Horus have? Why a Falcon?
Why man with the head of a falcon? Who was Horus? What is the head gear he is wearing?
What is a "pantheon"? What other representations did Horus take over time and why?

Our Archaeology Lesson Kit - Outdoor Kit comes with many varied items categorised to suit a single level (stratum) single baulk excavation. All items within the kit are tailored to suit the one period. 

You will at times find items in the kit from another civilisation, but they are placed there to test the students analytical research. eg. Why could you find an Egyptian arrowhead in a Roman context?

Many items in this kit can be found either elsewhere on this page or in other areas on our website.

The following replica arrowheads are cast from resin from originals in a private collection.
They are meant purely for display/educational purposes only. It is the responsibility of the class teacher to make sure that all components of these kits are used appropriately particularly if the students are planning to take their fins home.

Egyptian Flint Arrowhead - Naqada II Period

QUESTIONS: When was the Naqada II Period? Who were the primary inhabitants of this period and what was going on at this time? What is flint? What is "Flintknapping"?
How would this arrowhead have been attached to its shaft? What would it have been used for?

Egyptian Flint Arrowhead  5000 - 1500BC

QUESTIONS: This is a flint arrowhead made of the same material as the Naqada II Period by is considerably different in shape. What do you think are the differences and the advantages of this arrowhead considering it was used over a much longer period? How would it have been mounted to the shaft? What advantages do stone tools have over metal ones?

Egyptian Bronze Arrowhead - 600BC 26th Dynasty

QUESTIONS: Why do you think bronze was used in this later period to replace stone?
Bronze and Iron arrowheads corroded over time but had advantages over stone tools.This arrowhead had a considerably different shape. Why? How would it have been attached to its shaft.