Enjoy archaeology and celebrate festival in Berkshire

You can check out lots of archaeology events at Reading Museum during the festival

If you're in the festival mood and fancy digging around then why not get involved in a series of events to celebrate archaeology?

The Council for British Archaeology is holding the 20th anniversary of its annual festival with events all over the country.

Events in Berkshire include the chance to design your own Shabti or go on a guided walk of Reading Abbey.

Here is a pick of the best events which you can get involved in.

The festival runs from Saturday, 17 July until August 1.

Spectacular Shabti's

When: Saturday, 17 July 14.00-16.00

Location: Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, Department of Classics, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading.

Find out about the Shabti's of the Ure Museum and their role as servants of the dead in Ancient Egypt.

Design your own Shabti to take home with you, and find out about the spell which would bring it to life.

All children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the sessions. Events are suitable for children aged six plus.

For further information or to book a place on one of the sessions, contact Jennifer Allison by phoning 0118 378 6990 or email. Tickets cost £3 per child.

Reading Abbey - a Guided Walk

When: Saturday 17, Saturday 24, Wednesday 28 & Saturday, 31 July from 10am until 11am (also Wednesday 2pm until 3pm)

Location: Meet outside Museum of Reading, Blagrave Street, Reading.

Guided walk around accessible areas of King Henry I's great Abbey, whose impressive remains now need extensive conservation.

In the twelfth century King Henry I, son of William the Conqueror, founded an abbey in Reading, and on his death overseas his body was brought back for burial.

Now, nearly nine hundred years later, the remains of the buildings need extensive conservation.

This guided walk around accessible areas of King Hey I's great foundation starts at the Museum of Reading and the combination of the material held by the museum and what still survives of the impressive buildings themselves can still give us a good idea of the importance of Reading Abbey.

For more information go to Reading Abbey

History Beneath Our Feet

When: Thursday, 22 July from 6.30pm until 8pm

Location: Wokingham Library, Denmark Street, Wokingham.

Illustrated talk about metal detecting and fascinating discoveries. Contact the library to book a place.

1. The metal detector - how it works and its capabilities

2. Finding sites: research, maps, county records office; archaeological records, field walking

3. The different kinds of finds

4. Their identification

For more contact Wokingham Borough Council on 0118 9781368 or go to Wokingham Libraries

Gods and Goddesses

When: Saturday, 24 July from 2pm until 4pm

Location: Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, Department of Classics, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading.

Find out about Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses - who was the God of Wine, who was born wearing armour?

Design and make your own God or Goddess and give them a special background story. All children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the sessions.

For further information or to book a place on one of the sessions, contact Jennifer Allison by phoning 0118 378 6990 or by email. Tickets cost £3 per child.

For more information go to Ure Museum

Roman Fun Day

Check out the Silchester site which is being excavated

When:

Tuesday, 27 July from 10am until 3.30pm

Location: Reading Museum, Town Hall, Blagrave Street, Reading RG1 1QH.

Reading Museum is kicking off the summer holidays with a range of Roman activities throughout the day to celebrate the 1600th anniversary of when the Romans left Britain.

Meet wealthy Roman citizens from the town at Silchester, handle some Roman artefacts from the collection or join in with some Roman-themed crafts. Activities cost £1 per person.

For more information go to Reading Museum

History Hunters

When: Thursday, 29 July from 10am until noon and 1pm until 3pm.

Location: Reading Museum, Town Hall, Blagrave Street, Reading RG1 1QH

Become a young archaeologist for the day, looking at tools and excavations techniques. Then make your own archaeological find from clay. For ages seven plus. Booking is essential. Tickets cost £5 per person.

For more information go to Reading Museum

Archaeology Finds Surgery

When: Thursday, 29 July from 10am until noon

Location: Wokingham Library, Denmark Street, Wokingham.

Check out the expert advice from the Finds Liaison Officer about archaeological objects.

The FLO is interested in any archaeological objects that you have found, including metal, pottery, flint and stone and anything else you may find.

For more information go to Wokingham Libraries

Marvellous Myths

When: Saturday, 31 July from 2pm until 4pm

Location: Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, Department of Classics, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading.

Look around the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology and find out about the myths behind the images which appear on the objects.

Design your own black figure image of one of the Olympian gods to take home with you. All children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the sessions.

Events are suitable for children aged six plus. Each session will be £3 per child to cover materials, accompanying adult is free.

For further information or to book a place on one of the sessions, contact Jennifer Allison by phoning 0118 378 6990 or by email. Tickets cost £3 per child.

For more information Ure Museum

The Silchester 'Town Life' project

When: Monday, 28 June until Sunday, 8 August from 10am until 4.30pm

Location: Silchester Roman Town, Silchester RG7 2HH.

Check out the ongoing excavation project of part of one insula of the Roman town of Silchester.

Watch the archaeologists in action and enjoy a site tour of the excavations.

The excavations at Insula IX at the Roman Town of Silchester in Hampshire, have been running seasonally since 1997. The site is open to the public on a daily basis, except for Fridays.

As well as being shown around the excavations, visitors will have the opportunity to look at finds from the site, talk to archaeological specialists and hear about other work being carried out by the Department of Archaeology at Reading.

This will be an opportunity to talk to those who work in archaeology, study archaeology and write about archaeology. Donations welcome.

For more information go to Silchester Project

Nationally

A quarter of a million members of the public are expected to attend more than 730 excavations, guided walks, special talks, family fun and activity days, re-enactments, finds identification days and more.

The Festival of British Archaeology is coordinated by the Council for British Archaeology and aims to give everyone an opportunity to learn more about the past.

Full events details can be found on the festival website Archaeology Festival