On behalf of the TEESSIDE Archaeological Society Committee, I hope you all had a warm and relaxing Christmas break. Last year was a great one for TAS — the lecture programme with a bonus slot and many finds-handling opportunities, increasing membership, the CSI forensics event by TAS Secretary Dave Errickson at Teesside University, a heritage planning process workshop in Durham with our friends at AASDN (the “Arch and Archs” of Durham & Northumberland) and CBA North, plus the many fantastic discoveries around our region.
 Now is the time to renew your membership, or join TAS for an eventful 2015. Please download the 2015 Membership Application Form and either post it with a cheque or postal order — note the new address on the form — or bring it along to the AGM on Tuesday 27 January at 7pm (half an hour earlier than usual to give us plenty of time) at Stockton Central Library. Check our website for directions to the library if this will be your first visit. We look forward to seeing you!
IMPORTANT | We can only receive subscriptions with a completed application form. Cheques will be processed after the AGM. And sorry folks: payment by BACs, Paypal or Credit/Debit Card is not currently possible due to high transaction fees and security issues.
Ahead of the AGM we’ll be posting the agenda to all 2014 and 2015 members and hopefully we’ll have the 2015 Programme ready too (see below). 2015 Membership Cards will be distributed at the February lecture and by post if you can’t collect.
TAS 2015 PROGRAMME TASTER! Dates for your diary
All lectures begin at 7.30pm unless stated otherwise. Lecture titles are not yet finalised.
Tue 27 Jan 7.00pm for 7.30 | TAS AGM and Members’ Evening | Lecture: Dr Tim Thompson, Teesside University, “CSI Forensics” | SPECIAL FEATURE! The infamous TAS Christmas Cake courtesy of Mrs Carter senior
Tue 24 Feb | Dr David Petts, Durham University, “Roman Binchester Bling”
Tue 31 Mar | Lisa Westcott Wilkins & Brendon Wilkins, DigVentures, “Crowd-funded Archaeology”
Tue 21 Apr | Jim Brightman, Solstice Heritage, “Archaeology at Kiplin Hall” *NOT the last Tue due to UK Elections*
Tue 26 May | Dr Sarah Semple, Durham University, “Saxon Landscapes”
Tue 30 Jun | BONUS LECTURE! Dr Steve Sherlock, “A1 Archaeology Update”
SUMMER BREAK | FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 11-26 July
Tue 29 Sep | Mitchell Pollington, AOC Archaeology Group, “Digging for Money – Commercial Archaeology”
Tue 27 Oct | Dr Carenza “TimeTeam” Lewis, Cambridge University, “Community Archaeology”
Tue 24 Nov | Phil Abramson & Steve Sherlock, “Operation Nightingale Catterick & Cyprus”
Sat 05 Dec 10am Dorman Museum | ELGEE MEMORIAL LECTURE Prof Colin Haselgrove, Leicester University, “Iron Age Royal Centre at Stanwick”
TAS MEMBERSHIP VALUE
Maureen Norrie, TAS Editor, and I are working on what looks like a truly bumper TAS BULLETIN, our annual journal for members. All being well, Number 19 (2014) should be available for collection at the AGM, otherwise we’ll post copies to 2014 and 2015 members. It will also be available as a password-protected downloadable version, as are our digitised back copies.
Similarly, the 2015 Lecture Programme is complete — again with a bonus lecture in June — and a number of hands-on finds handling opportunities. We’re just waiting for a few abstracts and pictures from the presenters before we get it printed and updated on our website and Facebook page. There will also be a lecture at the AGM after a rapid review of the year, our prospects and Committee elections.
On that note, we’re looking for a new TAS Treasurer to join the Committee since the incredible Mick Butler has been in the post for very many years now and travels around the globe a great deal with his work. Our finances are in good shape with the increase in membership through 2014. If you’re interested, and without a Treasurer we cannot operate, please email us at teesarchsoc.news@gmail.com
Remember — your membership is a commitment to our ongoing success as a community that cares passionately about our shared heritage, archaeology, advocacy and learning. Your subscription pays for the lecture venue, speakers’ travel, our public liability insurance and insurance for fieldwork, printing costs, postal mailing and the fantastic BULLETIN journal. TAS VALUE!
TAS BOOKSTALL
In November last year we re-launched the TAS BOOKSTALL thanks to help from new Committee Member Guy Forster, and your Chair donated a shed-load of Roman books with many more to come in January — all available to TAS members at bargain prices. There are a few collectors’ items in the boxes too! BOOKSTALL will be a feature at the end of each lecture, so why not peruse, pick up a bargain, or donate books you’ve already read?
 ARCHAEOLOGY
MATTERS!
TAS is proud to be an affiliate member of the Council for British Archaeology at a national level and also of the CBA North and CBA Yorkshire regions. Many of you will know about the vital work of the CBA over the last 70 years — lobbying, campaigning, training and advocating for our archaeology and heritage.
Click to download as a PDF.
To ensure the CBA has the resources to respond to the significant challenges now facing archaeology — despite it’s proven value to GDP, the economy, well-being and communities — they are running an appeal to raise an additional £250,000 each year for the next three years to support their important work
By investing in the future of the CBA now — as a member, donor friend, ambassador or lifetime member — you can help to provide a stable foundation so that they can continue to resource their vital campaigning and advocacy work, projects and programmes. With unprecedented cuts to the sector, ARCHAEOLOGY MATTERS more than ever, and for future generations too.
Together we can help to give future generations the opportunity for a lifetime of involvement in archaeology. Read more about the ARCHAEOLOGY MATTERS appeal and how you can contribute.
Lastly, I would like to offer personal thanks to all the TAS Committee members for outstanding help, ideas and legwork through 2014 — those new to, remaining on or standing down* from the Committee, and all generous with their own time as volunteers:
- David Errickson, Secretary (integrating Membership role in 2015)
- Mick Butler, Treasurer* (remains in post until new Treasurer is appointed)
- Carole Tyson, Lecture Readiness & Hospitality
- Maureen Norrie, Editor
- Bruce Webb-Ireland, Fieldwork & Events
- Edward Higgins, Membership Secretary*
- Guy Forster, Bookstall
- Robin Daniels, Tees Archaeology Liaison & River Tees Rediscovered HLF Landscape Partnership Project (ex officio)
Kind Regards,
Spence
Spencer Carter | TAS Chair & eCommunications |
Recent excavations at Binchester have revealed unexpectedly good preservation of the underlying archaeology. This lecture will provide a chance to hear about the range of exciting discoveries made during the 2014 season of work at the site.
About the speaker
The BULLETIN is our annual journal provided exclusively to members since 1994. It covers the latest fieldwork activity and discoveries in the Tees Valley, Cleveland and broader region. We’re delighted to announce availability of Number 19: 2014-15.
November 25 | Anglo-Saxon Teesside: 30 years on from the Norton Saxon Cemetery | Stephen Sherlock, Archaeologist Extraordinaire
Anglo-Saxon remains were initially found in a field beside Mill Lane, Norton in 1982 and the site was excavated in 1984-5. This proved to be the largest sixth-century cemetery to have been excavated in North East England and is frequently discussed as the northern example of Saxon cemeteries in England. Over the intervening period, the dates of some Anglo-Saxon objects have been reviewed and so one theme Steve will address in his lecture will be the date of the Norton cemetery.
An extension to Ronaldsway airport runway on the Isle of Man had to be conducted at night to avoid aircraft and revealed, amongst many finds, a burnt Mesolithic hut (if not a village), and burning means preservation.
Teesside Archaeological Society 