The most amazing competition we've ever run! A chance of a lifetime! Flag Fen is a lakeside Celtic site which has become revealed as the years have taken all the water away. Now is your chance to take part in the incredible Flag Fen Lives project!
It is estimated that a large part of the site will be lost within the next 20 years if work is not carried out now. That is why Flag Fen Lives is so important and our competition will put you right in this real-time, hands-on discovery of Ancient Celtic life!
Work at Flag Fen has given a fantastic insight into the type of woodworking technology that existed some 3,000 years ago. The remarkable preservation of the timbers has led to more detailed interpretation of our prehistoric ancestors. Flag Fen is a continuing research project and we frequently make discoveries that cause us to change our interpretations. Regular visitors to the site will notice slight alterations to guided tours run throughout the summer. As our work advances and our research develops, we gain a clearer picture of life at Flag Fen 3,000 years ago. So remember, what you read (or are told) is only the current state of research. One of the most exciting aspects of Flag Fen is seeing it change and develop as more work is undertaken
We hope you enjoy it and wish you good luck!
Gary & Ruthie x x x
Read the full show-notes and find more resources on our website at http://celticmythpodshow.com
Running Order:
- Intro 0:41
- Land of the Ever-Young by Damh the Bard 1:43
- The Flag Fen Rescue Project 8:28
- Woman of the Earth by Spiral Dance 12:08
We hope you enjoy it!
Gary & Ruthie x x x
It's always great to hear from you! Email garyandruth@celticmythpodshow.com, or leave us a message using Speakpipe
Land of the Ever Young
by Damh the Bard
Damh is a modern-day Bard whose spirituality, and love of folk tradition, is expressed through his music, storytelling and poetry. Drawing on the Bardic traditions his performances are both entertaining and educational, weaving a tapestry of myth, peace, and anthems that speak directly to the heart, but never without a good splash of humour. This beautiful track, from the album The Hills They Are Hollow, is the based on the Celtic view of the Otherworld but to us, it also refers to the Sacred Land of the Celts as it still exists, and Flag Fen is a superb example of Celtic Sacred Land.
You can find his music on iTunes, or from his website, Pagan Music. He is also the voice behind Druidcast, the official podcast of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD, for short) - modern day Druids. You can find Druidcast here and find out more about OBOD here. You can find out more details about Damh on his Contributor Page on our website.
The Flag Fen Rescue Project
Flag Fen is home to a wooden causeway some 3,500 years old that is so unique it is held by experts all over the world in the same esteem as Stonehenge. It has many secrets – many of which are about to be unearthed in a ground-breaking new dig.
The ancient wooden monument is a marvel of engineering. A kilometre long, the causeway and platform have been perfectly preserved in the wetland for centuries. It was built by Bronze Age people as part of what is thought to be a place of worship.
Clues to its past are still to be discovered – so get on down to Flag Fen this summer with archaeologists from Channel 4's Time Team! Vivacity has teamed up with DigVentures to offer a number of opportunities for everyone to get involved from 24 July to 12 August.
Adults aged over 17 can take part in the dig for a day, weekend or even the whole three weeks. There is also a Summer School for 8 to 12-years-olds, a host of activities for all the family during the dig including flint knapping, bronze casting and prehistoric cooking as well as live updates of the excavation and discoveries as they happen online throughout the dig.
For information on Dig Ventures and the chance to take part in the dig click here.
"With the Flag Fen Lives project, DigVentures is launching Europe's first-ever crowd-funded and crowd-sourced archaeological excavation. We will be building a community with archaeology at its heart: our funding 'Venturers' will be a part of the project from start to finish. The only difference will be the benefit level that you purchase." [source]
The fieldwork at Flag Fen, an amazing Bronze Age site located in Peterborough, will be the first project to be undertaken by the team – you can read more about the archaeological objectives of the 2012 season here.
"Our work will be an essential part of saving the archaeology and giving the site a future life, and all we need to do is to raise £25,000 to make this incredible project happen. You and your friends can be a part of it – by supporting us through buying benefits, and even joining us on site. The more you contribute, the more involved you can become – from being one of the first to receive the site report, to rolling up your sleeves and actually taking part."
You can find out more about DigVentures and the 'Save Flag Fen' project on the DigVentures site or make a donation and take part in this amazing work by visiting Sponsume.
About Flag Fen
The story of Flag Fen begins right back in 1982. The site was discovered when a mechanical digger working on one of the Fen drainage ditches pulled up some timber that appeared to have been split in a very distinctive manner. The team of archaeologists, led by Dr Francis Pryor, sent the timber for radiocarbon dating and it was returned having been dated to 1000 BC. And now, the saga continues!
The archaeological excavations at Flag Fen have been concentrated over the years on the areas that are under threat of drying out.The site has survived due to waterlogging and now that the site is gradually drying out, the archaeologists are working to retrieve as much valuable data as possible before it is all lost.
Work at Flag Fen has given a fantastic insight into the type of woodworking technology that existed some 3,000 years ago. The remarkable preservation of the timbers has led to more detailed interpretation of our prehistoric ancestors. Flag Fen is a continuing research project and we frequently make discoveries that cause us to change our interpretations. Regular visitors to the site will notice slight alterations to guided tours run throughout the summer. As our work advances and our research develops, we gain a clearer picture of life at Flag Fen 3,000 years ago. So remember, what you read (or are told) is only the current state of research. One of the most exciting aspects of Flag Fen is seeing it change and develop as more work is undertaken.
It is estimated that a large part of the site will be lost within the next 20 years if work is not carried out now.
About our Flag Fen Competition
Thanks to one of our very generous listeners, Scott McGovern, we can offer you the prize of a lifetime! The chance to visit Flag Fen, one of the largest Sacred Water sites in Europe, and take part in the archaeological dig for a day and listen to a fascinating lecture in the evening! This is an amazing prize and we give our heart-felt thanks to Scott for enabling one of our lucky listeners to be so intimately involved with real-time, ground zero research into the everyday and sacred lives of the Ancient Celts!
Not only that, but we can also tell you that DigVentures have told us that shortly after the competition they will be opening up the few remaining places on the digs so that those that missed out during the chance for being on site can still do so, and the 'Site Hut' will still be available to others for a minimum donation to the project!
Ruthie and I have our cups of tea already booked in the Site Hut and we'll try to keep you updated with discoveries as they are made, but why not come and join us for a cup of tea in the hut everyday and see what's going on? :)
Woman of the Earth
by Spiral Dance
Multi-award winning group Spiral Dance, based in Adelaide, has been playing rousing, high-energy music to enthusiastic audiences throughout Australia and beyond for over a decade. With a combination of haunting vocals, evocative fiddle, intoxicating guitar riffs and groovy accordion lines, underpinned with potent bass and dynamic percussion, the band presents an eclectic blend of traditional folk-rock with powerful self-penned songs and tunes. Enchanting melodies intertwine with mythical tales that are sure to captivate your soul, tease your mind and steal your heart, casting your spirit into the realms of magic and the mists of ancient time.
We are privileged to bring you their powerful track, Woman of the Earth from the album of the same name, which is so fitting, for this Competition Special. You can find out more about Spiral Dance on their website or on their Contributor Page.
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Special Thanks
Samantha Gillogly & Tim Maurice for The Princess Royal/Mr. O'Connor from their album Celtic Chamber Music. See her website for further details or check out her Contributor Page.
Caera, for Carolan's Welcome from her album Through Misty Air. See her website for further details or check outher Contributor Page.
Dark Patrick, for Morfa'r Frenhines from their album Fainne Gael an Lee. See their website or our Contributor Page for more details.
For our Theme Music:
The Skylark and Haghole, the brilliant Culann's Hounds. See their Contributor page for details.
Extra Special Thanks for Unrestricted Access to Wonderful Music
(in Alphabetic order)
Anne Roos Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of her masterful music to Anne Roos. You can find out more about Anne on her website or on her Contributor page.
Caera Extra Special thanks go for permission to any of her evocative harping and Gaelic singing to Caera. You can find out more about Caera on her website or on her Contributor Page.
Celia Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of her wonderful music to Celia Farran. You can find out more about Celia on her website or on her Contributor Page.
Damh the Bard Extra Special thanks go to Damh the Bard for his permission to use any of his music on the Show. You can find out more about Damh (Dave) on his website or on his Contributor page.
The Dolmen Extra Special thanks also go to The Dolmen, for their permission to use any of their fantastic Celtic Folk/Rock music on the Show. You can find out more about The Dolmen on their website or on our Contributor page.
Keltoria Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of their inspired music to Keltoria. You can find out more about Keltoria on their website or on their Contributor page.
Kevin Skinner Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of his superb music to Kevin Skinner. You can find out more about Kevin on his website or on his Contributor page.
Phil Thornton Extra Special Thanks go for permisssion to use any of his astounding ambient music to the Sonic Sorcerer himself, Phil Thornton. You can find out more about Phil on his website or on his Contributor Page.
S.J. Tucker Extra Special thanks go to Sooj for her permission to use any of her superb music. You can find out more about Sooj on her website or on her Contributor page.
Spiral Dance Extra Special thanks go for permission to use Adrienne and the band to use any of their music in the show. You can find out more about Spiral Dance on their website or on their Contributor page.
We'd like to wish you 'Hwyl fawr!', which is Welsh for Goodbye and have fun, or more literally Wishing a Good Mood on you!
