Archaeology Family Fun Day

Image

If you know of a budding Lara Croft or Indiana Jones, Edinburgh Archaeology Outreach Project (EAOP) has just the thing for them. On 2 March in the Grassmarket Community Project they will have several archaeological themed activities such as dig pits, Iron Age jewellery making and an opportunity to handle real archaeological artefacts and animal bones, all aimed at kids. There will also be organisations including Archaeology Scotland, the Young Archaeologist Club and the Crannog Centre so young archaeologists can find out about more opportunities to flex their trowel skills.

‘The main aim of EAOP is to bring archaeology to the wider public,’ said Synnøve Gravdal Heimvik, a third year archaeology student and Group Leader of EAOP. ‘Archaeology is a subject that is often quite closed off from the public and many people do not really know anything about the subject other than what they have seen in films and on TV. Educating people about archaeology is also a great way to connect people with their own heritage and history.’

The main form of outreach is through school visits where EAOP runs sessions applying archaeology to whatever the class is learning at that time, which can be everything from Viking-themed to Pompeii.

‘The kids are generally really engaged,’ said Synnøve, ‘and seem to enjoy our session. We usually get a few kids telling us that they want to be an archaeologist when they grow up!’

Everyone involved in EAOP is a volunteer, and although school visits and events can count towards the 10-week fieldwork course requirement, not everyone is an archaeology student.

‘We’d love to recruit a more diverse group of volunteers,’ Synnøve explained. ‘It’s a great way for students to interact with the Edinburgh community; develop important outreach and volunteering skills and meet other likeminded students.’

• EAOP’s free Family Fun Day takes place 11-3 on Saturday March at the Grassmarket Community Project in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh.
• EAOP on EUSA website