Author Archives: sarthure

Tools of the archaeology trade

These days, I’m deep in the results from the Baker’s Flat excavations of 2016 and 2017, analysing what we found as part of the ‘writing up’ of my PhD. As we excavated, the work was captured in words, photos, total … Continue reading

Posted in Baker's Flat, Excavation, Field work, Kapunda, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Turnip carving? It must be Halloween

I’ve written before about Halloween, citing a spine-tingling poem and stories of children stolen by the good people. I loved this time as a child, that feeling of uncertainty, that strange things could happen on this one night when the … Continue reading

Posted in Folk traditions, Halloween, Ireland, Irishness, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A tale of two buttons and some supernatural events

I’ve been cataloguing buttons from Baker’s Flat. The ones in the picture below are known as trouser buttons (suspender buttons if you’re in the US) and were used mainly on work trousers and shirts. These four hole, sew through buttons … Continue reading

Posted in Baker's Flat, Cataloguing, Material culture, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fizzy drinks, the Codd patent bottle and some experimental archaeology

When aerated mineral water drinks were first manufactured way back in the eighteenth century, they were stored in stoneware bottles. But the gas often escaped, the fizz disappeared and the drinks became flat. When glass bottles were used, a different … Continue reading

Posted in Material culture, Research, hmmm, South Australia | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Bonfires and St John’s Eve

Yesterday, 23 June, was St John’s Eve, which was traditionally celebrated in Ireland with large bonfires across the countryside. Hence its other name, Bonfire Night. June in Ireland is the height of summer, and the long twilight would be a … Continue reading

Posted in Baker's Flat, Folk traditions, Folklore, Ireland, Irishness, Kapunda, South Australia | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Bonfires and St John’s Eve