Hello World

Hi my name is Morgan Chornoboy previously known as the extremely unphotogenic one in all group photos. I’m from the GTA, Pickering in particular. I’m double majoring in science (ecosystem health) and classical studies though I enjoy photography as a hobby so usually I’m on the other side of the camera. I enjoy trying to combine both science and classics and I’m quite happy to find there is actually quite a bit of overlap in the scientific process of archeological study. I travelled throughout Scotland before field school with my family and saw many wonderful things and I hope to see many more amazing things with this field school experience. When I was young I dreamed of becoming an archeologist and now that dream has finally come to fruition. I have been to the UK twice before but this will be an entirely new experience and I’m so excited to finally experience digging at an archeological site.

Greetings!

I thought the best way for you to recognize me in upcoming pictures from the blog would be to first point myself out in context.

As I awoke to the sound of baaing sheep…

That is when it finally sank in that a small town in the north of England, just minutes away from Hadrian’s Wall, would serve as my home for the next five weeks. A dream come true. Fittingly, all I had to do was wake up.

Hey! My name is Nicholas Tibollo and I am a fourth year undergraduate student at Western University attempting to unravel the richness of the ancient Graeco-Roman world. My passion for Classical Studies runs deep. To me, Caesar is a general, not a salad. To me, Hannibal exploited elephants, not Starling. Medieval architecture is far too modern for my taste. 300 is not only a film, it is a life-changing experience. And although I walk in the present, it is in the ancient past where I run wild.

And so it begins !

Hello to everyone reading, My name is Steve Neumann and after a long journey from Leamington, Ontario I have finally arrived in the quaint village of Haltwhistle. My six-week adventure of researching and excavating along Hadrian’s Wall has just begun and I eagerly await to make some exciting finds! I have just completed my second year of Classical Studies at the University of Western Ontario, and have recently been accepted into the Richard Ivey School of Business, in which I will be pursuing my other passion of finance! I will be the last of three brothers who have been accepted into Ivey and look forward to continuing this tradition. Upon my arrival into the UK I spent my first night in Newcastle exploring and touring the many sites of the city. The picture below is of me along the River Tyne, with the Millennium Bridge and Sage Gateshead in the background.

Myself along the River Tyne

Today was our first full day in Northern England and we now have a fully stocked kitchen and have our first site tour under our belts. We spent the day in Hexham shopping at Tesco (an English grocery store chain) and visiting the crypts of the Hexham Abbey. I am looking forward to an adventure of a lifetime over the next five weeks and will continue to post pictures of myself and the 2015 Vindolanda team!

The Hexham Abbey

– Steve

A bit about myself…

Hello!

My name is Mary and I will be going into my fourth year of Bioarchaeological Anthropology and Classical Studies in the Fall/Winter of 2015.

 My love for history was what originally spurred my interest in the discipline of archaeology. I particularly enjoy Canadian military and social history. A hobby of mine is participating in War of 1812 re-enactments, where I take part in military battles as a British soldier.

Brock’s Monument at Queenston Heights in Canada. Major General Sir Isaac Brock was a British officer in command of the forces in Upper Canada during the War of 1812. He died at the Battle of Queenston Heights, and his remains are buried at this monument.    

Re-enacting the rank of a private soldier in the 34th Regiment of Foot. The soldiers in this regiment were primarily Irish, stationed at Fort Malden during the Upper Canada Rebellions of 1837-38.

During this field school I am most eager to learn about Roman military fortifications in Britain, and perhaps draw from that knowledge how the development of fortifications under the Roman Empire may have influenced British fortifications and military life in later centuries.

Soldiers’ barracks and defenses at Fort Erie in Canada.

I am very much excited to be in England, as this is my first time travelling abroad. I have always desired to visit the United Kingdom, and my first few days here have been a dream. I am looking forward to the adventures to come over the next five weeks!

Thank-you for reading,

Mary

Welcome to the 2015 Vindolanda Field School

The UWO Vindolanda Field School has officially begun for its fourth season! As a field school alumnus from 2013, and an avid follower of this blog, I am thrilled to mark this momentous occasion. All of the students arrived in Haltwhistle this afternoon and the traditional photo with the Field School’s flag has been taken. Look at all that purple! These soon to be Vindolanda excavators have all just spent the last 24 hours in the air and on the rails getting here so they are all in need of a long night’s sleep before work begins.

We have a week full of exciting museums, sites, and hikes ahead so stay posted to meet our 2015 Field School members and hear what they have to say about the marvelous sites of the Roman frontier country in Northern England.

Thanks for joining us for another fantastic season and we hope to see you all here on the blog soon.

The Field School Members (From left to right: Professor Alex Meyer, Mel Benard, Sarah Taylor (former TA), Morgan Chornoboy, Sarah Chin, Stephen Neumann, Prem Ramani, Rob Woodcock (TA), Rachel McGuire, Nick Tibollo, Mary Spinks, and Professor Beth Greene)