First Things First...

Hello and welcome to our new Phase 2 Blog. Phase 1 can still be seen here.

This Phase is being undertaken by four interns: Andrew, Ceri, Graham and Sylvie; we will all introduce ourselves a little bit later on. We were challenged with the task of developing public engagement activities in relation to the Tessera Hospitalis art installation.  A call went out for archaeologists, ancient historians and artists who felt they were up to the task and here we are.

The main tasks were these:

• Define and oversee the creation of the plaque to accompany the sculpture
• Identify opportunities for learning and engagement with the sculpture
• Create hands on interpretative material and activities for visitors and school pupils
• Test ‘mock up’ activities on the public and school pupils before making the final version
• Create information for the Museum Web Site and any Museum leaflets and maps
• Submit the final material and write a short report

Before we all tell you what exciting things we have been up to, we thought it was best to introduce new readers to the project and refresh the memories of long term followers. The Future Memory and Place Project has been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Beyond Text Projects. This wider project aims to produce historical research through non traditional means, through incorporating art and music; more detailed information can be found here.

 

So what exactly was a Tessera Hospitalis?

The ancient Tessera Hospitalis is a small unique token made of ivory, metal or clay, which could be in any shape, such as a lion, boar, ram, gecko or an abstract symbol.  It was made in two parts, each friend keeping half as a promise of friendship and as a marker of identity to be presented next time they, or their children, met. This modern sculpture is an interpretation of the ancient Tessera and what it represents. It is not static but mobile, as it is only one half of the whole. Each shape has been uniquely created by a pupil from one of the 9 Swansea schools that took part in the Future Memory in Place Project - Cila, Cwm Glas, Cwmrhydyceirw, Dylan Thomas, Hendrefoilan, Morriston, Parkland, Sea View and St. Helens, as well as other members of the Swansea community. Each of them is now the guardian of their Tessera which links them to this monument and the moment of its creation.

 

Why are they important?

In the ancient world people kept up their connections in different ways to the way we do today; the world was in many ways a much bigger place, so the bonds of friendship needed different tools, rather than for example Facebook, to be used.  With no photography, phones or internet, it is hardly surprising that maintaining distant friendships was hard.  Now, if we meet someone when visiting a new place, we have numerous methods of communication, so we do not need a symbolic item to maintain contact with friends from distant shores.  The Tessera Hospitalis was inherited with each generation continuing the bonds of friendship, resulting in there being friendly faces across the Mediterranean World. Thanks to archaeology we know this custom occurred and, through this project, we are celebrating that the world is still a connected and inspiring place.  A place can mean a million different things to a million different people: a photo, song or smell can take us right back to significant times in our lives and this is what was contained within the exchange of Tesserae.  This project truly identifies that many principles of the ancient world remain today; the Tessera Hospitalis installation serves as a means of connecting those two worlds and all who travel within them.

We are starting our own journey…a journey of discovery; it is likely to have many highs and lows along the way and they will shape our outcomes.  We would all love you to join us on our trip by following our posts and adding to them with your ideas, stories and, who knows, maybe you will even create the odd Tessera Hospitalis along the way.

 

Bye for now, but happy travelling

The Phase 2 Interns