ARCHAEOLOGY for everyone !

The GRAAL proposes to you an initiation with the archaeological excavation through archaeological reconstitution of excavation and washing of furniture discovered. This topic, developed in two meetings, is intended for a public of children from 6 to 12 years.

1. The first meeting allows an approach of the archaeology (for what that is used, which one finds and how one must be caught there...), and an initiation being studied of the furniture (tri, counting, description of potteries and bones of different times) in a ludic and teaching way

2. The second meeting alternates the participation of the children in an excavation reconstituted in an excavated surface in which is hidden furniture discovered at the time of excavations, and the washing of shards of potteries. Thus, of the vestiges of constructions will be established in the ground in order to appear the ruins of a building: the children will find brick foundations, roofs of ploughed up tiles. The domestic activities are not forgotten since pits dumps full with bones and shells will show the vestiges of a feeding based on sins and the breeding... In addition, the washing of ceramics make it possible to the children to discover the crockery of last and its evolution.

Q The reconstituted excavation requires a ground excavated of 8 Mr. out of 3 per 40 cm. of depth. Gallo-Roman, medieval and modern structures are reconstituted by respecting a stopwatch-stratigraphic command underlined by levels of grounds of several colors.

Q The hardware provided to the diggers consists of a trowel by person, a bucket, a small brush, one collects dust for two and one numbered bag to put the hardware discovered.

Q The taught technique is the following one: distributed by zones, the children excavate flat, of front oneself towards oneself, without digging. The stratigraphic layers are followed, one does not remove the objects which appear, and one leaves them in place and apparent time to take a photograph.

Q The embankments (sand) put out of bucket at the time of the excavation will have passed to the sieve through the diggers in order to recover the smallest objects.

Q The ceramics washing allows a discovery of the forms and colors of pastes and glaze. Questions about the first meeting of animation are put, and certain developed points (evolution of the containers of wood towards the terra cotta, utility of the glazes, appearance of the forks and spoons). The first attempts at reconstitution of the broken pots can then take place.

Q The hardware consists of a brush by children, a basin and a bag of hardware to be washed for two.