Ecoamgueddfa Archaeology Festival/Gŵyl Archaeoleg Ecoamgueddfa Llŷn
Glastonbury – Ancient Antler Craft
Green Man Festival – Science of the lambs
Ecomuseum Archaeology Festival/Gŵyl Archaeoleg Ecoamgueddfa Llŷn
The Ecoamgueddfa Archaeology Festival in Llŷn over an early June weekend attracted much public and community interest. We worked with Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Felin Uchaf, Alabare UK and Bangor University. We entertained school groups with ‘Science of the Lambs/Gwyddoniaeth yr Oenod’ and ran Stonehengeburys for the public and ex-service folk.
Glastonbury – Ancient Antler Craft
We were delighted to return to the Greencraft Village at Glastonbury Festival to welcome new and returning folk. We spent 5 joy filled days using antler to explore ancient and modern relationships with craft, materials, tools and the wild.
Glastonbury is a very important place to us. The support and enthusiasm of the Greencrafts Village gave us the confidence to bring antler craft home to the islands, where it’s now grown into a community project that’s genuinely changing lives. We also get to share our skills with a diverse group of individuals. Many of whom return year on year to chat, share and create.
Remember – you can enjoy antler workshops in the Hebrides, lead by islanders who we shared our skills with (see below).
Or if you can’t make it up there just yet – you can buy the antler craft online – use the QR code below to find out more.
Our makers
Green Man Festival
Science of the Lambs/Gwyddoniaeth yr Oenod with extra wool, returned to Einsteins Garden at Green Man this year. Much fun was had by all in the sunshine with great weather once again.
The joy of sheep and sheep histories was shared far and wide by our fantastic team in Welsh and English.
And we got some fabulous feedback….thanks Miles.
Archaeology in Wilding
We had an amazing time at ‘Archaeology in Wilding’ hosted at Knepp Wilding. Sharing our passion for the wild in our world, democratising deer and craft as a force for change.
Craftwork 2025
Our Craftwork project continued in Uist in November 2025. Thanks to funding from Cardiff University and UKRI.
We welcomed new learners and our resident experts to a series of events including workshops at Sgoil Lionicleit, Cothrom Restore and Ceann na h-Àirigh & Grimsay Boat Museum.
Our expert Ian led the team in providing expert advice on how to enhance our learners antler craft skills. We shared top tips on workshops – from designing spaces, to tools to new products. Spot the extended range that now includes buttons, brooches, earrings and more.
Our experts created knives, violin bridges, carved whales and more. Antler workshops are now offered at Cothrom and at Otters Edge Campsite.
We ran ring making workshops at Sgoil Lionacliet for both pupils and staff.
Science of the Lambs – Uist
Our sheep themed workshop went down well; with many local herders present we had a great time sharing sheep knowledge. The Soay tales we heard were amazing! Those animals do not behave like other sheep.
Island Deer
We also met with Stòras Uibhist to discuss community, deer management, antler and venison. For antler working to be sustainable the available resources need to be shared.
We also saw a number of deer out on the small islands around Loch nam Madadh demonstrating their great swimming skills.
Pumpkin Art 2025
This years GA pumpkin carving draws on depictions of wild animals in Norwegian rock art.
An elk (moose) (Brennholtet, Narvik) and a killer whale (Vingen).
Both are near life size females – the elk has no antler and the whale is pregnant. The whale calf is shown in its correct position – as they are born tail first – indicating a clear knowledge of whale biology.
There are many panels of rock art depicting wild animals in Norway and a range of theories about why people chose to focus on these species. Carved by gatherer hunters and early farmers these images depict their role as crucial sources of food, their symbolic significance in mythology and rituals, and their portrayal in hunting narratives and spiritual beliefs.
More on vingen here and on whales and rock art here
This is not AI generated!
Guerilla Archaeology 