There is a concert on Friday 27th May in Edinburgh featuring multimedia, music, and live performances that explore the relationships between music and prehistory.

Full details at: http://palaeophonics.co.uk/

and http://palaeophonics.co.uk/stonehenge-ritual-sound/

This will includes a short digital film by Rupert Till, Andrew Taylor and Ertu Unver which features high quality renderings of a 3D model of Stonehenge, as it may have looked in prehistory. It also includes a soundtrack that recreates the sound of the space as one approaches it. The model is placed on accurate LIDAR laser scan ground data.

The Pioneer Podcast

This podcast describes the I Hear Too project, which discusses the interaction of sound and heritage more widely than just in prehistory.

Following on from a number of meetings funded by the AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage scheme, this network is intending to continue working on the 4 projects below. If you would like to participate in one of these projects, please leave a comment on this website, or email Rupert Till – R.Till@hud.ac.uk

1. Rollwright Stones Group Analysis

The network suggested launching a project to analyse the acoustics of the Rollwright Stones. A project event would be held to which as many people as possible would be invited. The idea would be to get as many as possible different individuals or groups to analyse the acoustics of the site, in order to get as much information as possible, and to be able to compare and aggregate different the results of different methodological approaches.

2. Research Methodology and Best Practice

Please look at the methodology section on the right hand side. The group is continuing to develop documents discussing best practice and methodology. Contributions are needed to this discussion, please join in.

3. Anechoic recordings

A project is needed that would create a set of anechoic recordings suitable for use within archaeoacoustic studies. These recordings would be dB rated at set levels.

4. Development of ISO standards

A group is needed to develop a set of ISO standard testing methodologies for archeoacoustic projects. This would create perhaps 3 standards that would range from the most simple to advanced research techniques. This research would also develop a benchmarking paper.

In Addition

Major Grant Applications for the AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage Research Programme

A number of researchers from within this network, applied for the major grant scheme. Results of funding are not yet available, but there may be opportunities to participate in any project which receives funding. Watch this site for details.

A group associated with this network, but principally aligned to the I Hear Too network also applied for funding.

Post-doctoral research fellowship within the AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage Research Programme

At least two participants in the AMBP Network who presented at the public symposia submitted applications to the post-doctoral research fellowship scheme. Results of their funding applications are not yet available, but we will aim to publish details of their projects if they are funded.

A number of researchers associated with this project are continuing their own ongoing projects. There may be opportunities to get involved in these projects, check the links at the top of the page for details.

Acoustics and Music of British Prehistory Research Cluster

Second Symposium – Birley Room, Hatfield College, University of Durham

Wednesday 2nd September 2009

Directions can be found at:

http://www.dur.ac.uk/hatfield.college/directions/

10.00am            Arrive coffee/tea

10.30am            Keynote speaker – Steven Waller – Rock Art and Archaeoacoustics

11.00am            Advantages and disadvantages of acoustic measurement and

                             modelling approaches by Damian Murphy, Audiolab, University of York

11.30                  Introduction to best practice and methodology

12.00                  Discussion in 3 interdiscipinary groups             

1.00pm              Lunch (provided)

1.30pm              Informal demonstration of various prehistoric instrument models by Simon

                            Wyatt and Graeme Lawson

2.00pm             Multimedia artwork presentation by Aaron Watson and John Crewdson

2.30pm             Reports from discussions

3.00pm             Discussion of Future Plans

4pm                    end

Expenses forms are available for travel and other reasonable expenses, all those attending can claim reasonable travel expenses, as long as you provide receipts/invoice and/or mileage details.

Attendance and lunch are free of charge.

To reserve a place please contact Rupert Till:  R.Till@hud.ac.uk

Details of the Science and Heritage programme Postdoctoral fellowhips
have been announced. 

please see

http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/Fellowshipspdsciher.aspx

Acoustics and Music of British Prehistory Research Network First Symposium

Friday 19th June 2009, University of Cambridge

Pippard Lecture theatre, Cavendish Laboratory

J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE

The network will have its first public open event on 19th June. Registration and attendance is open to all, students, researchers. academics, heritage professionals and of course the general public. Please contact r.till@hud.ac.uk to confirm your attendance and let us know you are coming. We will be hearing from a number of experts in the field, as well as giving plenty of time to discussion. We will in particular be looking at what the main research questions might be in relation to the study of the acoustics and music of British prehistory. 

Directions at http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/contact/directions.php

Those arriving by car can park on Clerk Maxwell Road and walk to the main 
building, or they can use the Madingley Road Park & Ride. The #4 bus from 
the park & ride stops directly in front of the Cavendish. Unfortunately 
on-site parking will not be available.

Timetable:

1oam Arrival and Coffee

10:30 Presentations by

Ian Cross – Lithophonics in Prehistory, University of Cambridge

Aaron Watson - Multimedia monuments: exploring sound and vision in prehistory

Paul Devereux – Natural Sound Behaviour in Archaeological Contexts

Graeme Lawson – Evidenced Acoustical Behaviours and Acoustical Space: Re-integrating Sound-tools and Landscapes in Ancient Acoustics

Seb Jouan – Arup Acoustics Glasgow

Gry Baelum Nielsen – Odeon Software and Acoustics of Roman Theatres and Odea

Sarah May – English Heritage – Reverence and a Noisy Experiment at Silbury Hill 

12.45 – 1.45 Lunch

1.45 – Keynote: Arnd Adje Both – Chair of the ICTM Study Group for Music Archaeology

Research Questions in the Acoustics and Music of Prehistory: A Synthesis.

2.30 – Research Question Discussion

3.30 – 4.30 Round Table Discussion