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1/ In 1939 at start of WW2, CW. Phillips posted hand-coloured copies of #SuttonHoo site plans & notes to Irish archaeologist Sean P. Ó Ríordáin explaining in a letter that this was in fear of their destruction by bombs. Still held in UCD Archaeology archive today. #TheDig
2/ In 1939, the likely destruction of war was high in the minds of archaeologists as #TheDig progressed. In 1939 the British Museum started to evacuate its collections across UK. The damage to the British Museum in the Blitz is described here https://britishmuseum.tumblr.com/post/144140558327/the-british-museum-and-the-blitz#:~:text=On%2010%20May%201941%2C%20the,air%20raid%20during%20the%20Blitz.&text=In%20total%20six%20bombs%20fell,the%20Museum%2C%20including%20250%2C000%20books
3/ Why Sean O Ó Ríordáin? He was then one of Ireland's leading archaeologists, and well-known across Europe. His friend Glyn Daniel of Cambridge University wrote an appreciation of him after his early death, in the University Review here https://www-jstor-org.ucd.idm.oclc.org/stable/25504466?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=sean+p+o+riordain&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dsean%2Bp%2Bo%2Briordain%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26group%3Dnone%26refreqid%3Dsearch%253A8720a837201a483917d40cb8f705776d&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_solr_cloud%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A7a40d1999547b22c36a8dbf2bd04459c&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
4/ In later years, as Prof of Archaeology, at Dept of Archaeology, University College Dublin, Sean P. Ó Ríordáin was one of Europe's leading archaeologists, seen here in 1956 in the BBC popular TV series 'Animal, Vegetable, Mineral',
5/ The Sutton Hoo ship and its finds, and the remarkable story of its archaeological excavation is exhibited in the British Museum's gallery here https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/galleries/sutton-hoo-and-europe
6/ To track the links between the original Sutton Hoo dig and the thoughtful and beautiful @netflix film that is getting so much plaudits this week, read @SueBrunningBM #TheDig https://blog.britishmuseum.org/inside-the-dig-how-star-studded-film-squares-with-reality-of-sutton-hoo/
7/ If you’re interested in the remarkable man that was Basil Brown, discoverer and excavator of the Sutton Hoo ship-burial, there’s a nice piece here #TheDig …https://britainisnocountryforoldmen.blogspot.com/2021/01/is-britain-country-which-finally.html?m=1
8/ Peggy Piggott (née Preston) later known as Margaret Guido is played in the film by Lily James. As as been widely stated in recent days, she was already a qualified and experienced archaeologist and is seen as a significant figure in British archaeology https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Guido
9/ Edith Pretty (played by Carey Mulligan) was the landowner of Sutton Hoo, and gifted the finds to the British Museum and as is intimated in the film died at a young age. #TheDig https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Pretty
10/ interested in the past, in making, understanding, storytelling? #TheDig MSc, Graduate Diploma (campus-based) and Graduate Certificate in Experimental Archaeology & Material Culture at University College Dublin. Apply now for 2021/2022 academic year
11/ Experimental
archaeology - making, understanding, storytelling
archaeology - making, understanding, storytelling
