Artyfacts

25/03/2026

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4477585995/clay-ammonite-design-necklaces?ref=shop_home_feat_1&logging_key=0f785fafd3b6549049b8c27b8e8165baa60d48e4%3A4477585995

15/03/2026

26/02/2026

Old clay pipe stems (16th–19th century) are primarily used by archaeologists to date sites because their bore diameter decreases over time. Thicker, wider-bored stems are generally 17th-century, while thinner, smoother ones are later. They often feature maker's marks or decorative motifs.
Key Details for Identifying Age:
Bore Diameter (Dating Technique): The hole through the center was made with a wire. As time passed, the wire used was smaller, meaning a wider hole indicates an older pipe. This is often measured in 64ths of an inch.
Stem Thickness/Length: Early pipes (17th century) had thicker, shorter, and straighter stems. Later Victorian-era pipes had thinner, sometimes longer, and often more fragile stems.
Material and Finish: Made of white clay (kaolin), some stems were burnished to create a smooth, glossy finish.
Marks and Decoration: Stems may include stamps indicating the maker or the city of origin.
These items are commonly found during excavations or by mudlarking on river foreshores, serving as disposable, mass-produced items similar to modern coffee cups.

26/02/2026

Talking stick :

A talking stick is an indigenous tool, rooted in North American Indigenous cultures, used to facilitate respectful, equitable, and focused dialogue. Only the person holding the stick has the right to speak, ensuring uninterrupted, active listening and balanced participation during council meetings, ceremonies, and storytelling.
Key Aspects of the Talking Stick:
Purpose: It ensures everyone has a chance to speak without interruption, promoting understanding, respect, and peaceful, thoughtful discussion rather than argument.
Protocol: In a circle, the stick is passed from person to person. The holder has the floor, while others listen, often in silence, to the "truth" being shared. Traditionally, these sticks are often decorated with beads, feathers, and animal skins that carry special meanings, representing, for instance, wisdom, truth, or specific clan attributes. Beyond its traditional use in tribal councils, it is used to foster communication in classrooms, team meetings, and conflict resolution.
It is considered a tool of indigenous democracy, designed to ensure that even those who are not prone to interrupting or dominating a conversation are heard.