Recreating Roman perfumes

Saturday, October 14th, from 11 AM until 3 PM, there is a new workshop at Camp Virtus, near Cluj. The experimental archaeology and reenactment meeting is dedicated to Roman perfumes, unguents, and creams. There will be a presentation of the sources and other reconstruction attempts, of the ingredients and procedures, followed by a hands-on workshop and concluded with the tasting of Roman food recipes.

The meeting is part of the "Labyrinth through" time cultural project, co-financed by the National Cultural Fund  Administration of Romania and implemented by Virtus Antiqua NGO.

 See other experiments:

Smell like Julius Caesar: recreating ancient perfumes in the laboratory

The Scent of Love: Ancient Perfumes

Read our handout (in Romanian)

 

Labyrinth through time - a different kind of reenactment event

The dates are set for the Labyrinth through time event I've been talking about. Thus, on October 21st and 22nd the entire hill of Camp Virtus will be transformed in a giant labyrinth  inhabited by characters born out of the Antiquity. Unlike usual historical reenactment shows in Romania, this is not a spectacle to see but an experience to immerse yourself in. Once in the labyrinth visitors will meet and interact with Dacians, Romans (gladiators, auxiliary soldiers, civilians, priests) and Celts, will smell and taste ancient recipes and snacks, will touch natural samples and guess their ancient uses, will make their own ancient perfumes in unguentaria, will take part in the uncovering of a pottery firing pit and in the reenactment of Roman religious rituals, will weave on a vertical loom, will be able to practice shooting a bow and play Roman board games. There will also be an archaeology corner, with children being explained the principles of excavation and stratigraphy and then discovering strange objects, filing and keeping them.
Still, a show part is also included, with gladiatorial fights (munera) and military drills (with commands given in Latin, naturally).

Labyrinth through time event, 21-22 October 2017 at Camp Virtus

The event is family-oriented, with families of volunteers dressed in the era's costumes and inhabiting the labyrinth and the experiences designed with families of visitors in mind, where adults mediate and help the young experiment and learn. Still, all types of visitors are welcome, as access is in no way restricted to them.
We shall also hold a special ceremony for the volunteers involved in the weekend meetings, granting them diplomas and prizes, and the final event and a campfire to end the event.

Building the labyrinth near Cluj-Napoca

Join the Facebook event for updates!
Check out the web page of the entire Labyrinth through time project (in Romanian but with much illustrative material).

Experimenting with Roman recipes from Apicius

Reconstruction of a bread oven that we will use for baking

Educational activities

 

Auxilia Batavorum, reconstruction of a unit attested in ancient Dacia

Ludus Memnii - the gladiator school of training

Ancient pottery workshop

New experimental archaeology meeting this weekend, at Camp Virtus, near Cluj - "Intalnire ceramica antica". In a series of reenactment and reconstruction meetings part of the Labyrinth through time cultural project, this workshop focuses on the modelling of Roman and Dacian pot shapes. After the pots have dried, during a subsequent meeting the team project members and volunteers shall experiment with the old firing technique, namely pit firing.

Feel free to join us, despite the cloudy weather, September 9th between 11 AM and 15 PM in Salicea, near Cluj, to learn more about how the ancients modeled out of clay the largest category of everyday items they used and to experiment the process hands-on.

"Labirint prin timp" is partly financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration and organized by Virtus Antiqua NGO. Don't miss out on the news and stay tuned for the final event, in October this year, the creation of an actual labyrinth with different cores inhabited by Dacians, Romans, Celt, gladiators, auxiliary soldiers, civilians, perfume makers and hawkers!

Experimental archaeology meeting at Camp Virtus

Such activities contribute to the development of Camp Virtus, an open-air reenactment center focusing on the history, material culture and practices of the inhabitants of Transylvania during Antiquity - mainly Romans, Dacians and Celts.

Labyrinth through time - free online resources

One of the objectives of our reenactment project Labyrinth through time, financed by the National Cultural Administration Fund [AFCN] of the Romanian government, is to make available free online a series of resources regarding ancient history, reenactment, and patrimony. These are the handouts provided to volunteers and visitors at every weekend meeting, but online they may reach a wider audience.

The handouts contain general presentations on topics related to the reenactment activities performed at Camp Virtus: ancient plants, gardens and gardening tools; textiles, looms, and weaving tablets in Antiquity; Roman altars and ceremonies; food and cooking; bread and ovens; Celtic clothes and costumes and others.

All handouts [in Romanian only] can be downloaded in pdf format from the project's pages on the Camp Virtus website HERE. 

Handout sample - Roman altars and ceremonies pdf

 

Ancient loom weight modelling

The most recent experimental archaeology meeting at Camp Virtus, near Cluj-Napoca, Romania, part of the "Labirinth through time" project, has partly envisaged the modelling of ancient-type loom weights. According to archaeological clay weights discovered on the territory of present-day Romania, we have created a series of tronconical weights, perforated in the upper part, that shall be integrated, subsequently, into a remake of an actual vertical weaving loom.

See HERE a brief presentation of weaving in Antiquity [in Romanian, but illustrated]. 

All pictures from the meeting held July 1st are available on our website HERE.

Raw clay weights modeled at Camp Virtus

Volunteers enjoying pottery making

Perforated loom  weights

Teaching clay modelling by Virtus Antiqua

Experimental archaeology : loom weights

On July 1st Virtus Antiqua organizes yet another experimental archaeology workshop near Cluj-Napoca, at Camp Virtus. The meeting includes two projects - modelling ancient-style loom weights inspired by archaeological artifacts from Romania and remaking another Roman cabbage recipe from Apicius. A vertical loom will be reconstructed and used during subsequent meetings.

The workshops is part of the "Labyrinth through time" cultural project that benefits from funding from the Romanian National Cultural Fund Administration, targeting 15 such workshops with families of volunteers and a larger event in the autumn when Camp Virtus becomes an actual labyrinth inhabited by gladiators, Roman auxiliary soldiers, ancient perfume makers, hawkers, Dacians and Celts.

So, both volunteers and the general public [including English speakers as well!] are invited on Saturday, July 1st, in Salicea, near Cluj, for a time-immersive experience!

Clay loom weights modelling workshop by Virtus Antiqua

Check out the Pinterest album with reconstructions of vertical-type, ancient looms and loom weights made of clay discovered during archaeological excavations HERE.
See pictures from our last week's meeting to get a taste of what we do at Camp Virtus HERE.

The reconstruction of an ancient Roman garden

This Sunday, June 25th, members of the Virtus Antiqua reenactment association from Cluj invite volunteers and the general public to take part in yet another experimental archaeology meeting at their center Camp Virtus, in the village of Salicea, near Cluj-Napoca. The meeting envisages the reconstruction of an ancient Roman garden, with beds for medicinal, cooking, and decorative plants that the ancient Roman would have known and used. Due to the access of goats at Camp Virtus, the gardens needs to be protected by a wattle fence, the construction of which, with local materials, shall take up most of the meeting. Still, it shall not be all work, as we will also cook an ancient recipe inspired by Apicius' De re coquinaria - cabbage and cauliflower with spices and pig meat sausages. The event is part of the ongoing cultural project entitled "Labyrinth through time" that encourages outdoors historical learning for families of volunteers.

See you at Camp Virtus, ca. 8 km. from Cluj, between 11 AM and 16 PM to help us with some historical reconstruction and tasting. Join our Facebook event for all the details and find inspiration checking out our image collections regarding reconstructions of Roman gardens, ancient gardening tools, and plants known during Antiquity. 

The Roman garden - experimental archaeology workshop at Camp Virtus

Roman garden reconstruction in Cluj-Napoca, part of the botanical garden

 

Current state of the garden reconstruction at Camp Virtus

Ancient-type weaving loom

Labyrinth through time - Virtus Antiqua's reenactment project - continues with research onto another topic that shall be recreated soon at Camp Virtus, near Cluj: an ancient-type weaving loom. Several meetings at the camp, in the village of Salicea, shall lead to the modeling of clay loom weights, based on Roman-Era archaeological discoveries from Romania, the reconstruction of such a vertical loom and the experimenting with actual weaving techniques. Still, the first step is to consult the era's depictions, the existing patrimony and other reconstructions, in order to choose the exact type and model. Volunteers are encouraged to consult the thematic Pinterest album RAZBOI ANTIC DE TESUT (Romanian for ancient loom) that reunites such resources.

Pinterest album focusing on ancient looms

Labyrinth through time - reenactment channel on YouTube

This year I am much involved in a cultural project entitled Labyrinth through time, partially funded by the National Cultural Fund Administration of Romania. Through this project my reenactment NGO from Cluj, Virtus Antiqua, plans to organize up to 15 meetings of experimental archaeology and living history this summer with families of volunteers and a final event in the autumn, reconstructing a true labyrinth "inhabited" by antique reenactors. Camp Virtus is our historical entertainment park near Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The first meetings have been documented already on YouTube, through the project's specific channel:

Roman banquet and dessert, a game of archaeology, bow and arrow target practice and a display of gladiators:

The reconstruction of an ancient Roman bread oven:

  The second meeting - a game for the senses, an ancient Roman recipe, and the reconstruction of the oven:  
The first meeting, recruitment, and an ancient Roman snack:
 
Read more about the project (in Romanian) HERE. 
Join the project as volunteer together with members of your family - read the conditions (in Romanian) HERE. 
For updates follow our Facebook Page Camp Virtus.

Glanum soup - remake of an ancient Roman recipe

Part of the Labirinth through time project, members of the Virtus Antiqua reenactment group and volunteers have recently reconstructed an ancient Roman recipe known as Glanum soup. The name comes from that of an oppidum called Galnum, in present-day Provence. The recipe is based on wheat, vegetables and meat and the main seasoning consists of onions studded with cloves.

Glanum soup at a boil

Clove studded onions

Some of the vegetables

Adding the wheat

Cutting and chopping the ingredients

Like all Roman recipes, we had to adapt this one to what was available and to how we envisaged the quantities and cooking times of the various ingredients. And despite burning the mix a bit in the end, we were happy with the result :)

See more about the project and its activities at the following links:

- www.campvirtus.ro - web page of the future historical park near Cluj

- the Facebook page of Camp Virtus

- the YouTube channel of the project Labirint prin timp

 

Project logo

May 14th 2017 - experimental archaeology workshop at Camp Virtus

The cultural project entitled "Labyrinth through time / Labirint prin timp" of Virtus Antiqua NGO from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, will include an initial workshop of archaeology on May 14th at Camp Virtus (in Salicea, 8 km from Cluj). The project is co-financed by Administratia Fondului Cultural National (AFCN) and has several partners: Asociatia Socio-culturala apARTe from Cluj, Asociatia Parinte InFloresti from Floresti, Ziarul Faclia, Orasul Cluj.ro, Cluj.info and Cluj Web Story.

Depending on the weather, the workshop will either focus on the reconstruction of an ancient Roman garden, surrounded with a wattle fence, or on the reconstruction of an ancient bread oven made of clay bricks. There will also be Roman snacks and a proper recipe (Galnum soup) for all volunteers involved.

Partially designed Roman garden at Camp Virtus

Planned reconstruction of a Roman clay oven at Camp Virtus

Glanum soup - an ancient Roman recipe at Camp Virtus

Read all about the workshop in Romanian HERE.

Join the Facebook event HERE.

VOLUMEN - special history book fair near Cluj

The 2017 season starts shortly at Camp Virtus, my NGO's historical park in the making near Cluj-Napoca, in Salicea. The opening event, prepared for April 29th, is entitled VOLUMEN as it mainly consists of a special book fair, focusing on history books, periodicals, and articles (extracts). Old and new history books are available in English, Romanian, even Slovak, dealing with periods between Classical Antiquity and the Early Modern Period in Central and Eastern Europe - mostly Romania. There will be free history books, special prices for author volumes, and history-inspired bookmarks.

We shall use the occasion to present a special project of ours, Labyrinth through time, financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration of Romania. Those who wish to become involved this year, together with their families, in reenactment weekend workshops and an autumn festival, are welcome to find out all about it!

More about the event, in Romanian HERE.

More about the project, in Romanian, HERE.

Reconstructions of ancient Roman altars and ceremonies

My reenactment interests have led me to continue research on the topic of Roman altars and ceremonies, in preparation of the long-awaited start of our cultural project entitled Labirint prin timp (Labyrinth through time). The Virtus Antiqua NGO from Cluj/Napoca plans on organizing this summer a series of reenactment activities with families of volunteers at our center and historical park in the making, Camp Virtus.

I have thus prepared a handout on the topic and a Pinterest album presented similar initiatives. We shall pay closer attention to how the Romans built their altars, how many types of altars they had, how they were decorated and what kind of rites and ceremonies were performed.

HERE is the Pinterest album in which you can explore Roman reconstructions of public altars, lararia, ritual offerings and sacrifices such as the famous suovetaurillia.