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.

Scoala Altfel at Camp Virtus 2017

Part of the Romanian National alternative school days, Scoala Altfel, Virtus Antiqua NGO organizes historical reenactment activities at its center near Cluj-Napoca, at Camp Virtus. There shall be several interactive workshops: bow and arrow target practice, military equipment presentation (Roman soldiers, gladiators, ancient Dacians), daily life in Antiquity (sensory workshop - guessing by smell plants known and unknown during the ancient times; historical parallel of artifacts/objects from now and then with similar functions), and military formation exercises.

To get an idea, here are some image from last year's Scoala Altfel program at the Camp, in the village of Salicea, near Cluj:

Trying on a gladiator's manica

Roman military and religion

Explanation of Roman board games

Attempt at testudo

Target practice - the most effective activity

Guessing the primary materials of ancient Roman jewelry

Feel free to contact us for this year's activities or organizing special visits and events. Camp Virtus is open, for now, only on prenotation or during events organized by us. Stay up to date with our Facebook page and Twitter profile or subscribe to our newsletter.

Facebook page Camp Virtus.

Twitter profile Camp Virtus. 

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Scoala Altfel 2017 la Camp Virtus - flyer

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. 

 

Homespun woolen cap

We finally found a seller of homespun woolen fabric in natural colors, thus the most recent variant of our reconstructed Dacian cap / hat is now more authentic than ever. The material is not so comfortable, but it is warm, thick and the typical pointy end is now prominent. Such hats were being worn by Dacian noblemen (called tarabostes or pileati - those who wore the pileus), as depicted on Trajan's Column.
The cloth comes in natural wool colors, dirty white and brown.

The new type of pileus is available online, at atelieruldeistorie.

Works and days at Camp Virtus

As promised, we started working on the new bread clay oven at Camp Virtus, as the first attempt had failed due to errors in design (it was too tall and required too much fire wood), improper technical solutions (the wattle structure that prevented clay from shrinking evenly, leading to cracks) and the order of operations (the oven was built before the roof, thus exposing it to both rain and too strong sun).

Last Saturday we thus proceeded with destroying the old oven and building the timber structure of the roof. There was also an attempt at making clay bricks, for the base and part of the clay structure, but this proved a rather difficult task in itself, from clay extraction, mixing, shaping, pressing into molds and then removing the bricks from the wooden molds. We only managed to make eight viable bricks and we still don't know how they will dry by the next work session. Which will be soon :)

the burning of the first oven

clay modelingg fun

preparing the bench and the timber posts

clay brick molding

clay bricks

measurements

hard team work

the posts in place before sunset

the roof structure after nightfall

Ancient Reenactment Festival in Zalau/Porolissum

The annual Porolissum Fest is to be held this year on the 2nd and 3rd of July in the traditional location of Moigrad, in front and inside the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Porolissum [not far from Zalau, Transylvania]. The 2016 edition, the sixth, hopes to rally more people at the event and thus stresses a cooking contest and evening music concerts, but we all know it is about reenactment while baking in the sun. As befits true reenactors. Join us [aka VIRTUS ANTIQUA] next weekend in Zalau and check our Facebook event for more info and photos from past editions!

Epicness with VIRTVS ANTIQVA

My reenactment group, VIRTVS ANTIQVA, has produced a brand new recruiting video for its gladiatorial school. Open positions: gladiator (starting from candidate level, tiro), slave, libertus/a, priest/priestess, matron, dancer/acrobat, Furies/Erinyes. Who wants in?
Advantages: free weekends, driving license and car, location in/near Cluj-Napoca, Romania, sports, imagination and patience.

Here is also our older recruitment poster, that has also worked pretty well:

The first day

Back to some reenactment to let you know that tomorrow, June 18th, Camp Virtus will be open for the first time to the general public. After several successful projects with pupils and before the unofficial opening ceremony, we will be present at Salicea, near Cluj, to welcome all visitors who desire to visit our reenactment park and experience history hands-on.

For more details check the website event or the Facebook one.

And in Romanian about how to plan your visit.

 

Sheep and the Roman garden

Camp Virtus, the reenactment park in the making near Cluj (Romania), faces a tricky problem: sheep. Their presence was first noted when all the ivy planted along the fence has been completely eaten by the next morning. Traces of wool have then showed that the young shepherds do everything in their power (ruin the barbed wire fence and the gate) to get the sheep inside the camp. This proves very difficult for the planner Roman Garden, which now has to be fully enclosed with a wattle fence. While this enclosure is being made, through copious work and sweating, the Roman plants grow in exile, on my balcony: mustard (just producing hairy pods), sage, coriander (with a rather unpleasant taste), laurel, and ivy. Just hope they will adorn the actual garden, soon!

the garden

mustard pods

sage

mustard

coriander

 

Crepundia bracelets

I have returned to my ancient Roman passion for inspiration in making a new series of products for my reenactment website, Atelierul de istorie. The new bracelets. amulets or Boho chic according to modern terminology, were a type of collage/mix pieces of jewelry meant to protect the wearer against the evil spirits and dangers.  Though modern in their arrangement on elastic cord, the crepundia bracelets combine elements made of various materials and colors: hand painted ceramic beads, precious stones, bronze, shells, and other elements.

Feel free to check them out HERE.
See also the crepundia necklaces HERE. 

Roman auxiliary soldiers needed

Recruitment is open in Cluj-Napoca for soldiers to reenact the latest troop of  VIRTUS ANTIQUA: Cohors I Batavorum Milliaria Civium Romanorum Pia Fidelis. The first task is to remember the full name of your unit correctly, then you'll have to learn the Latin field commands and formations, and to take care of your kit: calligae sandals, trousers, tunic, lorica hamata (the chain mail of the auxiliary soldiers), shield,  gladius, helmet, and mantle. The rewards of your long labor will not consists of land plots like in the Roman time, but of interesting food (according to ancient recipes), lots of socializing (withing the group of volunteers reenactors but also with the public), a chance to travel (at Reenactment festivals) and learn something first hand. Interested? Contact us!

contact@virtusantiqua.ro

Testing the ancient bread oven

Now that the bread oven replica at Camp Virtus has dried in the sun, we wanted to go to the next level. The first step was to correct the cracks that had appeared in the body of clay - as the composition was certainly uneven [see the entry on how it was built] and the exposure to the sun one sided. After these have dried as well, the Roman-inspired oven was fired, noting some persistent cracks where smoke escaped.

The final step was to actually try and bake some bread, to see if the heat was indeed enough for the process. Due to bad weather conditions, we used aluminum foil instead of cabbage leafs or anything more antique. We were also short of the appropriate wooden tools, thus the embedded cord that we used to pull the bread out of the oven.

The result was not bad, the bread loaf a bit undone in the center, but that can be easily fixed with a bit of experience in baking times and procedure. We'll be having practical workshops soon!

 

Gardening project

One might be surprised of what art has to do with a gardening project. And yet, I have devised such a combination, relating to the idea of a Roman aromatic garden. The "Roman garden" product is a small bottle, painted by hand with vegetal depictions, containing a mix of seeds from plants that the Romans would have grown to use in the kitchen, for cooking or spicing wine, or just for their nice scent. It has coriander, dill, mustard, parsley, mint, sage, basil, savory, caraway, and rosemary seeds, to be planted and cared for in an authentic Roman garden. The project is educational for kids, useful for reenactors, and fun for all those who love herbs and cooking.

the Roman garden project

hand-painted bottle with aromatic plant seeds

contents ca. 25 g, enough for a rather large herb garden

Reenactment park near Cluj

VIRTVS ANTIQVA NGO has launched the website of their reenactment park in the making - Camp Virtus. The site is located 8 km from Cluj-Napoca, by the village of Salicea. It will have special areas for arrow shooting, Roman games, presentations of ancient equipment and costume replicas, an arena for shows (amphitheater-like gladiatorial shows, religious ceremonies, Roman dances and various types of entertainment), a Roman garden, ovens and kilns of different types (for cooking, for pottery, a forge), and replicas of ancient dwellings. Stay tuned for the grand opening! And you may also support the initiative, there are various way to do that - see HERE.

Support the reenactment park Camp Virtus

Romanian residents an now support (free of actual charge!) the construction of the reenactment park Camp Virtus, organized by Virtvs Antiqva NGO in Salicea, near Cluj. By filling in form 230 Romanian employees can redirect 2% of their income tax for this non-profit initiative. Here is the link to the campaign and the form: http://virtusantiqua.ro/

The camp is designed to have a Roman garden, a reconstruction of an ancient coking oven for gastronomical remakes, target practice area, a sort of amphitheater, kite-making and flying workshops, and eventually replicas of Roman and Dacian buildings.

Reenactment at Camp Virtus

I am involved in the creation of a reenactment park near Cluj-Napoca, in the village of Salicea, called Camp Virtus. It is the initiative of another NGO, the Virtus Antiqua and it aims at presenting various aspects of military and civilian life during Antiquity. The parts I like best are those I have already organized during summer camps over the past years: ancient clothing, perfume, and cosmetics; ancient games (especially board games such as Rota and Duodecim scripta); and interactive activities with drawing.

ROTA championship

The real TOGA party

Drawing a Dacian warrior in full attire

Drawing a Roman centurion

 In April we will have a full week of activities for pupils, during the national Scoala Altfel program. Feel free to join! The estimated visit is of 80 minutes and includes several workshops in open air: bow and arrow target practice, presentation of Roman and Dacian military and civilian costumes, ancient games, workout (gladiators, Roman auxiliary soldiers).