Medievalarchitecture’s Weblog

This blog is about British medieval architecture and archaeological computing

GPR

I can provide a GPR free of charge if for academic research
clipped from heritage-key.com
An Archaeologist’s Guide to Headache-free GPR

Developed in the 1970’s, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) uses radio waves to detect and map underground objects and soil/rock strata. In the last three decades archaeologists have made extensive use of the technology. It allows them to detect, map and analyze archaeological remains without putting a shovel into the ground.

How it works

The science behind GPR is complex and has been the source of plenty of headaches for archaeology students. A very basic explanation of the technology works like this:

The antenna of a GPR system shoots radio pulses into the ground. Each pulse travels through the ground as a wave.

Within the ground there are different layers of subsurface materials (soils, rocks and, hopefully, archaeological remains).

Every time this wave comes in contact with a new layer of soil or debris, the velocity of the wave changes. This causes some of the energy of the wave to “bounce” back as a reflected wave.

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August 31, 2009 Posted by medievalarchitecture | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

Britains oldest timber bridge

The bridge has been dendro-dated to the 11th century AD
clipped from www.independent.co.uk
Medieval timber bridge unearthed in gravel pit: Discovery of 11th-century remains shed light on development of English carpentry. David Keys reports


BRITAIN’S oldest large-scale example of sophisticated medieval wooden architecture has been discovered – buried 12ft deep in a gravel pit in Leicestershire.

Now, after four weeks digging, the substantial remains of a great medieval timber bridge have emerged. Dating work on the timbers – conducted by the University of Nottingham tree ring dating laboratory – show that the bridge was constructed in the late 11th century, at about the time of the Domesday Book.

About 25 per cent of the bridge’s timbers have survived, including Britain’s earliest known large-scale examples of sophisticated carpentry. The structure is 30 to 40 yards long, 10ft wide and was built using at least eight different types of lap and butt joints.

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August 24, 2009 Posted by medievalarchitecture | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

Glossary of Church Architecture

a useful guide to what all those words mean in architecture
clipped from www.britainexpress.com
Glossary of Church Architecture
Altar – the holiest part of a church. In the medieval period
the altar was a table or rectangular slab made of stone or marble,
often set upon a raised step. After the Reformation the stone altars
were replaced by wooden communion tables.

Ambulatory – a covered passage behind the altar, linking
it with chapels at the east end of the church.

Apse – the domed or vaulted east end of the church. In Britain
the apse is generally squared off, while on the continent, rounded
apses were common.

Baptistery – where the font was stored and baptisms were
performed, generally near the west door. Sometimes a screen or
grille separates the baptistery from the nave.

Bay – a vertical division, usually marked by vertical shafts
or supporting columns.

Bell Tower – a tower where the church bells were installed.
This could be separate from the church, or, more usually, attached.
Sometimes called a campanile.

Chancel – the eastern end of a church.
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August 24, 2009 Posted by medievalarchitecture | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

beautiful Russian timber architecture

I can’t believe these buildings have just been left abandoned
clipped from englishrussia.com
Russian wooden architecture 1

Some other masterpieces of Russian medieval wooden architecture were found abandoned.

Some of them look like they are just left – even some furniture stays on its places. The reason they are so undisturbed – it stays deep inside the Russian forests.

Russian wooden architecture 2
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August 24, 2009 Posted by medievalarchitecture | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet