Duncan Mackay
@theduncanmackay
Writer, archaeologist, wild swimmer, wild gardener. New book ECHOLANDS -A JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF BOUDICA out now from @Hodderbooks.bsky.social Rep. Jim Gill at Felicity Bryan Associates
Very pleased to receive an advance copy of the Buildings Archaeologist by the splendid @jpwarchaeology.bsky.social and very much looking forward to reading it and inflicting my opinion of it on the world. Sneaking suspicion I might enjoy it. Available to pre order now!!!
Despite my friendly, informal online persona, I’m told I’m terrible at hiding how painfully reserved I actually am in person.
A friend just gave me these from a day in Bungay ahead of the Black Shuck festival at the end of the month. Bloody love that sticker. Shuck thinks they’re edible. Well, he would, wouldn’t he?🐺🙄 #Shuck #BlackShuck
I really miss the scale model of Roman Londinium in the old Museum of London. You could crouch down & peer along the streets. I wonder if there will be a similar model in the new museum? 1: Looking towards the forum from the bridge road 2: the forum 3: looking back towards bridge 4: bridge & docks
How on earth did we ever lose the knotted handkerchief as a fashionable impromptu sun hat? Proper vintage.
It’s incredible, when writing a book, that weeks, even months, of utter despair can be completely evaporated by writing a single paragraph, rereading it, and thinking, “Nailed it! That is EXACTLY what I wanted to get across. Now I can do the rest.” Funny old game. Might even dust my keyboard now.
Just been writing about York wall, & going back through my photos of said city…eek…July 1990; exactly 36 years ago. Thirty. Six. Years. A Friday day off from site, fag break on the wall walk. God, I miss B&H. And hair.
Oh to be a young Labrador on the lawn in the sunshine with a stolen sock, just for a few minutes…
Just for a split second walking on the beach, I thought I’d stumbled upon a base metal Iron Age stater…I had not.
Made up with this beauty I picked up for £20 yesterday. These 40s/50s army shirts are always too small for me but this fits like a glove. No holes, no wear or fading, every button present. The back almost hangs down to my knees!! The date next to the broad arrow is very faint…could just be 1944
They have an electrum cocktail, @tessmachling.bsky.social This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill.
56 yesterday. Apparently you can dilute time with strong Belgian beer. I intend to be 30 again by morning.
#OTD 1st July 1916, men of the 1st Batt Lancashire Fusiliers await Zero Hour in the Sunken Lane at Beaumont Hamel on the catastrophic first day of the battle of the Somme. July 2014, my son in the same spot. This trip, tracking down spots filmed on the day & watching the footage, was deeply moving.
Can someone grab me a beer, I’m afflicted by a sleeping Shuck. #BlackShuck
Well, home again, home again, jiggity jig! That was an unnecessarily long 6 hour plus drive home with many periods of static motorway joy, and remarkably my Iron Age Bitter takeout from @durotrigesdig.bsky.social open day got home without exploding (bloody close though, I opened it outside)
Listening to Miles Russell give a very entertaining tour of two beautiful Iron Age roundhouses at the @durotrigesdig.bsky.social open day, and two old blokes having a lovely catch up afterwards.
Final spot of Iron Age charioteering before I leave wonderful Chalke. Magical weekend, and can’t emphasise how hard the chariot builders worked in impossible heat to enable this. Next stop @durotrigesdig.bsky.social open day!
With readings by Mel Giles and @cathamclarke.bsky.social it turned into an incredibly moving ceremony, not something I ever expected to see or will probably ever see again.
So yesterday evening at Chalke History Festival a remarkable thing happened, a procession of a reconstructed Iron Age chariot led to the site of a reenacted chariot burial based on those found at Wetwang in E.Yorkshire c.200BC…. 1of2
Fabulous (and very warm!!) day talking to a lovely and big crowd about our favourite subject at Chalke History Festival this afternoon, and signing books in the Waterstones tent afterwards. @elodieharper.bsky.social #Boudica #BoudiccasDaughter #Echolands
Yay!! Copies of brilliant Boudicca’s Daughter by @elodieharper.bsky.social and Echolands by yours truly at Chalke History Festival waiting for our talk about all things Boudica and Iceni tomorrow!
Chariot ponies graze at Chalke History Festival preparing themselves for Iron Age chariot day tomorrow.
You know Chewie needs a haircut when you’re sure you’ve spent 30 seconds stroking his head, and then his arse turns round and looks at you.
Cannot believe it’s already the night I put away my ‘Sumer is Icumen In’ beer pot and change to my Winter is Coming pot. Only seems like a week since I changed over at Midwinter. #Solstice
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney. #Solstice #StandingStoneSunday (📷 taken in November, not solstice!)
Somebody has shaved belly & legs for ultrasound & iv lines & has been feeling very sorry for himself, & worried the crap out of mum & dad, because, hey, how can you possibly know that a house & garden isn’t just a big Labrador smorgasbord until you’ve tried EVERYTHING?? Feeling better now. #Shuck