Take Me To The River - University of East London - London 2007

Young people from Silvertown, East London are getting a hands-on art and archaeology experience and discovering the heritage of the River and the Docks. It is part of the Ports of Call project organised by Artaeology, a consortium of artists and archaeologists working in partnership with the London East Research Institute at the University of East London (UEL). The year 6 pupils from Drew Primary School have been 'fossicking' on the Thames foreshore with archaeologist Andy Brockman and artist Helen Marshall to find objects that have formed the basis for art and creative writing workshops at North Woolwich Old Station Museum. The children will also be spending some days at UEL's Docklands campus to learn computer-aided design techniques in the 'MAGICbox' laboratory, and the work will go on show at London City Airport in January 2008. The children have already made plenty of interesting finds, including pottery and bottles made by local companies, a perfectly preserved clay pipe made in Plumstead around 1840 and what is probably a Diwali lamp and Hindu cobra's that would have been ritually placed in the river.

The project combines simple digital imaging techniques, archaeology and storytelling as a tool to explore  new approaches to children's learning about archaeological heritage and the sustainable environment.The project engages with peoples' perceptions of the past and its meanings to them in the present.

Go to the project website