Sunday 5 February 2012

DID THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS KNIT?


Did they  know what snow was? So sad, to not know the wonders of fondling  a squishy skein or of opening the curtains to freshly fallen snow. I am pleased that my pleasures in life are simple and can be easily found. As you can see, we DID awake to snow this morning, a goodly four inches or so. The falling snow had sadly stopped though. I had made sure that the bird feeders were topped up yesterday when we heard the forecast, although I don't think it will be hanging around for long. I do so love to see it. My delight has not lessened one tincy wincy bit since I was a small child. I just LOVE the stuff!

I have to say, young Oscar does too and after an hour and a half at the water park this morning, he still refused to come in from this winter wonderland.





It's been a very, very quiet knitting week I'm afraid. School has been busy, busy, busy and wedding plnning has been go, go, go. So I haven't been able to quite finish Sophie's little bolero. It's getting there though, so I thought I'd show you anyway.



I've mattress-stitched the seams and made the sleeve edgings , which have been slip-stitched into place. I'm now on the mammoth task of completing the edging, making it long enough to go all the way around. It's a rather pretty and very simple four-row pattern, so easy enough. I'm glad it can be slip-stitched on though as I'm never very good at picking up large numbers of stitches evenly. The borders never seem to lay completely flat, except by sheer chance.


It's coming along though and will definitely be finished in time to take with me next Friday when I go to visit. The elder Miss Snoops is celebrating her 'hen' weekend and I am joining them all for a meal on Saturday evening. I will be staying with my son and daughter-in-law and little Sophie. So excited! It's half-term too, so a nice leisurely drive home on Sunday, knowing that I don't have to go to school on Monday. Hooray!

On Wednesday we took both Year 3 classes to the Norwich Castle Museum for an Ancient Egyptian day. It was brilliant! The children were beautifully behaved and joined in all the activities with gusto. We teach much of the curriculum through projects, often with a drama perspective. We began this one several weeks ago with an Ancient Egyptian artefact, a cat and a story by Julia Jarman called 'The Time-Travelling Cat'. The children have been working as Egyptologists and hoping to become experts in their field! The activity day consolidated their learning and took them so much further in their learning as they had to decide on whether Howard Carter was right to open Tutankhamun's tomb, or whether the Egyptian's side of the argument, that the tombs should remain untouced, was correct. By the end of the day, many of the children could, quite rightly, see both sides of the argument.









Above are some of the beautiful exhibits, some of which the children could handle inside their protective cases. What a great stimulus for learning! Clues were laid and then guesses were made as to what many of the artefacts were. They managed to use the clues and their own knowledge to work out the answers. They had become experts!

The Ancient Egyptians were a very clever people but did they knit! YES they did! Knitted socks were discovered in  Egyptian tombs from the 3rd to 6th centuries A.D. This is the earliest archaeological evidence of knitted garments.

 
This one is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. It dates from around A.D. 300 to 400. How amazing is that!

Have a great week!

16 comments:

Jennyff said...

Happy Oscar in the snow, gorgeous. I don't imagine our handknit socks are going to last that long but it does look as if self patterning yarn has been on the go a while.

Lyn said...

wow I never thought about how old knitting was! who'd of thought!
Oscar does love the snow..so did we!
Have a good week
xxx

Teje Karjalainen said...

Hi Ros!
How nice to see Oscar so happy playing and enjoing the snow! Too bad that Nero and Hanna can't experience that. Foxy has seen once snow but it was so much that she couldn't walk or run.
Egyptians - very exiting theme! I should know their history very well, but my memory is really bad.
So, you know Tutankhamon! Did you meet her grandmother?! Surprise: her name was Teje and I am named after her!
When I was young it was difficult to have so strange name but now I'm proud of it.
I wish you wonderful week!
x Teje

josiekitten said...

Oscar looks like he was having loads of fun in the snow! Roll on half term!! xx

Kathy said...

Great fun for Oscar! We haven't had a single flake here on the Wirral!
Looks like a great museum for 'doing the Egyptians'. I've missed it all a bit this year after moving out of Y3, but I've enjoyed the Romans in Year 4 instead.
Only 5 days till half term ... hooray! I've got two days out on courses this week too!
xxx

Lynne said...

Oscar's a hoot!! He has no fear! We haven't had any snow at all here in Belfast. I love the edging on the wee cardigan, and who know there was a sock that old!!

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

So the snow initiates your childhood wonder does it? Looks like it has a similar effect on Oscar... just a big puppy at heart.
I'd love to see the Egyptian exhibit... it was a fascinating time in history.
Have a great week and enjoy the snow. So happy we could send you some!
Susan x

kate said...

Oscar looks just like my Chika does with snow - he can't get enough of it and thinks of it just like water!

Love the sharing of the school trip, what lucky students you have.

Anna said...

Oscar's loving the snow, it's so nice to see. The cardi looks adorable!

melissa said...

oh be still my puppy-loving heart! oscar looks so so happy romping in the snow! love it!!

and your bolero is just the sweetest thing. i love the edging, so delicate and feminine.

i'm going to have to show lily your egyptian pictures tomorrow. they just finished a unit on ancient egypt in her class and she is obsessed right now! she's going to love this!

Molly the Airedale said...

What an interesting post!
I wish I had some of your snow to play in, Oscar!

Love ya lots,
Mitch

Tracy said...

Such rich variety in your post today, Ros! I had read an article a while back about the ancient origins of knitting, and it amazing how old the craft actually is! LOVED seeing all the Egyptian artifacts here... I'm very much interested in ancient cultures, history & art, so this was very fun to see. Sophie's bolero is BEAUTIFUL! I just love that soft, lavender yarn... And who couldn't love the sight of Oscar playing in the snow??!! Too cute... I would join him, but I don't do so well with the cold. ;o) It's been terribly cold here in Norway... and snowing again...LOL! HAPPY DAYS ((HUGS)) P.S Thanks for stopping my to celebrate Imbolc with me. I'm glad so many are enjoying these different posts I'm sharing featuring days/celebrations form the earth & earth calendar.

Louise said...

I just came by to say thanks for your comment about my rosacea and I'm amazed now that the egyptians were kinitting so long ago!

Kat Jorgensen said...

Wow, I would have loved to have been on that school trip. Love me some ancient Egyptian artifacts. And who knew that they knit! Awesome.

But I have to say my favorite part of your post was Oscar in the snow.

Wyatt said...

Wonderful field trip and even more wonder snow play! :D

Wyatt and Stanzie

bellaboo said...

Looks like Oscar enjoys the snow as much as Bella!
We had more last night.
Enjoy your weekend...knitting by any chance?!! :0)