Glasgow City Heritage Trust has secured two speakers for the St Mungo’s Festival 2017 lectures.
Wednesday 11th January 2017 | 6-8pm | St Mungo’s Museum, Glasgow.
The first speaker is Dr David Caldwell, President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland speaking about Medieval Sculpture in the West Highlands – New Research.
In West Highland churches and burial grounds there are over 800 medieval grave- slabs and commemorative crosses, many with images of warriors and priests, hunting scenes, weapons and other items of equipment. They offer a remarkable insight into a society that promoted itself as being Celtic, different from the mainstream culture of Lowland Scotland. This talk reports on an interdisciplinary project, using geological along with archaeological and historical data, that is seeking a new understanding of this sculpture, in particular why it was done. Evidence for its dating and origins is reviewed and a critique is offered of the current view that much of the work was produced by five schools of carvers.
Dr David Caldwell retired in 2012 from a career in National Museums Scotland spanning 38 years. Latterly he was Keeper of Scotland and Europe and Keeper of Archaeology. Many of his research interests are focussed on the Medieval Period in the West Highlands and Islands. He directed excavations at Finlaggan in Islay from 1990 to 1997. He is currently President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
The second speaker is Dr Anthony Lewis, Curator of Scottish Historic, Glasgow Museums speaking about the Tontine Heads at Provand’s Lordship and the branding of the Georgian City with “Let Glasgow Flourish”.
Anthony Lewis has been Curator of Scottish History, based at St Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art, since 2006; however he has worked for Glasgow Museums since the 1990’s as both a Venue and Learning Assistant. He is currently responsible for collections covering Scottish Government and Nobility, Scottish Banking, Jacobite and Hanoverian conflicts, Scottish military medals, Scottish trade and transport tokens and Scottish rural life as well as working closely with the Provand’s Lordship.He received his PhD on ‘The Builders of Edinburgh’s New Town 1767 – 1795’ (Edinburgh University, 2006) following studies in Art History, Cultural Resource Management and Museum Studies.
His research interests include Scottish history, archaeology, and architecture as well as museum provision and professions. He has delivered many lectures and University courses concerning these fields and had numerous articles published, his most recent dealing with Scottish labour history. Anthony currently serves on a committee interpreting Scottish heritage for the National Trust for Scotland.
No booking is required. Please arrive promptly for the lectures to begin at 6pm.
