A crannog is an iron age dwelling built out over a loch. This replica crannog is modelled on one that is being excavated in Loch Tay. We visited the centre during it's spring Celebration.
We began with a guided tour of the crannog. I was fascinated by the butter dish they found with butter residue still inside and markings suggesting it was also used to make cheese (HB is holding a replica). HB liked the bronze axe head they smelted at the site.
Next HB helped plant rather a lot of poppy seeds!
Then we listened to two stories set at the iron age crannog and learnt about constructing a coricle.
After this we listened to some folk music in the Crannog. Although this music was only 400-ish years old (we have no idea what iron age music would have sounded like), the crannog excavations have revealed a whistle and the bridge from a stringed instrument. These are thought to be the earliest instruments found in western Europe.
HB then decided it would be a good time to go out in a log boat. It was larger than the previous log boat they took out, so they asked for help. They rowed out round the island and got up close to the replica crannog. There have been two log boats discovered in Loch Tay, one of which (a very large bronze age boat about 3500 years old) is still underwater as there are not the funds available to raise and preserve such a large specimen.
Next up was a fire lighting demo...
and of course HB had to have a go too.
Then there was some wooden instrument making (with very 21st century tools!).
Next it was time to grind some grain (I was surprised this wasn't a Rotary Quern though) and try some iron age stew.
HB tried weaving using a peg loom and had a go at carding wool (again).
Before leaving we looked in the small museum. We were shown the remains of pots that had finger marks in them the same size as HB's. HB asked to see the bridge of the stringed instrument and observed that it was quite different to the bridge on a modern violin.
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