Roman artists and plasterers where both receptive and innovative in their painting techniques. Roman pigments were derived from animal, vegetable and mineral sources and artists adopted materials and techniques from the artistic traditions of Greece and Egypt. This left them with a rich palette of paints, of both synthetic and natural origins which led to the development of a colourful urban environment which we can only catch glimpses of today. Roman wall-painting was coeval with the evolution of wall plasters which formed their substrate. These materials were equally manufactured to specific recipes and applied meticulously in a manner that would leave a legacy for wall painting throughout the Medieval and Renaissance periods and are still used for wall-painting traditions in the present day. The majority of these materials being minerals or synthetic analogues of minerals, means that the techniques routinely used by petrographers are particularly apt in their analyses. This talk will present an overview of Roman painting techniques based on the examination of Roman paintings and painting materials, across the extent of the Roman Empire, from Edinburgh to Egypt.

We are probably aware of the contribution of large scale Lidar surveys to understanding the landscape around us, by organisations using aircraft or drone borne commercial Lidar and 3d mapping systems, but you may not be aware that this technology is to hand for smaller scale modelling in your iPhone Pro (and some other) mobile phones, together with free 3D mapping apps! Peter takes us through the amazing technology that makes this possible, suggests some practical uses and explains the sources of some of the minerals involved.

Peter is a Chartered Civil Engineer and IT Consultant, having spent his career with Civil Engineering Consultants and Contractors, following his degree in Civil Engineering from Newcastle University in the 1970’s. His interest in geology stemmed from geology modules in the degree course under the supervision of Professor Murchison. His career was mostly in Highways in the early days and then a transfer into IT support and Management in the 1980’s. This career developed with Atkins, from UK and Ireland IT Support Lead, to IT specialist focussing on Atkins’ pipeline of Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestments. The last couple of years before retirement was spent back in Civils as a Project Manager for one of AtkinsRealis’ HS2 work packages. Since retirement in 2017 he’s joined OUGS, CGS and Friends of the Sedgwick to brush up on his geology through field trips, talks and self study.

Isostasy explains raised beaches and fossil cliffs, why mountains like icebergs have roots, the shape of rift valleys, the height of Everest and many other aspects of  the landscape. The photo is of a raised beach and fossil cliff on the Isle Arran. Mike’s talk will have lots of demonstrations!

Mike Tuke has spent the last 40 years teaching Geology, mostly to A level students: first at Hinchingbrooke Comprehensive School in Huntingdon, then at Cambridge College of Arts and Technology (now Anglia Polytechnic University) and then at Cambridge Regional College. For 5 years he taught part time at Netherhall School, In addition to teaching A level, for many years he taught mature students coming back into education on Access to Higher Education courses. He has also taught degree students and for 15 years he gave training days to PGCE students at the University of Cambridge and was part of the teacher training department at Cambridge Regional College.

Mike has written a book on practical activities for Key stage 3 and a pamphlet for Key stage 2. as well as many articles in Teaching Earth Science and its predecessor Teaching Geology. He is also one of the authors of the A level textbook “Geoscience”

For 11 years Mike was a moderator for coursework for OCR exam board.

Mike’s academic interests include developing visual aids, demonstrations and activities for teaching geology.

Phil is a Quaternary geologist whose interests include Pleistocene/Neogene geology, sedimentation and stratigraphy, using multi-disciplinary methods to establish changing palaeogeography and palaeoenvironments.

As a geologist, Phil is principally involved with the Quaternary and late Neogene, including its palaeogeographical and palaeoenvironmental evolution, with interests spanning the terrestrial (glacial, fluvial and lacustrine) and shallow marine realms. His studies have mainly focused on Europe, but he has conducted research in North America, the Mediterranean, South Asia and South America. His approach is based on the rigorous stratigraphy of sedimentary sequences, using a wide range of techniques, and its purpose is to develop detailed frameworks which have provided the basis for palaeoenvironmental, palaeoecological and palaeogeographical reconstructions.

Phil’s work in Britain has mainly been on the stratigraphy, sedimentology and palaeoenvironments of Quaternary and late Neogene sediments in southern England and adjacent areas. His particular interest has been on the interaction of glaciation, rivers, lakes and the sea, and began with thesis research (supervised by Professor R.G. West ) that unravelled the River Thames’ diversion from a course through East Anglia to that through London. Detailed stratigraphical schemes have since been developed for the Thames’ drainage system, and this work has been influential in encouraging others to adopt similar approaches to drainage history studies in other regions. The work provides a foundation, not only for geologists, but for archaeologists, palaeontologists and engineers.