Archaeology student honoured by Devon museum
Phoebe, centre, is presented with her prize and a commemorative certificate by the Fairlynch Museum’s Chairman Trevor Waddington. Jan Oke, the museum’s Curator of Archaeology, is to the left. Photo by Fairlynch Museum
A young Devon archaeologist has been regonised by Budleigh Salterton‘s Fairlynch Museum for her work researching, studying and discovering Cornwall’s and Devon‘s past.
Phoebe Holland, who lives in Ivybridge and has just graduated from the University, is the proud recipient of the award.
The £100 prize, awarded annually by the Fairlynch Museum and the University’s Department of Archaeology and History was set up in honour of benefactors Tony Colmer and his wife Angela.
Until Angela’s death in 2007 and Tony’s in 2011, they worked tirelessly for the Fairlynch Museum, developing the archaeology collection and championing the area’s history.
Phoebe, who is 21, explained: “I’m particularly interested in the prehistoric story of Devon and Dartmoor and I undertook a lot of work revealing evidence of rock art and how 3-D modelling can identify significant new data.”
The University recognised Phoebe‘s work revealing evidence of a Christian influence on the area’s menhirs, or standing stones.
The museum’s Chairman, Trevor Waddington, said: “We pride ourselves on our archaeology gallery and it is so important to see new work on the area’s past revealing fresh secrets. The award both encourages a new generation of archaeologists and pays tribute to the work that Angela and Tony did for the museum.”
The Fairlynch’s Curator of Archaeology, Jan Oke, was the first recipient of the award in 2016.
Phoebe’s dissertation was titled More Than Meets the Eye: Using 2D and 3D Digital Techniques to Explore and Document Prehistoric Rock Art and Early Medieval Sculpture in Southwest Britain.
“Part of our civic mission is to give students fieldwork opportunities, so that they can experience how archaeology benefits our local heritage organisations and partners,” says Professor Naomi Sykes, Head of Department. “Congratulations to Phoebe for winning this prize, and we wish her all the best for her career ahead. And it was fitting that Jan Oke, an alumna of the University and the first winner of this award, was there as part of the occasion.”
The Fairlynch is open from Easter to the end of October, 2pm-4.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
