My name’s Arwyn Owen – I am an Anglesey resident and currently working as a second year PhD student at Manchester Metropolitan University as part of my vocational training thanks to funding by the North West Consortium of Doctoral Training Partnerships (NWCDTP).

Fuelled by my love for Anglesey’s past, my PhD explores the possibility of finding unrecorded archaeological sites on the island by examining cropmarks (odd shapes/discolouration of the ground caused by changes in moisture levels in the soil) as well as earthworks through the use of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging – a system which uses lasers fired from airplanes to measure the surface of the ground that is later used to produce a 3D image). My work has found many an exciting discovery that I hope to share once my thesis is published in mid-2027!

Given my choice of study subject, I found that it aligned perfectly with the noble goals of Oriel Môn in safeguarding and promoting Anglesey’s rich historic and archaeological past, for both local and wider reaching audiences. My involvement with Oriel Môn has seen me learn many curatorial skills including object handling, curation of exhibition content (which includes the skill of writing suitable labels!), alongside learning the ‘ins and outs’ of working within the modern heritage sector. In return I’ve been able to feed some of my latest research to the museum to aid future interpretation and educational outreach content, alongside meeting some incredible contacts for future career progression. I personally enjoyed my time working on the new exhibition by Leonard McComb in the Kyffin gallery, and getting a unique insight into the intricacies of exhibition loans from collections across England and Wales.

My experience so far has been both exciting and informative. Having worked in Oriel Môn several years ago, it’s been a wonderful and fascinating change of pace to not only return to, but also to experience the machinations of heritage management, archival handling, and conservation, alongside community engagement and how this all fits together. A change of pace to what I was accustomed to when I used to work here!

Returning to my studies, it has been a pleasure being able to view and access the historical and archaeological collections held backstage at Oriel Môn. Many objects are those I have only seen and read about in books, so to be able to handle them and record them, such as the Medieval artefacts from Llys Rhosyr, or the vast collection of artefactual material from the Anglesey Antiquarian Society Collection. It has been both a treat and an opportunity to physically connect with my local past, some objects having been found a short distance from where I was based!

Excitingly, I recently returned to Oriel Môn with colleagues from Manchester Metropolitan University, with the intent of scanning several artefacts utilising the latest 3D scanning technologies. Our interest on this occasion was a stone mould found at Bodwrdin – a unique find which may have belonged to a travelling metalsmith advertising and practicing his craft during the Bronze Age period (approximately 2,300 to 700 BC in Wales), many a discussion was had about the object and its function. The intention is to reproduce the object in similar material to its original sandstone matrix using 3D printers, with the intention to produce a replica as it might have originally looked when complete, while also using the piece to cast replica Bronze Age objects for display at Oriel Môn. Discussions had with Tom, a seasoned blacksmith, provided a fascinating insight into its functionality, as well as other metal objects at Oriel Môn, such as an iron bridle bit and spearhead recovered from Llyn Cerrig Bach.

I wish to personally thank the Museums and Archives Service Senior Manager Kelly Parry, Buildings and Collections Manager Ian Jones for this wonderful opportunity to continue my professional development and continue to grow my voice in both the archaeology and heritage sectors. While a brief hiatus will follow with myself returning to the fields of this Isle in search of the past, I shall be happy to return in the new year with many a discovery to share and more professional skills to be taught!