Safbwynt(iau): Dadwladychu Treftadaeth 
Project dadwladychu a gomisiynwyd gan Amgueddfa Cymru mewn partneriaeth â Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yw Safbwynt(iau). A minnau'n brif artist yn Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru, rydw i wedi bod yn cydweithio â Ways of Working, corff celfyddydol sy'n gymdeithasol ymwybodol, er mwyn ail-ddychmygu’r amgueddfa yn ofod lle gellid cynnal a datgymalu naratifau grym.

⁠Dadwladychu'r Amgueddfa: Wynebu Gwaddol Cymhleth 
Dechreuwyd ein project trwy ofyn cwestiwn sylfaenol: a all amgueddfa, sefydliad sydd â'i gwreiddiau'n ddwfn yn hanes gwladychu, fyth gael ei ddadwladychu mewn gwirionedd? Yng ngeiriau enwog Audre Lorde, 'Ni fydd offer y meistr fyth yn datgymalu tŷ'r meistr.' Dyma ddangos cymhlethdod dadwladychu a'r angen brys sydd i'r gwaith. Rhaid i ni edrych ar y straeon a adroddir a dirnad straeon pwy ydynt, lleisiau pwy sy'n cael eu clywed a gwaddol pwy sy'n cael eu cydnabod o fewn y gofodau hyn. O fewn sefydliad, gall dadwladychu ddigwydd mewn nifer o ffyrdd – o greu gweladwyedd a chynhwysedd i ddatganoli naratifau sydd wedi cael lle amlwg – a gellir ei wneud mewn ffordd sy'n cadw digon o le i empathi hefyd.

Cafodd y sgyrsiau hanfodol hyn eu cyfoethogi gan fewnbwn yr Athro Corrine Fowler, arbenigwr yng ngwaddol gwladychiaeth a Nusrat Ahmed, Prif Guradur Oriel De Asia yn Amgueddfa Manceinion. Roedd eu harbenigedd yn ein tywys wrth i ni ymrafael â chymhlethdod dadwladychu yn Sain Ffagan.

Creu Gweladwyedd yn Sain Ffagan 
⁠Mae Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru yn adrodd hanes pobl Cymru. Ond wrth i mi gerdded trwy'r neuaddau, nid oeddwn yn gallu gweld olion fy nhreftadaeth innau. ⁠Daeth yr absenoldeb hwn yn rhan ganolog o'n gwaith. Gofynnon ni hyn: pwy sy'n cael eu cynrychioli yma? Straeon pwy sydd yma, a straeon pwy sydd ar goll?

Gwahoddwyd Cydweithfa Trindod Aurora – grŵp llawr gwlad dan arweiniad menywod lliw sy'n creu celf tecstilau a brodwaith - i ymuno â ni er mwyn ffurfio ymateb. Cynhaliodd y grŵp weithdai tecstilau yn neuadd groeso'r Amgueddfa, gan roi llwyfan i'w gwaith Ncheta sy'n archwilio cof, iaith a phwysigrwydd diwylliannol tecstilau.⁠ Trwy eu presenoldeb, roeddem yn adennill gofod a oedd wedi anwybyddu eu cyfraniadau tan nawr.

Dadlennu Gwaddol Gwladychiaeth yng Nghastell Sain Ffagan

Mae llawer o fy ngwaith celf yn deillio o waith ymchwil, ac mae hyn yn aml yn gorgyffwrdd â fy ngwaith academaidd. Wrth ymchwilio, darganfyddais gysylltiad uniongyrchol rhwng Castell Sain Ffagan a Clive o India. Priododd ŵyr Clive, Robert Clive, Harriet Windsor, a daeth y teulu Windsor-Clive yn gyfoethog ar gefn gwladychiaeth. Y cyfoeth hwn dalodd am waith adfer sylweddol yng Nghastell Sain Ffagan, gan selio gwaddol gwladychiaeth ym mêr y muriau.

Er mwyn treiddio'n ddyfnach i'r hanes hwn, gwahoddwyd Bethan Scorey i rannu ei gwaith ymchwil – mae ei phroject doethuriaeth yn canolbwyntio ar hanes gerddi a phensaernïaeth Castell Sain Ffagan. ⁠Gyda'r cyfoeth eang hwn o wybodaeth i'n helpu, aethom ati i ddadlennu'r gwreiddiau gwladychol sy'n parhau i siapio naratif y castell.

Canolbwyntiodd ein hymyriadau creadigol ar y gwaddol hwn, yn enwedig y rheini oedd yn gysylltiedig â Robert Clive, 'Clive o India'. Taflodd y project oleuni ar gysylltiad Cymru ag imperiaelaeth Prydain – cysylltiad sy'n dal i guddio yn yr amlwg ac sy'n aml yn cael ei hepgor.

Ymgysylltu ag Ymwelwyr: Gosodiadau Rhyngweithiol 
Mae ein hymyriad cyntaf mewn lle amlwg yn neuadd groeso'r Amgueddfa, ac rydym yn gwahodd ymwelwyr i ymgysylltu'n uniongyrchol â gwirionedd anghysurus gwladychiaeth. Trwy ofyn cwestiynau fel 'Roedd yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig yn...?', a 'Beth yw swyddogaeth amgueddfa o fewn cymdeithas?', rydym yn annog y cyhoedd i feddwl am rym, hanes a rôl esblygol amgueddfeydd. Taniodd y gosodiad rhyngweithiol hwn – oedd yn defnyddio nodiadau gludiog fel lle i ymwelwyr rannu eu meddyliau – sgyrsiau ystyrlon ac mae'n sicrhau fod gwladychiaeth yn aros yn eu meddyliau wrth iddyn nhw brofi'r amgueddfa.

⁠Gwaddol Gwladychiaeth yn yr Ystafell Fyw 
Roedd ein hail osodiad yn ail-greu ystafell fyw De Asiaidd Prydeinig, sef atgof personol o fy mhlentyndod yn y 1980au. I lawer o deuluoedd diaspora, roedd yr ystafell fyw yn hafan – yn lle i gymuned ac i ddathlu, ac yn noddfa o atgasedd y byd tu allan. Yn ganolbwynt i'r olygfa gyfarwydd hon, gosodwyd soffa bren euraidd o'r 18fed ganrif o eiddo Clive o India. Cafodd ei gaffael gan Amgueddfa Cymru yn y 1950au, ac mae ei arwyddocâd gwladychol wedi cael ei anwybyddu i raddau helaeth ers degawdau. Trwy roi'r gwrthrych hanesyddol hwn mewn golygfa ddomestig, yng nghanol lluniau teuluol a gwrthrychau personol, rydyn ni wedi hawlio'r naratif yn ôl gan gychwyn sgyrsiau am wladychiaeth, atgof, a sut mae hanes yn cael ei gofio a'i anghofio.

Ail-ddychmygu Palas Breuddwydion Tipu Sultan 
Mae ein trydydd gosodiad, Khawaab Mahal (Palas Breuddwydion) yn ailddychmygu pabell Tipu Sultan a gafodd ei ysbeilio gan fab Clive, Edward Clive, wedi i Tipu gael ei ladd mewn brwydr. ⁠Daeth y babell hardd, sydd nawr yn byw yng Nghastell Powys, yn symbol o ormes Prydain. Byddai'n aml yn cael ei ddefnyddio ar gyfer partion gardd, sy'n sarhad ar ei bwrpas gwreiddiol. Rydym wedi creu ailddehongliad gan ddefnyddio delweddau digidol o'r babell wreiddiol wedi'u hargraffu ar ddefnydd. Mae dyfyniadau o ddyddiadur breuddwydion Tipu hefyd wedi'u hargraffu ar ochr fewn y babell. Roedd ei freuddwydion yn llawn o'i ddymuniad i drechu'r Prydeinwyr, a thrwy'r gosodiad hwn, roeddwn i'n cael sgwrs bersonol yn uniongyrchol ag e. Gwahoddir ymwelwyr i gamu i fyd Tipu, i ganol seinwedd a breuddwydion, gan adennill gofod a ddygwyd trwy drais.

Presenoldeb Absennol: Adennill Gofod trwy Ffilm 
Ffilm benodol i'r safle yw'r pedwerydd gosodiad, Presenoldeb Absennol, gafodd ei ffilmio ar diroedd Castell Sain Ffagan. ⁠⁠Y ddawnswraig Sanea Singh sy'n serennu ac mae'r ffilm yn myfyrio ar orffennol gwladychol y castell. Mae symudiadau llyfn Sanea yn dod yn rhan o bensaernïaeth a gerddi Sain Ffagan, ac mae hi'n adennill y gofod fel gofod iddi hi. Mae'r ffilm yn trafod themâu ysbail, gwrthryfel a straeon De Asia a gafodd eu celu, gan greu cysylltiad rhwng heddiw a ddoe.

Adennill Hanesion ac Ailysgrifennu'r Naratif 
Trwy'r gosodiadau hyn, rydyn ni'n ceisio datgymalu'r naratifau amlycaf o gwmpas Castell Sain Ffagan ac adennill y straeon sydd wedi'u dileu. I mi, ac i grŵp Ways of Working, mae Safbwynt(iau) yn gymaint mwy na phroject – rydym yn hawlio ein hanes yn ôl, yn cynnal sgwrs ar draws canrifoedd ac yn galw am gydnabod gwaddol parhaus gwladychu sy'n dal wrth wraidd ein sefydliadau heddiw. Trwy wynebu'r gwaddol hwn, gallwn ddechrau ailffurfio sut yr ydyn ni'n cofio a phwy sy'n cael adrodd straeon ein hanes ni oll. 
 

I’m currently studying heritage conservation at Cardiff University, so I wanted to undertake his placement as I have a keen interest in how museums digitise their collections for educational purposes and to increase the accessibility of the heritage they safeguard, and I also wanted to explore how museum collections are used for research purposes.

What are diatoms?

Diatoms are microscopic, single-celled algae that inhabit oceans, rivers, and lakes. They are notable for their intricate cell walls made of silica, which resemble delicate glass shells when viewed under a microscope. These cell walls, called frustules, have unique and complex patterns. Diatoms play a vital role in the environment by performing approximately one-fifth of the total global photosynthesis. This process not only produces a significant portion of the Earth's oxygen but diatoms also form an important part of aquatic food webs, supporting a diverse range of marine and freshwater organisms.

Their importance for research lies in their ability to act as bio-indicators in aquatic ecosystems. Analysis of diatom populations and diversity studies have been used to evaluate human impact on freshwater and marine environments. As bio-indicators, diatoms can be used to assess the levels of organic pollution, eutrophication and acidification of their aquatic environment. Different species have differing tolerance levels of environmental conditions like water pH (the acidity or alkalinity of the water) and nutrient concentrations. Several diatom indices have been developed and are used by the Environment Agency to monitor water quality in UK rivers and lakes.

Analysis of diatom populations can also be used to demonstrate trends over time, as Ingrid’s work on the restoration of water quality of the rivers Wye and Irfon through periodic liming shows (for more details visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X20309961#ab010). The same case can be made for historical collections stored in museums, which can provide unique insight into historical diatom populations, and which can be used to infer previous environmental conditions and compare them to those found in contemporary studies.

In addition to their environmental and research importance, diatoms are incredibly beautiful. So much so, that during the Victorian period, they were often assembled into decorative arrangements on microscope slides. For the uninitiated, I would highly recommend searching for images of Johann Diedrich Möller’s work as well as the more contemporary works of Klaus Kemp; they are truly astounding arrangements. 

The Placement

Under Dr. Ingrid Juttner’s excellent guidance I learned basic diatom morphology and how to identify Gomphonema species, which typically display asymmetry along the trans-apical axis (i.e. the top and bottom halves are not usually mirror images of each other).

Ingrid took me through the process of diatom analysis in light microscopy, from “cooking” the water samples with hydrogen peroxide to remove organic cell content and preparing the microscope slides, through to photographing, editing and uploading the images to the museum’s diatom website. The photographs featured were taken with a light microscope at x1000 magnification, and measurements (length, width, striae density) were recorded. These images were then edited and prepared as plates to provide an overview of the cell size distribution in the species population. The plates were uploaded to the website with corresponding literature and morphological descriptions. 

Some notable species I photographed which are now featured on the website are Eunotia arcubus, Eunotia botuliformis and Planothidium incuriatum.

Overall, my placement within the Lower Plants section has

• Provided me with invaluable insights into scientific and particularly, taxonomic, practices
• Highlighted the role that diatoms play in our natural environments
• Demonstrated how museum collections can and are being utilised for the benefit of science as well as being important repositories for mapping changes in biodiversity.
• Illustrated how projects like the Diatom Flora and Fauna of Britain and Ireland can help create accessible resources for professional and amateur researchers as well as opening up collections to a wider public, who might otherwise be unaware of their existence.
• Finally, this placement has been an opportunity to admire the exceptional beauty of diatoms.

If you would like to know more about the diatom collection at the National Museum of Wales, please see the museum’s Diatom Research page  as well as  blog posts by Ingrid entitled ‘Scientific expedition to Rara Lake, Nepal’ and ‘Diatom diversity of the Falklands Islands’. I would also highly encourage anyone interested in diatom identification to view the Diatom Flora and Fauna of Britain and Ireland website.

My heartfelt thanks go out to Dr. Ingrid Jüttner for her instruction, her wealth of knowledge and, not least, her conversation. I would equally like to thank the various staff members who coordinated and supported this placement at Amgueddfa Cymru, may there be many more such opportunities.

Written by Lindsey Sartin, MA Conservation Practice student, Durham University on Placement at National Museum Cardiff.

The Dodo bird was first documented in 1598 on the island of Mauritius in the East Indies, but unfortunately, it became extinct by 1700—before modern taxidermy processes were discovered and used for the preservation of animal specimens. However, some replica taxidermy models exist. One of these is at Amgueddfa Cymru –Museum Wales. The museum purchased it in 1915 from Rowland Ward Ltd. for 15 GBP (roughly the equivalent of 1288 GBP today). 

The Amgueddfa Dodo—named Dudley by the conservation team—contains information about the discovery, distinction, and documentation of the extinct Raphus cucullatus species, centuries of speculation and research about what the species looked like, the development and cultural fascination with taxidermy, and artistic model-making processes.

Before conservation, little was known about Dudley and how it was made. X-radiographs revealed the internal structure of the model, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) was used to understand the composition of Dudley's feet, face, and dressing (the external parts of taxidermy specimens, including the feathers and skin). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy with elemental analysis indicated arsenic had been used as a preservative for the skin to prevent pests from consuming it, so extra safety precautions had to be taken when handling Dudley. 

The analysis results were then compared with Rowland Ward's methods of mounting specimens, described in a book written by Rowland Ward in 1880. Letters between William Hoyle, the Museum Director at the time, and Rowland Ward Ltd also revealed that Dudley had a tail when he first arrived at the museum, but it had since been lost. An image of Dudley dated to circa 1938 also showed it had a tail in the past. 

All the investigations showed that iron rods make up the skeletal frame in the legs, extend through a wood base made of two boards held together with glue and dowels and are attached to a thin board cut to the shape of Dudley's body. The neck is probably circular and made from a separate board from the body. Dudley's head and feet are plaster, and tempera and oil paints were used to add colour to both parts. A piece of canvas connects the head to the body. The body is stuffed with wool, and the dressing includes real, natural bird skin and feathers (down, contour, and flight feathers). Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) between some toenails indicates that Dudley was conserved sometime after 1930. When the model first arrived at the museum, it should have had a tail with feathers that curved away from the head.

Condition Before Conservation

Being over 100 years old, Dudley's skin had become dry and brittle, and many feathers had fallen out particularly around the head, neck and legs. The plaster in the feet was crumbling. A claw was missing from one of the talons, feathers were missing from one of the wings, and the tail was missing. There was also a layer of dust on the entire model. 

Conservation Treatment

First, dust was removed from Dudley with a soft, sable brush towards a low suction museum vacuum. The vacuum nozzle was covered with a fine mesh to ensure no feathers or skin were collected into the vacuum. 

Then, the plaster on his feet was consolidated with a polyvinyl butyral resin (Buvtar 98) in ethanol. A replacement claw was made with Thibra thermoplastic painted black and adhered with an ethyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate copolymer resin (Paraloid B72). 

Feathers that had fallen off Dudley in the past were stuck back on with Paraloid B72. 

New feathers had to be purchased to replace the ones missing from the wing and tail, but the new feathers were bright white and did not match the appearance of the rest. So, acrylic paints were diluted with isopropyl alcohol and airbrushed onto the new feathers. Once dry, the tail feather was curled to the proper shape with steam. All the new feathers were then placed in their proper positions with entomology pins. 

With an improved appearance and stability, Dudley is now ready to meet the public! Dudley's visit to the conservation lab also allowed the conservation team to learn more about how the model was constructed, which will allow the museum to better preserve it for current and future generations to enjoy. 

The Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation has died down until September, when we will be welcoming our new schools and introducing them to the project.

But there’s lots of fun that can be had over the summer! Explore our website to find activity sheets and games that you can play at home. The origami booklet and Kahoot quizzes are my favourites!

There’s more to explore on the Amgueddfa Cymru Learn pages and the Edina Trust website. 

Why not have a go at some of our Kahoot quizzes now? Just click the links below to explore!

Quiz 1: When will our daffodils flower 2024? 

Compare weather data for 2023-24 from across the UK and against previous years to predict when daffodils will flower. What do plants need to grow? Which country was the warmest / coldest? Which country had the least rain? 

Quiz 2: Bulb Project Quiz 2023-24 Level 1 

Study bar graphs to deduce which were the wettest and warmest countries. Answer questions about plants. Discover which countries had the most and least rainfall. Discover which countries had the highest and lowest temperatures. 

Quiz 3: Bulb Project Quiz 2023-24 Level 2 

Study bar graphs to deduce national trends in temperature and rainfall. Study units carefully to calculate average monthly rainfall records for Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Work out the monthly temperatures for Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Answer general knowledge questions. 

Quiz 4: Compare weather records from different years 

Study line and bar chats to look for trends in the weather data. Order countries from warmest to coolest. See which years had the most and least rainfall. Deduce which years had the most hours of sunshine. 

Quiz 5: UK Flower Data 2024 

Study line and bar charts to look for trends in the flower data. Answer questions about average weather readings. Sort years from earliest to latest flowering dates. Study bar charts to see whether plants flowered earlier or later than expected. 

Quiz 6: Wales Weather Data 

Study line and bar charts to look for trends in the weather data. Study line graphs to pick out high and low monthly average temperatures. Study line graphs to answer true or false questions about monthly rainfall. Study Bar charts to order years from warmest to coolest.

Quiz 7: Wales Flower Data 

Study bar and line graphs to determine whether our data shows patterns for the flowering dates of spring bulbs. Use tables to deduce which years saw plants flower earliest. Study combination charts to deduce trends in the data. Compare findings from different charts to see if there are patterns that explain anomalies in the data. 

Have fun Bulb Buddies,

Professor Plant

Zoe and I completed a work experience week with the Museum. This is my diary of the week. 

Day 1: 

To begin the week, Zoe and I were able to work with Verdun, the Learning Officer, and shadow him whilst he took a primary school class on what the museum calls a ‘Walk with the Romans’, around the Amphitheatre and Barracks. It was clear to me throughout this experience that the children were gaining interest in the presence of Romans in Welsh history, whilst being given the opportunity to dress up in Roman tunics, with shields and wooden swords, and impersonate soldiers charging into battle. The sheer sense of enjoyment from not only the children, but the teachers as well, was clear to me, which I purely believe was a result of the massive amount of enthusiasm and obvious passion for their work shown by the staff involved in providing this experience. By the end of Day 1, I could safely say that I had gained more knowledge of the Romans impact on Welsh history than I ever had in my 17 years of living, along with the ability to understand how to engage with a large audience and maintain their full attention for a long duration of time.

Day 2: 

As my desired career involves marketing, I was given the opportunity to work with Kathryn, the Digital Learning Officer and understand how she advertises the different workshops, events, and exhibits the museum hosts through its website and social media. To begin, Kathryn talked us through the different apps that are used to create digital content to advertise the museum. I was able to create a twitter post for the museum’s twitter account in order to advertise their ‘Roman Classroom’, which is an online teaching platform that involves a ‘costumed facilitator’ explaining all different areas of Roman history. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the different methods that are used in order to advertise and market the Museum online, and encourage more to get involved, and immerse themselves in the Roman history that exists in Wales.

Day 3:

For day 3, we spent the day shadowing Dai, Visitor Experience Supervisor. He talked us through what is required of us in order to ensure that visitors are provided with the best experience possible. I was surprised by the sheer number of visitors the museum has every day, whether it is families, school trips, or tourists, whilst also picking up the knowledge of how to supervise and maintain order within the museum.  

Day 4: 

We spent the day with Mark, Senior Curator of Roman Archaeology. We were given the opportunity to photograph artifacts in order to update the museum’s records and provide photos for the website so people can study online.  As well as using the advanced set up to photograph the artifacts, Mark also trusted us enough to handle the objects like a Roman brooch, lioness ornament, and a tile antefix, which was an especially interesting new experience. Along with this I was able to gain knowledge of the stories behind the different artifacts and what they symbolize at the time. After recording the descriptions, accession numbers, and other important information, Zoe and I were able to record that we were the ones that photographed the artifacts, which will then be uploaded for anyone to see.

Day 5: 

I was able to spent some time with Rosie, Commercial Marketing Officer and she gave me amazing advice on steps I can take in order to achieve my career in marketing. As a result, I have gained a contact in the industry I aspire to become a part of, and this is something I would never have been able to attain if it weren't for this work experience, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Lastly, I would like to express how much I appreciate all the opportunities and experiences this museum has provided me with and how much it will benefit me going forward, and Michelle, Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator, who has been a big factor of my experience here, continuing to welcome Zoe and I every morning and seeing us out every afternoon, and ensuring we are given as many amazing experiences as possible. 

I’ve also been inspired to volunteer – and I now volunteer at my local National Trust Property.