Precious Cargo
Drama, Film, Fashion and Music for 14 to 24-year-olds
A visitor admires a bust of Severus from the British Museum
Our Precious Cargo project involves four events in 2011 inspired by the cosmopolitan city of Roman York, or Eboracum, whose people came from all over the world.
All four have been created by 14 to 24-year-olds from the York and Yorkshire area.
The events mark the 1800th anniversary of the death of emperor Septimius Severus, who died in York in 211 AD. He was born in Libya, Africa, and lived there for many years before moving to Rome, then later to Britain.
He arrived in York in 208 AD with his Syrian wife Julia Domna, their two sons Caracalla and Geta, and his huge entourage of soldiers and staff.
Severus and the City
John Walton, Josh Lundie and Jack Rank working on the film Severus and the City
This film has been created by Media Studies students from York College, together with Precious Cargo and Digifish Media Productions.
It takes a look at Roman remains above the ground in York as well as underground - with a look at the basement of a house in The Mount, York, below York Minster and the Roman Bath Museum in St Sampson's Square.
Interviews with experts are included, as well as a chat with Harry Martindale, who famously saw Roman soldiers beneath the Treasurer's House in York, as well as a look at Roman hairstyling.
You can see the film on screens within the Roman York galleries during 2011.
Transient
Two of the fashion designs in the Roman Gallery
Third year BA Fashion students from York College have created contemporary fashion for a whole module of their course, inspired by the grave goods and remains of our "Ivory Bangle Lady".
As part of the module they studied the different materials used in Roman times, how fabric was dyed and different techniques which were used.
The result is a combination of catwalk and "off the peg" styles, using contemporary materials but with definite Roman influences.
Eight mannekins are on show around our Roman York galleries during 2011 and will be part of a Fashion City York event.
Slam Poetry
Leeds Young Authors rehearse their performance poetry
This project has been led by Leeds Young Authors, a group of performance poets aged between 13 and 18.
They have combined the story of Severus with a theme about the birth of African storytelling.
These high energy performances, accompanied by a backing track of music, were performed in the Roman York gallery during our Celebrating Severus week in February 2011.
York Theatre Royal Young Actors Company
York Theatre Royal Young Actors company in rehearsal
Our final project is a drama performance created specifically for our Central Hall, the first gallery visitors enter in our Roman York area.
This performance is in four sections looking at different parts of the life of Severus, from his sibiling rivalries with brothers Geta and Caracalla and his relationship with his wife, Julia Donma.
The finished production was performed during our Celebrating Severus week in February 2011.
If you’d like to know more about any of these projects, please email us at preciouscargo@ymt.org.uk
Precious Cargo is part of the national Stories of the World project, which is part of the "Cultural Olympiad".
The Cultural Olympiad is a series of events to showcase the UK's arts and culture to the rest of the world in the run-up to and during the London 2012 Olympics.
Visit the Stories of the World website.
