Sirmium 2018: Past and Future
Sirmijum 2018: Prošlost i budućnost
The Glac Project Education Program, Sremska Mitrovica, 2-6 July 2018
During the week of 2-6 July 2018, the first Glac Project Education Program was held under the name ‘Sirmium: Past and Future.’ The program involved 20 students from the Sremska Mitrovica Grammar School (‘Gimnazija’), who had been selected by the Gimnazija, aged 15-17.
The original inspiration for the program was provided during the 2017 season by Stefan Pop-Lazić, who suggested that Serbian students would benefit from the inductive and problem-based learning approach that is a feature of Australian education. It also became apparent during a visit to the Gimnazija in December 2017 that most students were keen to broaden their knowledge about the Roman history of their town. When we grow up surrounded by traces of the visible past, we tend to take them for granted and overlook how interesting they are. Many of the students seemed surprised that people from as far away as Australia would be fascinated by their town, and it was clear that an exciting opportunity existed to develop an educational program that encouraged them to view their town from the perspective of outsiders. The program was made possible through the generous support of members of the Sydney Serbian diaspora and the City of Sremska Mitrovica.
The 2018 Education Program was specifically intended to be a pilot program to gauge the level of interest among young people in SM for educational opportunities connected with Glac, to gain a sense of what knowledge they already have about the heritage of Roman Sirmium, and to see how they responded to practical and problem-based learning. It was intended to be highly practical, providing opportunities to study ancient materials and learn something of specialised disciplines such as numismatics and epigraphy, and it was also intended to be transformative. That is, the Education Program aimed to inspire students to feel some sense of connection with and ownership over the Glac Project, and to see it as a long-term opportunity that they could be a part of. The program involved a number of presenters and facilitators from different institutions, and Zorana Kataranovski and Teodora Vuletić assisted throughout the week to help everything run smoothly.
Most workshops were run in English, and the opportunity to experience a week of activities in English was a major reason why many students took part in the program. The standard of English among the students was very high, and they were consistently prepared to ask questions and make presentations. The closing presentation was held in the presence of the Serbian Minister of Culture and Information, the Australian Ambassador, the Mayor of Sremska Mitrovica and the Museum of Srem director.
Glac Education Program 2018 Diary:
The activities of the week may be briefly summarised as follows:
Monday 2 July
The week began with discussion facilitated by Alan Dearn, Natalija Ćosić from the Central Institute of Conservation, Belgrade, and the director of Sremska Mitrovica Tourist Office, Svetlana Sabo about what the students already know of the heritage of their town. The students were divided into groups (which they worked in throughout the week) and prepared maps of SM, highlighting places of interest to include in a tour to visitors. Following lunch, each group was provided with an Australian visitor, including the Second Secretary from the Australian Embassy, Mr Maris Tebecis, who travelled from Belgrade for the afternoon and Glac team members Jelena Šarović and Byron Waldron. Each group then ran a tour of SM for ‘their’ Australian, after which the groups debriefed together back at the Museum.
Tuesday 3 July
Tuesday was spent on site at Glac. Stefan Pop-Lazić and Richard Miles introduced the students to the site, after which they were given an introduction to stratigraphy and archaeological tools by Candace Richards. The students were then divided up between different trenches and worked with members of the team. BBQ lunch was provided in the Mitrosrem hall, after which Andrew Yip gave them an introduction to the photogrammetry and augmented reality work he is doing at Glac. They then returned for more hands-on work at the site, with three of the students being interviewed during the afternoon by visiting media.
Wednesday 4 July
The focus of Wednesday was pottery as a source of archaeological evidence, and the day was held in the lapidarium of the Museum of Srem. Jasmina Davidović taught the students about Roman pottery, and Zvezdana Štimac took them on a tour of the Museum. The great Australian delicacy of Tim-Tams were provided for morning tea, after which the students worked on cleaning pottery, and enjoyed the practical task.
Following lunch, we were fortunate to be joined by Lazar Konstantinović, who does fascinating work recreating ancient Roman technologies. Lazar ran an engaging practical workshop on the production of terra sigillata.
Thursday 5 July
The focus of the day was on numismatics and epigraphy. Miroslav Jesretić provided access to some coins from the Museum collection, which were used to run a workshop about how late Roman emperors – and the Tetrarchs in particular – sought to portray the nature of their authority and collegiality.
Following this, the students were given a brief introduction to the epigraphy in the lapidarium, with explanations of some of the votive and funerary formulae found on most of the inscriptions. The students spent the rest of the morning session engaged in an epigraphic ‘treasure hunt’, that required them to seek out information such as the names of legions that had a presence in Sirmium, evidence of damnatio memoriae and so on. One activity required them to identify how many different types of animals are depicted on the Museum inscriptions.
Following lunch, Lazar Konstantinović ran a practical workshop on coin production, in the course of which he struck a coin with the help of several students.
Friday 6 July
Friday morning was spent at the Imperial Palace, with the students allowed access to the floor of the display. Svetlana Gojković ran a session on mosaics, also helping the students to visualise some of the layout and original appearance of the different stages of construction at the very confusing site. On-site we also discussed Ammianus Marcellinus and read the account of Julian seizing Sirmium in AD 360 as a way to encourage the development of historical imagination about the imperial palace and other sites.
The closing workshop of the 2018 Education Program, held at the Museum of Srem, was visited by the Minister of Culture and Information, Vladan Vukosavljević, Australian Ambassador, H.E. Mrs Julia Feeney, Mayor of Sremska Mitrovica, Vladimir Sanader, the Museum of Srem director, Saša Bugadžija and Gimnazija teachers. Each group of students presented to the visiting dignitaries, explaining what they had done during the week, why SM is important, how the Glac Project contributes to the significance of SM and how all this has implications for their futures.
The education program concluded with ice creams at Stari Sport.
Student feedback on the Education Program was extremely positive. On Friday 6/7 Natalija Ćosić facilitated a session with the students in which they were invited to provide feedback on their experience of the Education Program. All considered it to be worthwhile and most wished that it had lasted longer, with all of them wishing they had been able to spend more time on site. The students identified the open, problem-based approach to learning as the most enjoyable aspect of the week. In particular, activities such as the inscription ‘treasure hunt’ were referred to as being very unlike their usual modes of instruction.
The 2018 Education Program was a great success and indicates that there is enormous unexplored potential for involving young people in SM with the heritage of their town in general and the Glac Project in particular. It was a great pleasure to work with the students, who impressed all those involved in the program with their enthusiasm, creative thinking and willingness to make the most of their involvement. The program will be developed further in 2019, and it is hoped that students from 2018 – the Glac Družina – will play a role in running future programs.
Obrazovni program Projekta Glac, Sremska Mitrovica, 2. – 6. jul 2018. godine
Od 2. do 6. jula 2018. godine, održan je prvi Obrazovni program Projekta Glac, pod nazivom „Sirmijum 2018: Prošlost i budućnost”. U programu je učestvovalo 20 učenika Mitrovačke gimnazije, uzrasta 15 – 17 godina, koje je odabrala Gimnazija.
Prvobitna inspiracija za Program se javila tokom kampanje 2017. godine kada je ko-direktor projekta, Stefan Pop-Lazić, sugerisao da bi primena induktivnih metoda i problemskog učenja koji su odlika obrazovnog sistema u Australiji, bila od velike koristi srpskim đacima. Tokom posete Gimnaziji u decembru 2017. godine pokazalo se da većina učenika želi da proširi znanje o rimskoj istoriji svog grada. Kada rastemo okruženi vidljivim tragovima prošlosti, uzimamo ih zdravo za gotovo i ne uviđamo koliko su zanimljivi. Mnogi đaci su se iznenadili što neko iz tako daleke zemlje kao što je Australija može da bude fasciniran njihovim gradom. Postalo je izvesno da postoji prostor da se osmisli obrazovni program koji bi podstakao đake da vide svoj grad očima stranaca. Program je omogućen zahvaljujući velikodušnoj podršci srpske dijaspore u Sidneju i grada Sremske Mitrovice.
Cilj Obrazovnog programa 2018, kao pilot programa, je najpre bio da zainteresuje mlade u Mitrovici za obrazovni i turistički potencijal koji Glac ima, da utvrde koliko već znaju o rimskom nasleđu Sirmijuma i da se vidi kako reaguju na praktično i problemsko učenje. Ideja je bila da program bude vrlo praktičan, pružajući priliku učenicima da izučavaju arheolšku građu iz doba klasične antike i da nauče nešto o specijalizovanim disciplinama kao što su numizmatika i epigrafika. Takođe, ideja je bila da program bude transformativan. Drugim rečima, obrazovni program je imao za cilj da inspiriše učenike da se povežu sa Projektom Glac kao nečim što im pripada i da ga posmatraju kao dugoročni projekat čiji mogu biti deo. U program je bio uključen veliki broj predavača i organizatora iz različitih institucija, a Zorana Kataranovski i Teodora Vuletić su se postarale da tokom nedelje sve glatko teče.
Većina radionica je održana na engleskom jeziku. Upravo ta prilika da se učestvuje u jednonedeljnom programu na engleskom jeziku je bila jedan od najvećih razloga što se veliki broj učenika prijavio na Program. Njihovo znanje engleskog je bilo na izuzetno visokom nivou. Neprestano su postavljali pitanja i pravili prezentacije. Prezentaciju kojom je Program zaokružen, učenici su održali u prisustvu ministra kulture i informisanja Srbije, Ambasadorke Australije, gradonačelnika Sremske Mitrovice i direktora Muzeja Srema.
Dnevnik Obrazovnog Programa Projekta Glac 2018:
Ovako su izgledale aktivnosti tokom Programa:
Ponedeljak 2 jul
Nedelju smo započeli diskusijom koju su moderirali Alan Dern, Natalija Ćosić iz Centralnog instituta za konzervaciju u Beogradu i direktorka Turističke organizacije grada Sremske Mitrovice, Svetlana Sabo. Tema je bila šta učenici već znaju o kulturnom i istorijskom nasleđu svog grada. Učenici su podeljeni u grupe (u kojima su radili tokom čitave nedelje) i pravili su mape Sremske Mitrovice, ističući mesta koja bi bila zanimljiva za turistički obilazak. Nakon ručka, svakoj grupi je dodeljen po jedan Australijski posetilac, među kojima drugi sekretar Ambasade Australije, Maris Tebecis, koji je za ovu priliku doputovao iz Beograda, kao i članovi Glac tima Jelena Šarović i Bajron Voldron. Svaka grupa je potom vodila “svog” Australijanca u razgledanje Sremske Mitrovice. Nakon obilaska grada, grupe su se vratile u Muzej i zajedno komentarisale kako su obilasci protekli.
Utorak 3 jul
Utorak smo proveli na Glacu. Stefan Pop-Lazić i Ričard Majls su upoznali učenike sa lokalitetom, nakon čega im je Kendis Ričards dala uvod u stratigrafiju i arheološke alate. Učenici su zatim radili u sondama sa članovima tima. Za pauzu za ručak poslužen je roštilj u trpezariji Mitrosrema, nakon čega je Endrju Jip govorio o svom radu za Glac iz oblasti fotogrametrije i proširene ili dopunjene stvarnosti (AR na engleskom). Potom su se đaci vratili praktičnom radu na terenu. Tri učenika dalo je intervju za medije koji su u tom trenutku posetili Glac.
Sreda 4 jul
U sredu je fokus bila keramika kao arheološki dokaz i radionice su se odvijale u lapidarijumu Muzeja Srema. Jasmina Davidović je učila đake o rimskoj keramici, a Zvezdana Štimac ih je povela u obilazak Muzeja. Za jutarnju pauzu poslužen je australijski slatkiš Tim-Tam, a zatim su đaci prionuli na praktični zadatak-čišćenje keramike.
Nakon ručka smo imali čast da nam se pridruži Lazar Konstantinović, koji na fantastičan način oživljava drevne rimske tehnologije. Lazar je održao praktičnu radionicu obrade tera sigilate (terra sigillata).
Četvrtak 5 jul
Oblasti koje smo izučavali tog dana su bile numizmatika i epigrafika. Miroslav Jesretić nam je predstavio Muzejsku zbirku novca, koja je poslužila za radionicu na temu kako su kasnorimski carevi, naročito tetrarsi, nastojali da prikažu svoj autoritet i kolegijalnost.
Potom je đacima dat kratak uvod u epigrafiku u lapidarijumu, uz objašnjenje zavetnih (votivnih) i pogrebnih formula koje se mogu naći na većini natpisa. Učenici su proveli ostatak jutarnje radionice u „lovu na epigrafsko blago”, tražeći podatke poput imena legija koje su bile prisutne u Sirmijumu, tragova postupka zvanog zabrana sećanja (damnatio memoriae) itd. Jedan od zadataka je bio da identifikuju koliko različitih vrsta životinja je prikazano na natpisima u Muzeju.
Nakon ručka, Lazar Konstantinović je održao praktičnu radionicu izrade novca, tokom koje je uz pomoć nekoliko učenika iskovao jedan novčić.
Petak 6 jul
Petak ujutru smo proveli u Carskoj palati, gde je učenicima omogućen pristup ostacima izloženim u prizemlju. Svetlana Gojković je vodila radionicu o mozaicima i navodila đake da zamisle prvobitni izgled u različitim fazama izgradnje na ovom veoma kompleksnom i zbunjujućem lokalitetu. Tada smo takođe diskutovali o Amijanu Marcelinu i čitali njegov odlomak o Julijanovom zauzimanju Sirmijuma 360. godine, u cilju podsticanja razvoja istorijske mašte o Carskoj palati i drugim lokalitetima.
Završna radionica Obrazovnog programa 2018, održana je u Muzeju Srema, u prisustvu ministra kulture i informisanja, Vladana Vukosavljevića, ambasadorke Australije, Nj.E. gospođe Džulije Fini, gradonačelnika Sremske Mitrovice, Vladimira Sanadera, direktora Muzeja Srema, Saše Bugadžije i profesora Gimnazije. Svaka grupa učenika održala je prezentaciju uvaženim gostima o tome šta su radili tokom nedelje, zašto je Sremska Mitrovica važna, kako Projekat Glac doprinosi značaju Mitrovice i kakav uticaj sve to može da ima na njihovu budućnost.
Završetak Obrazovnog programa smo proslavili sladoledom u „Starom sportu“.
Komentari učesnika programa su bili vrlo pozitivni. U petak 6. jula Natalija Ćosić je organizovala sesiju tokom koje je pozvala učenike da iznesu utiske o svom iskustvu na Obrazovnom programu. Svi su podelili da je vredelo učestvovati i da bi najviše voleli da je duže trajao i da su mogli da provedu više vremena na lokalitetu. Đaci su istakli otvoren i problemski pristup učenju kao najzabavniji aspekt čitave nedelje. Naročito su izdvojili „lov na natpise” kao pristup koji se veoma razlikuje od uobičajenih načina podučavanja.
Obrazovni program 2018 je bio vrlo uspešan i ukazuje na ogroman neistraženi potencijal za povezivanje mladih ljudi iz Mitrovice sa nasleđem njihovog grada, a posebno sa Projektom Glac. Bilo nam je izuzetno zadovoljstvo da radimo sa učenicima koji su zadivili sve uključene u program svojim entuzijazmom, kreativnim razmišljanjem i spremnošću da na najbolji način iskoriste svoje učešće. Program će se dalje razvijati tokom 2019. godine i nadamo se da će polaznici iz 2018. godine – Glac družina, imati ulogu u vođenju budućih programa.
Team
Tim
Dr Alan Dearn
Zorana Kataranovski
Teodora Vuletić
External presenters
Lazar Konstantinović
Natalija Ćosić
Together with presenters from the Glac Team Dr Stefan Pop-Lazić, Professor Richard Miles, Candace Richards, Dr Andrew Yip, Jasmina Davidović, Zvezdana Štimac, Svetlana Gojković, Miroslav Jesretić, Jelena Šarović, Byron Waldron, Chris Davies and Slobodan Maksić and special guests:
Maris Tebecis
Second Secretary at the Embassy of Australia in Belgrade
Svetlana Sabo
Director of the Tourist Organisation of Sremska Mitrovica
Dr Alan Dern
Zorana Kataranovski
Teodora Vuletić
Gostujući predavači
Lazar Konstantinović
Natalija Ćosić
Predavači i saradnici iz tima Projekta Glac, bili su dr Stefan Pop-Lazić, profesor Ričard Majls, Kendis Ričards, dr Endru Jip, Jasmina Davidović, Zvezdana Štimac, Svetlana Gojković, Miroslav Jesretić, Jelena Šarović, Bajron Voldron, Kris Dejvis i Slobodan Maksić. Specijalni gosti su nam bili:
Maris Tebecis
Drugi sekretar u Ambasadi Australije u Beogradu
Svetlana Sabo
Direktorka Turističke organizacije Sremske Mitrovice