Elise Unwin
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elisepepper.bsky.social
Elise Unwin
@elisepepper.bsky.social
Archaeologist🏺PhD student 🎓 archives & museums 🗃️

AHRC CDP funded PhD student at Cardiff University, University of Exeter and Amgueddfa Cymru researching the Collecting Covid archive as a mental health archive/museum resource.

Instagram @covid_archaeology
I know I am terrible at posting regularly on social media, but I have set up an Instagram account for my side project where I'll post images of what remains in public spaces from the lockdown era before they slowly disappear!

Feel free to send any that you have found too that you want to share
March 12, 2025 at 12:28 PM
We found this cute cardboard museum playset on a recent museum trip which now lives on a shelf by my desk. The little ones in my family are all too young to enjoy it, so more toys for me I guess!

A little envious of the museum based toys kids these days can get. I think this is such a fun idea
January 5, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Update to spy cat: he's now brought his favourite toy over to the GCHQ puzzle book and is half lying on it so nobody else can take it from him
December 24, 2024 at 9:32 AM
The cat is obsessed with this one particular book, keeps sitting next to it, rubbing his face all over it, just really wants the book.

I think he either wants to be a spy cat or he was one in a past life.

Or maybe he has the biggest puzzle of them all: the cat mind
December 24, 2024 at 8:44 AM
Some museum visitors seem to think the no entry rope doesn't apply to them!

I think in this instance as they're a cat they can be forgiven for wanting a closer look 🐈‍⬛

I like seeing animals interacting with displays in open air museum settings. It can really change how you perceive the object
December 17, 2024 at 4:11 PM
The best hairdressers have a dog that comes over to greet clients for scratches. Fact.
December 13, 2024 at 10:30 AM
Also adorable that 90ish years ago, children were making cards for their parents that look exactly like ones I used to make for my mum and that the children I know make for their parents today to show their love and affection.

A joy that this has been treasured for so long too!
November 28, 2024 at 9:10 PM
Going through old family documents and finding this envelope in a box of things from the 1930s-50s which I think is a cool historic vaccine initiative item that was kept for some reason

The envelope is empty but the other side indicates it might have been sent by the Ministry of National Insurance?
November 28, 2024 at 8:56 PM
Just coming in to grace everyone's feed with this handsome loaf. I swear he does love me despite his glare
November 28, 2024 at 9:48 AM
A fun post for this Friday evening, I made a little knitted medieval jester mouse from a pattern by Alan Dart.

I am obsessed with his tiny puppet head on a stick!

I could very easily get carried away with this and make endless history inspired knitted mice that will take over my living space 😅
November 22, 2024 at 6:39 PM
I'm really interested lately in what I like to call "COVID Archaeology" and the traces of the pandemic still visible in public spaces. I'm not 100% sure if this one actually is, but I don't recall seeing signs like this around London before

Also the other meaning of men and women keeping distance 😅
November 19, 2024 at 10:09 PM
Today as part of the Being Human Festival at Leith Hill Place, I'm running artefact handling sessions and rock painting sessions, including talking a little bit about rock painting as a popular mindfulness/wellbeing activity during the pandemic.

So far a lot of people are enjoying it!
November 16, 2024 at 12:04 PM
There is not a single thought behind those sleepy eyes
November 15, 2024 at 10:47 PM
As if I needed more reason to visit my favourite part of London today, the British Library has a hawk called Weatherby!
November 15, 2024 at 3:20 PM