Local Landmark is Still A Classic

Scottish Archaeology Month Educational Visit

A visit to Hamilton mausoleum provided an ideal comparison to a Roman tomb of the dead for 16 Higher Classical Studies students at Hamilton College. The visit, organised as part of Scottish Archaeology month, allowed students to discover the international importance of the Duke of Hamilton and how he chose the design of his tomb based on Classical architecture. Many of the students had visited Rome and the Bay of Naples for a week last October so had seen the original buildings (Pantheon, Augustus’ mausoleum, Castel Sant’Angelo) on which the Mausoleum is based.
The artistic iconography both outside and inside the crypt and chapel is taken from Greek and Roman precedents so students were able to identify elements of ancient practice in a local, (more) modern comparison. The Latinists in the group enjoyed translating the dedication and mottoes, allowing them to prove that Latin is not a ‘dead language’! Students enjoyed trying out the whispering galleries and a performance from an Advanced Higher musician in the group allowed the echo to be heard to maximum effect.
The visit allowed students to set their knowledge of Greek and Roman rituals for death and burial into a wider European historical and archaeological context, whilst celebrating one of the finest buildings in the area.
Trip organised by Arlene Holmes-Henderson, Teacher of Classics and facilitated by Rhona MacKinnon, Education Officer at South Lanarkshire Museums.