Sign in

Alison Atkin

@alisonatkin.bsky.social
1.6K followers 484 following 2.9K posts

Artist. Osteoarchaeologist. Canadian. Doing creative things with heritage in the NW (UK). Multi-passionate person. Can expect knitting, gardening, ttrpg, nerdery. Aprendiendo español! she/her

PostsRepliesMedia
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 6h
When I feel a turn towards pessimism I think of organisations like @artsemergency.bsky.social who are making a difference to individual lives, our future culture, and by extension society as a whole. It's the little things. They make a difference. It's important to keep hope and dreams alive.
021 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Sarah Elizabeth Cox @oispooky.bsky.social · 7h
The FASHION, the vibes. And hellooo Raj and friend 🫡
0112 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Barts Health Archives @bharchives.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Archive services are receiving an increased amount of enquiries and requests that have been generated using AI. In response to this we have put together a statement. We are grateful to other archive services that have already created guidance, we have used this to shape our statement.
We understand that developing technologies like AI can help users to identify archives holding historic records, and to navigate potential obstacles in gaining access to records. However, AI tools and agents sometimes invent records or references that don’t exist, or misinterpret catalogue information and provide a misleading idea of what survives in the archives.

If you’re looking for documents, please check our catalogue first, or email us at barts.archives@nhs.net.

AI-generated requests can be extremely long, and that makes it hard for staff to identify what’s needed. If you’re using AI to draft an email to us, please double-check that the message contains a clear question or request that reflects what you’re looking for, and we’ll do our best to help.
55926 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 16/10/2026
Can anyone point me towards archaeologists who are engaging in research/best-practice guides about the ethics of AI use? Specifically looking for an archaeology or heritage framing to approaches.
330 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
When I decided to work in history and heritage I honestly didn't think there would be so many down to the wire moments in my job.
040 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Jerry Chen @jcsalterego.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
talk about nominative determinism
3159332 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
I can highly recommend Only Posts, if you don't have that feed yet. I've been using it a lot lately!
010 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Jaunty Art @jaunty.art · 14/10/2026
7th November Warrington Market. One one hand, I could say I’ve got the bug for having a table at art fairs because it was a lot of fun. And, on the other hand, I could say that I got a lot of things printed and didn’t sell very much at my first event so need to do more. Both things can be true.
Saturday 7th November 2026
Mezzanine Floor, Warrington Market
10am to 4pm
WAZP!
WARRINGTON ART ZINES COMICS AND PRINTS FAIR
Presented by
Scott's Pops & Comics
071 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 14/10/2026
I've got some availability coming up and Im looking to fill it! If something here makes it feel like I might meet a need you have, get in touch! #Freelancing #History #Maths #Writing #Education #Learning #Heritage #Work
A vertical promotional digital leaflet for Thomas K. Briggs, featuring a deep purple background with clean white typography and minimal icons.
At the top, the bold white header reads "Thomas K. Briggs", followed by the taglines "Exploring the intersection of mathematics, history, and education" and "Available for freelance work & commissions."
The center of the leaflet displays four distinct service pillars arranged in a grid with simple icons:
• Writing & Research (open book icon) covering books, articles, and studies.
• Talks & Outreach (microphone icon) covering schools, festivals, and public engagement.
• Museum Learning (classical museum building icon) covering consultancy, resources, and workshops.
• Education Projects (mortarboard hat icon) covering evaluation, CPD, tuition, and training.
Below the pillars are three circular graphics aligned horizontally: the book cover for "The Mathematicians' Library", a circular headshot of a smiling Thomas K. Briggs with glasses and shoulder-length brown curly hair, and a magenta QR code.
The bottom features the prominent website address: "tkbriggs.co.uk".
169 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Oh, maybe, I don't ever look at Discover, even when I'm logged in.
000 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Wow, so I ended up on Bsky, not logged into an account and... WOW! The Discover tab is also a hell site? This place without carefully selected feeds is BAD!
340 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Reo Eveleth @reveleth.com · 12/10/2026
Pretty exhausting to continuously see "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" be turned into "I actually should be able to do whatever I want without considering the ethics of it at all."
1578 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Instantly thought that is great inspiration for a Halloween costume! Something that looks like glossy painted wood from a distance. I'd never sleep after seeing it move.
120 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Can you revive a zombie river? Our cities are full of rivers that have been buried in concrete after industrial pollution filled them with filth. But there's a global drive to bring them back: to "daylight" these forgotten rivers. I had a lovely day out in Sheffield today, seeing it actually happen.
Helen and six of the members of the Sheffield Castlegate project team, all in hard hats and fluorescent jackets.A worksite with a 12 metre wide trough dug into the ground, currently reinforced with large yellow metal bars across its width.
17528109 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
incredible
060 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Chester Cells @chestercells.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Now that the mystery has been revealed, here are all the details you'll need to get booked in. If you want to stay up-to-date with the new Chester Cells project, you're best off using our website or following us on Instagram or Facebook for the time being. Thanks!
A vintage police lamp attached to an old brick building being used as a background. The photograph is covered up by a parchment like piece of paper that reads What to know before visiting Chester Cells, with a red arrow below and more parchment that says Swipe to find out!The background shows the inside of a dark cell, with only the light from the window and an open red door coming through. The image has a parchment paper text box that read What is it? and a larger one below that reads:

Chester Cells is a new guided history tour that takes you into the depth of crime and punishment in historic Chester. Over one hour you will be guided through a labyrinth of rooms, discover their histories, and hear real life stories about many of the people who spent time within these walls.Chester Town Hall's clock tower with a set of old keys being held in front of it, being used as a background. At the top left a piece of parchment reads Where is it? 

The text box below it reads:
Chester Cells is located inside Chester Town Hall. 
Our entrance is on Princess Street (on the side heading towards Chester Market).

Just look out for the blue police lamp overhead!

The image also shows a photo of the blue police lamp, inside a blue frame, in the top right corner labelled 'This lamp!'A large set of old style keys lying on a grey background. The title text reads How do I book? with the text below reading:
To book your place on a tour, simply visit the Chester Cells website (linked in our bio), choose your time slot and ticket type - and you’re in!

In Chester, you can book dual- or multi- tickets with our other venues for a discounted price, just look for the option when booking.
032 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
I've seen some people incorporate their moles into tattoo designs in deliberate ways, but I haven't chosen to do that. Some of the designs are adapted once they're stencilled on, to avoid moles, but where that's not as easy to do I'm happy with just keeping a clear border around them within the art.
010 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
This is the advice/best-practice according to the dermatologists at the clinic where I get my mole-mapping done. So, just something to consider if you are also very mole-y and keen on tattoos. Yes, it's an expensive process. But so are tattoos. Your skin safety and ease of monitoring is worth it!
120 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
I had a new tattoo started this weekend, which covers up a large portion of my back (I love it already!). I am a very mole-y person. My tattooist is mole-aware and will leave gaps where required for future monitoring, but I'm going to get an updated mole-map scan while it's still just the outlines.
110 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
It's a start but no project like this has just 2 researchers involved.
062 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
depths of wikipedia @depthsofwikipedia.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
four years ago I posted this image of paleontologist Jan Smit looking at rocks and his son-in-law replied with something even better
58152322934 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Rob Cruickshank @robcruickshank.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Turns out these guys are real
A fish like a child would draw, no fins, just a tail an eye and a little smile
69153304205 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
pixelatedboat aka “mr bluesky” @pixelatedboat.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Australopithecus 3 million years ago:
4590121736 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
The full website is live! You can book tickets! A new heritage attraction in Chester, inside the Town Hall, giving you access to the old police station and lock-up cells. Expertly researched and developed, I genuinely think this is a tour that will satisfy history buffs and general tourists alike!
chestercells.co.uk
Chester Cells
A guided tour of the Victorian police station and lock-up cells beneath Chester Town Hall. One hour, real stories, normally closed to the public.
074 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
The full website is live! You can book tickets! A new heritage attraction in Chester, inside the Town Hall, giving you access to the old police station and lock-up cells. Expertly researched and developed, I genuinely think this is a tour that will satisfy history buffs and general tourists alike!
chestercells.co.uk
Chester Cells
A guided tour of the Victorian police station and lock-up cells beneath Chester Town Hall. One hour, real stories, normally closed to the public.
074 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Alex Tomlinson @alextomlinson.com · 09/10/2026
Flat illustration of a Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, and Chipping Sparrow each holding a fall leaf in their beak and walking in a parade-like manner. This is my US (eastern) version of last year's UK-focused illustration!
132721912 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Worrye not about 'being productive,' for thou art not a product. Thou art a star daunsinge yn a hopeful skye. A signal blinking across centuryes and worldes. Thou art a song performid just once and perfectlye. Ther ys no part of thee that evir koude be wrong.
1347105 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Micro SF/F by O. Westin @microsff.com · 08/10/2026
"Are you lost, mortal?" a voice whispered. "I just haven't been here before." "You are in the Forest of Perpetual Gloom." "These are oaks." "Er... Their dense canopy-" "It's autumn. The leaves are falling." "But the days grow shorter, so..." "Perpetual gloom except around lunchtime?" "Yes."
235581 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
It's time to resurrect the pumpkin thread. I am (predictably) incredibly busy this October, but I am still planning on carving some pumpkins for home. I've unintentionally grown one in the garden (thank you homemade compost) but I might buy one or two more. No designs fully decided for 2026 yet!
050 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
I've a lavender hedge I've been working on for a few years and it's always chock full of 'em, haven't caused any bother that I can tell.
110 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
It's only ethical clickbait if it's derived from the Old French origin, éthique.
000 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Dr. Robyn S. Lacy ⚰️ @graveyardarch.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
If I hadn't yelled about it enough already, my Graveyard Guidebook is available for pre-order!! I've collected some of the links where you can get it from, please consider supporting a bb author or requesting it for your library! 🏺 spadeandthegrave.com/2026/08/05/g...
spadeandthegrave.com
“Graveyards of Eastern Newfoundland” Book Pre-Order is live!
The book cover! It’s nearly here! After two years of hard work, my first non-academic book is nearly out in the world! “Graveyards of Eastern Newfoundland: The history, stories, and une…
13613 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Thank you for articulating this, it's a thought I've had a lot. Yes perimenopause is very real and it will have a big impact on many people's lives. But also, it feels like recently it's being blamed for literally anything bad that's happening to you if you're a woman over the age of... 37?
160 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Will Tullett @willtullett.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
PSA: if you come across a weird historical smell thing, let me know - it's the right thing to do.
0268 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Whoa!
010 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Joumana Medlej @majnouna.com · 07/10/2026
This is an AMAZING website putting webcrawlers on display, as it were: crawlerzoo.com
crawlerzoo.com
The Crawler Zoo — a live menagerie of web crawlers
A live zoo of the bots visiting this site: 630 so far today. See what GPTBot, ClaudeBot and Googlebot are, and how to block them.
1117 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Some parts of Scotland are not as far away from Alaska latitudinally as you might expect... From South to North, the mainland and islands are between 49°N and 59°N and the Shetlands are nearly 62°N!
230 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
(This being said, I am mostly in the camp of only trying to use Amazon when I can't find another practical option these days.)
000 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Okay, anyone who is surprised by this, I'm surprised by *them*! Of course they're doing this? But also, omg, I've selected to remove a few because they're an 'outdated preference' and I really hope it actually changes what's suggested to me. Mine is mostly all boring practical stuff.
300 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
this This THIS my perspective on photographing places was totally changed by a talk I attended given by Bill Bevan, a heritage and landscape photographer people, signs, construction, MESS place your photo and experience in time. otherwise, it could be anywhen. the same photo taken by anyone else
043 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
paulpro @mariopro.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
https://www.instagram.com/goattoself?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&stkn=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
243951739 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Hmm. Thanks! Will look into it
000 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Anyone else having issues logging into the British Newspaper Archive today, or just me? Not sure if it's an issue with our account or their system.
101 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Matt Wilson @redtelephonebox.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Mentoring for Arts Emergency remains one of the best things I’ve done. Click below to really make a difference to a young person’s prospects 👇
032 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Support @artsemergency.bsky.social A charity(!) that is widening access to the arts. That helps people, no matter their backgrounds, access an industry that is *world leading*. Humans began creating art while we were still struggling to survive. We will always choose to create and to seek out art.
0105 0
Alison Atkin @alisonatkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Brutal
010 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Surprised Eel Historian, PhD @greenleejw.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
they’re having to sell inevitability a little too hard
2849 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Koboldscrossing @koboldscrossing.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
another lil halloween postcard painting! swamp monster!
Acrylic gouache, crayon and colored pencil mini painting of a swamp monster in the water, with a rubber duck on its head
213518 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Monica H Green @monicamedhist.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
2) If this is plague, then it's important to point out that plague (unlike smallpox) was never eradicated. We still live w/ it in many natural environments (including in the U.S.), & that's why we *want* on-going research. The circumstances of this Russian lab accident remain to be clarified.
Chart from a 1955 study counting known incidents of plague found in the United States between 1902 and 1951. Shown are the incidents in Colorado.
Source: Link, Vernon B. A History of Plague in the United States of America, Public Health Service monograph No. 26, 1955.
12911 0
Reposted by Alison Atkin
Monica H Green @monicamedhist.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
#MedievalSky In case your students this week come in w/ questions about the Russian plague case currently in the news, you can tell them: 1) if this is plague (Yersinia pestis), there is nothing unusual about it (a) being in Russia or (b) being the subject of lab research. Plague is worldwide.
The opening of a 2019 study of the 20th-century Soviet system for controlling plague. Citation: Susan D. Jones, Bakyt Atshabar, Boris V. Schmid, Marlene Zuk, Anna Amramina, and Nils Chr. Stenseth. "Living with Plague: Lessons from the Soviet Union's Antiplague Syste," PNAS 116, no. 19 (6 May 2019), 9155-9163, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1817339116.
Abstract: Zoonoses, such as plague, are primarily animal diseases that spill over into human populations. While the goal of eradicating such diseases is enticing, historical experience validates abandoning eradication in favor of ecologically based control strategies (which reduce morbidity and mortality to a locally accepted risk level). During the 20th century, one of the most extensive plague-eradication efforts in recorded history was undertaken to enable large-scale changes in land use in the former Soviet Union (including vast areas of central Asia). Despite expending tremendous resources in its attempt to eradicate plague, the Soviet antiplague response gradually abandoned the goal of eradication in favor of plague control linked with developing basic knowledge of plague ecology. Drawing from this experience, we combine new gray-literature sources, historical and recent research, and fieldwork to outline best practices for the control of spillover from zoonoses while minimally disrupting wildlife ecosystems, and we briefly compare the Soviet case with that of endemic plague in the western United States. We argue for the allocation of sufficient resources to maintain ongoing local surveillance, education, and targeted control measures; to incorporate novel technologies selectively; and to use ecological research to inform developing landscape-based models for transmission interruption. We conclude that living with emergent and reemergent zoonotic diseases—switching to control—opens wider possibilities for interrupting spillover while preserving natural ecosystems, encouraging adaptation to local conditions, and usi…
27037 0