Current Archaeology 279
What was life really like for Medieval peasants? Renowned as the epitome of poverty, they appear as stock images performing hard manual labour in the margins of illustrated manuscripts. With the squalor they faced memorably lampooned by Monty Python, among others, it has always been assumed that the ramshackle hovels they called home have long [...]
Time Team: the end of an era?
As Time Team ends its run, Jim Mower – an archaeologist and producer for ten years on the programme – reflects on two decades of television archaeology and asks: what’s next? Time Team is the longest running history/archaeology strand in television history. Although often criticised over its lifetime, this is, by any reckoning, a remarkable [...]
Is there a future in studying the past?
Is this the time to pursue a course in archaeology? The word from the field that reaches the Current Archaeology offices is that graduates are disillusioned with their prospects: jobs are scarce, competition is fierce and projects are poorly funded. What’s the point? Archaeology is a fascinating and diverse subject that is hugely enjoyable to [...]
Rufford Abbey Field School
Nottinghamshire County Council’s Community Archaeology Team will be running an Archaeological Field School in the grounds of Rufford Abbey from Monday 1st to Friday 5th July. The field school is ideal for people who want to get a proper introduction to professional excavation techniques. Excavation will take place on the foundations of an ornamental gateway at [...]
Time Team
Mick Aston’s Dig Diary: new bi-monthly column in Current Archaeology
For those missing their Time Team fix now that the final … [More]
Stop all the spades, fill all the trenches in…
While browsing the web for fun archaeological things to … [More]
Time Team: the rise and fall of a television phenomenon
In mid October an all-points bulletin was emailed to Time … [More]
Latest News
Digging London’s past: Syon Park excavation
This summer the Museum of London will return to Syon Park, Hounslow, with digging opportunities for adult and children, it has been announced. Having previously focussed on investigating the house of Sir Richard Wynne, a Parliamentarian on whose land the 1641 Battle of Brentford was fought as anti-Royalist forces tried to stop Prince Rupert’s troops reaching [...]
Cradle of Stonehenge: interview with David Jacques
In CA 271 we brought you news of astonishing Mesolithic finds at Vespasian’s Camp on Salisbury Plain, a potentially game-changing site for our understanding of the Stonehenge landscape. With the site about to star in the first episode of a new BBC archaeology series, we caught up with project director, Buckingham University’s David Jacques, to find [...]
Scale models: George and the dragon
Standing just 4cm high, St George raises his lance to strike a fatal blow against the tiny dragon staring back at him. His outstretched hand probably once gripped his scaly foe by the tail, though they have since broken apart. Discovered by a metal detectorist in the Carlisle area last April, these silver gilt figures [...]
Roman in the snow: hundreds visit NW Cambridge Site open day
Almost 500 people braved the snow to visit the Northwest Cambridge Site’s extensive archaeological remains during an open day last month. A 14ha excavation by Cambridge Archaeological Unit has revealed Roman activity spanning four centuries, as well as archaeological features stretching back to the Middle Bronze Age (c.1500 BC), suggesting that the rolling green farmland northwest [...]
Cambridge’s Roman development
The rolling green farmland northwest of Cambridge was once crowded with bustling Roman settlements and industry, recent excavations suggest. Cambridge Archaeological Unit has investigated 14ha outside the city, revealing Roman activity spanning four centuries, as well as archaeological features stretching back to the Middle Bronze Age (c.1500 BC). Zig-zag ditches thought to represent practice trenches from [...]
Murmillo magic
A tiny amber amulet shaped like a gladiator’s helmet has been discovered in the Walbrook area by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). Measuring just over 1cm across, the object was found amongst the remains of a demolished Roman building, together with large amounts of pottery and animal bone. It is hoped that analysis of these [...]
London’s roaming temple – new parts of the Mithraeum found
Britain’s most-moved Roman site, the Temple of Mithras in London, is one step closer to returning to its original location after recent work by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). Since it was uncovered in the 1950s the third-century temple has been completely dismantled, shifted 90m, rebuilt, taken apart again, and is currently in storage in [...]
