Rescue Dig of the Year 2015

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Sponsored by Export and General Insurance

Congratulations to First Impressions: discovering the earliest footprints in Europe, winner of the Rescue Dig of the Year category in the 2015 Current Archaeology Awards.

The award was accepted by Professor Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum and Dr Simon Lewis of Queen Mary, University of London, on behalf of the Happisburgh Project team for their work at Happisburgh in Norfolk. Their investigations at this remarkable site has revealed tangible traces of some of Britain’s earliest known human inhabitants, including a series of footprints dating back almost 1 million years.

On accepting the award, Chris Stringer said: ‘There are two of us here tonight, but we are accepting this award on behalf of a much bigger team who have been involved in recording the ancient footprints and getting our findings published. We are also grateful to the ancient humans who left the footprints in the first place!

Happisburgh
Representatives from the Happisburgh Project accept the award for Rescue Dig of the Year at the Current Archaeology Awards 2015. (L-R: Julian Richards, who presented the awards; John Mitchell from Export and General Insurance Services Ltd, the award sponsor; Chris Stringer from the Happisburgh Project; Simon Lewis from the Happisburgh Project). Photo: Adam Stanford, Aerial-Cam.

 

Below are all the nominees in this category:


First impressions: discovering the earliest footprints in Europe

Photo: Martin Bates(CA 289 — The Happisburgh Project)

Excavation on the north Norfolk coast has uncovered tangible  traces of some of Britain’s earliest known human inhabitants.

Read the full article here.

 


Neolithic houses: exploring a prehistoric landscape  at Kingsmead Quarry

Featured(CA 292 — Wessex Archaeology)

Extensive evidence of prehistoric activity was found, including  Neolithic houses, and some of Britain’s earliest gold ornaments.

Read the full article here.

 


The many faces of Silbury Hill: unravelling the  evolution of Europe’s largest prehistoric mound

Silbury-Hill-in-the-snow(CA 293 — University of Reading)

Emergency conservation work reopened a tunnel that had  been sealed for almost 40 years, with dramatic results.

Read the full article here.

 


The sacking of Auldhame: investigating a Viking  burial in a monastic graveyard

CRW_3666(CA 293 — AOC  Archaeology / Historic Scotland / University of St Andrews)

Uncovering a lost Anglo-Saxon monastery and, in its cemetery, an unexpected Viking burial.

Read the full article here.

 


Buried Vikings: excavating Cumwhitton’s cemetery

Image-06(CA 294 — Oxford Archaeology North)

Excavation of a rare Viking burial ground offered insights into  the lives of some of Cumbria’s earliest Scandinavian settlers.

Read the full article here.

 


Bodyguards, corpses, and cults: everyday life in the Roman military community at Inveresk

11-decapitated-Roman-burial-under-excavation-(2)(CA 294 — National Museums Scotland / AOC Archaeology / CFA Archaeology / GUARD Archaeology / Northlight Heritage / University of Glasgow)

This cosmopolitan settlement on the north-west edge of the  Roman empire sheds vivid new light on frontier life.

Read the full article here.

 


Voting has now closed, and the winners will be announced on 27th February at  Current Archaeology Live!  2015