Current Archaeology 294

2 mins read

001_CA294_Cover_final_SCsmallWhen archaeologists announced they had found the body of King  Richard III beneath a car park on the site of Leicester’s Grey Friars,  it made world news. But project leader Richard Buckley’s original  plan had been simply to discover more about the friary, rating the  chance of actually finding the king’s body as close to zero.

Now a major on-site Richard III visitor centre has just opened, and plans are  in motion for his body to be reinterred in Leicester Cathedral. CA met with Buckley for  the inside story. Why did the dig start with disappointment? What about those months  of waiting as the scientific data were processed? And what happens next?

From a named king to the forgotten fliers of World War I: to mark the centenary of  the Great War, we begin the first of three special features exploring sites related to  the world’s first fully industrialised conflict.

A very different military community is then explored as we step back to the Roman  era and visit the fort site of Inveresk, just east of Edinburgh. But why were several  decapitated bodies discovered there?

Yet more unusual burials were found at Cumwhitton in Cumbria. Here, the chance  detection of an unusual brooch led to the unique find of a whole Viking-era cemetery,  rich with ritual and grave-goods.

Finally, is there anything other than ‘ritual’ that can explain stone  circles? Chris Catling looks at a new book that suggests there is.

PS The next CA Live! conference takes place on 27-28 February  2015 — we’ll have more details soon, but do save the date!

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

FEATURES

 

BURIED VIKINGS

Excavating Cumwhitton’s cemetery
We explore how the chance discovery of a Viking brooch helped to unlock the secrets  of a high-status burial ground.


GREAT STONE CIRCLES

Beyond ritual and religion
Why did our Neolithic ancestors build stone circles? Thought-provoking developments  in this debate suggest that we should see them as more than ceremonial centres.


BODYGUARDS, CORPSES, AND CULTS

Everyday life in the Roman military community at Inveresk
Bringing you the latest discoveries, including two spectacular altars, from a cosmopolitan  settlement on the north-western edge of the Roman Empire.


FORGOTTEN FLIERS

Revealing Sedgeford’s lost WWI aerodrome
Marking the centenary of the First World War, we launch the first of three features  investigating British sites linked to the conflict.


FINDING RICHARD III

Behind the scenes at the Grey Friars dig
We catch up on the triumphs and tribulations of excavating a king — and take a sneak  peek at the new visitor centre that explores his life and times.

 

NEWS

Snapshot of London’s Saxon shore; Vindolanda’s first gold coin; Winterborne Kingston:  family matters; Colchester casualties of the Boudican revolt?; Twin sister for Seahenge;  Corieltavi cache in a cave; Antrim’s A26 archaeology; Lost and found

 

REGULARS

Exhibition Review
The Lod Mosaic

Reviews
Scottish Gold; The Staffordshire Hoard;  The Archaeology of Anglo-Jewry in  England and Wales 1656-c.1880

Sherds
Chris Catling’s irreverent take on  heritage issues

Odd Socs
The Scottish Castles Association

Insight
David Miles explores the work of  Alasdair Whittle, who has transformed  our knowledge of Neolithic Britain

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