Current Archaeology 297

1 min read

CA297-CoverAll that glitters is not gold? According to the latest research  on the Staffordshire Hoard, it certainly seems so. Ongoing  investigations are revealing that sophisticated Saxon goldsmiths  had developed a technique to make their gold appear to be  rather more golden than it really was. But how did they do it?  Carly Hilts spoke with the team to discover more.

This issue then gets stranger than fiction as we go in search of Alice in  Wonderland’s ‘Treacle Well’. Yes, it exists, and Martin Henig has been on a mission  to disentangle its curious history. We then visit the Museum of London’s latest  blockbuster exhibition, The Man Who Never Lived and Will Never Die, on London’s  favourite fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. The exhibition inspired us to ask:  which real-life London archaeological mysteries are worthy of Sherlock? Five of the  Museum’s curators take their pick.

We then return to Piddington, the long-running independent excavation led by  the Friendship-Taylors. The dig has now extended beyond the Roman villa, but what  have they found? Andrew Selkirk enlightens us. Thereafter, we go behind the scenes  at the exquisite country mansion of Knole, where we discover something of its  rather dirty, devilish history.

Finally, we salute Beatrice de Cardi, the indefatigable world  archaeologist, and former Secretary of the Council of British  Archaeology, who celebrated her 100th birthday earlier this  year.

Good reading!

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

FEATURES

 

SECRETS OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE HOARD

Skills of the Saxon smiths revealed
A pioneering new research project has revealed that Early Medieval goldsmiths were far more sophisticated than previously imagined.


SAINTS AND MIRACLES

The holy well at Binsey
Untangling history from legend: we explore Binsey’s healing waters and the ‘Treacle Well’ featured in  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.


PIDDINGTON UNCOVERED

Beyond the Roman villa
We catch up on the latest news from Piddington, where excavations have been running for the past 35 years – and counting.


KNOLE UNLOCKED

The hidden history of a country mansion
A major restoration project has revealed a wealth of new information on one of England’s finest stately homes.


SHERLOCK’S CITY UNLOCKED

London’s best archaeological mysteries
Sleuthing for clues to some of the great outstanding questions about the capital’s past.


 

NEWS

A potted history of Viking Scotland; Fitting finds at Burrough Hill; Hallaton’s pilgrim chapel uncovered; New mosaic found at Chedworth Roman Villa; First dates for prehistoric Skomer; Facing the past in the Roman North; PAS records its millionth find.

 

REGULARS

Reviews
Sapiens; Dirty Old London; Home

Profile
CA meets the inspirational Beatrice de Cardi, who this year celebrated her 100th birthday

Sherds
Chris Catling’s irreverent take on  heritage issues

Odd Socs
British Association for Modern Mosaic

 

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