As advances in archaeological science march on, we are increasingly able to answer questions of ‘when’ and ‘how’ when investigating sites and artefacts. But what about ‘why’? In this attractively presented and impressively wide-ranging book, Mary-Ann Ochota invites us to explore the possibilities of some of Britain’s most enigmatic discoveries.

In this month’s ‘Science Notes’, we dive into the world of palaeoparasitology, and examine what the study of faecal matter can tell us about human health and behaviour in the past. While we may not like to acknowledge it, humans play host to a large number of parasites. Which parasites affect us and how they influence our health, however, can vary wildly based on our diet, living conditions, and other environmental factors.

In this final column exploring the stories behind Current Archaeology cover images, I am bringing things right up to date by examining covers from issue 301 (April 2015) onwards. Despite the challenging environment for archaeology in recent years, with particularly worrying cutbacks in local-authority heritage services, there has still been some amazing work and some spectacular sites and finds to celebrate.

Remarkable finds from Must Farm take centre stage in a new exhibition at Peterborough Museum, which tells the story of excavations at the ancient river channel and settlement, and explores their connection with other prehistoric sites around the Fens. Lucia Marchini delves into Bronze Age life at Must Farm and Flag Fen. When the remains […]

To step into Harmondsworth Barn is not just to enter a space so glorious that it was lauded as the ‘cathedral of Middlesex’ by Sir John Betjeman. It is also to experience a remarkably intact medieval interior. Among majestic oak trusses are opportunities to admire medieval technology that has weathered the centuries unaltered. After being […]

The remarkable preservation at Must Farm promised insights into day-to-day life that would revolutionise our knowledge of the late Bronze Age. As excavations at the site reach completion, it is already clear that we will never see that era in the same way again. Mark Knight, Susanna Harris, and Grahame Appleby told Matthew Symonds about […]

We now know that disaster swiftly struck Must Farm. Construction may not even have been complete when the flames took hold, and it is probable that the settlement was gutted within a year of being founded. For the inhabitants, the loss of their homes and possessions must have been devastating, but the archaeological windfall has […]

Last year’s discovery of six Bronze Age boats and an intact prehistoric riverside at Must Farm, Cambridgeshire, was a stunning find.