Between 1974 and 1981 a remarkable campaign of excavations in Dublin exposed a swathe of the Viking town. From an archaeological perspective the conditions were perfect, with waterlogged layers preserving the vestiges of hundreds of houses and thousands of artefacts. But this was also a race against the clock, with public demonstrations buying more time […]

Why were Pictish symbols carved into Trusty’s Hill, far to the south of where they usually occur? Investigation of a hillfort towering over the images reveals that the site developed into a prosperous centre in the 6th century AD, and may even have been at the heart of the lost kingdom of Rheged. If so, […]

What are borders for? It is a question that has recently gone mainstream. Debate about ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ borders finds a parallel in attempts to determine whether Roman borders blocked or simply regulated movement. In this regard, the true nature of Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall remains a mystery. As the modern world is reminding us, though, the nature […]

  Comprises 3 Kerb cairns from Neolithic to Medieval, multi settlement eras. Many prehistoric cremation burials dating from EBA to Iron Age in Galloway. Current excavation is excavating 12th-century Celto Norse Motte Hill and associated defences. Also several EBA burials. All welcome to try their hand at excavation, young or old, amateur and professional alike […]

Caherconnell Archaeological Field School (CAFS) was set up in 2010 with a vision for providing unforgettable archaeological experiences in the unique Burren region. In partnership with the National university of Ireland in Galway we aim to provide the very best archaeological education as well as a cultural element which sees students interact with the people […]

The Lost City of Trellech Excavation is an ongoing research dig to understand a settlement that was once the largest in Wales in medieval times. Over more than 10 years we have discovered the remains of several properties including a fortified moated manor house which again will be the focus for this year’s excavations. Last […]

Bamburgh Castle has been occupied since at least the Iron Age and was one of the principal royal palaces of the early medieval kings of Northumbria. BRP has been undertaking excavation in the West Ward of the castle since 2000 and are currently exploring 8th century deposits associated with high status metal-working. We believe we […]

In a major new volume on the archaeology of Pembrokeshire, Tim Darvill argues that monument typologies do not help us understand how people viewed rocks and the landscape in the past. We need to think less like archaeologists and start asking questions about the meaning of stone and what these monuments might have signified to […]

How should we study ancient stone monuments? In the past, great ingenuity has been expended on cataloguing them according to ever more intricate typologies. Now a survey of Neolithic monuments in Pembrokeshire is applying simpler classifications and focusing on what these edifices meant to the communities that raised them. The results raise questions about how efforts to clear the first farming land […]

Legend has it that the Rothwell charnel chapel was discovered when a grave digger tumbled into an underground vault stacked with bones. This alarming incident brought to light a rare example of an intact medieval ossuary in England. Our cover feature explores why the dead were assembled in this manner, and how common the practice was. […]