This lovely Roman lamp was recently found on the Thames foreshore - it will feature in 'Collecting for London' at the
@MuseumofLondon
, a temporary display that opens on 13 December.
Don't underestimate the importance of archaeology; with the University of Sheffield's department facing closure, Hugh Willmott has written for us about why this discipline matters, and the campaign to
#savesheffieldarchaeology
:
Excavations in London by
@MOLArchaeology
have revealed the remains of a c.2,000-year-old cemetery, where waterlogged soil conditions have preserved an extraordinary array finds, including what may be the first complete funerary bed from Roman Britain.
Exciting find revealed at
@britishmuseum
this morning: largest immediately post-Norman Conquest coin hoard ever found. These are some of its 2528 coins from the reigns of Harold II and William I. Buried in Somerset c1067/1068. We've just seen it - watch out for article in CA356!
This 13th c seal matrix is set with a late Antique red jasper gemstone incised with the bust of a Roman emperor with heavy eyebrows, curling hair, a beard, and a moustache - this
#ArchaeoMo
was found in Kent and declared treasure by
@findsorguk
#Movember
Ballynahatty in County Down is an astonishing site that deserves to be far better known for what it tells us about Neolithic timber monuments. A newly published report seeks to reconstruct the monument's original appearance, as Chris Catling reports.
Fascinating isotope analysis of individuals buried at Stonehenge suggests they may have come from west Wales (article includes a link to the scientific paper in Nature):
Reflections on
#Nero
: new
@britishmuseum
exhibition about one of the most notorious Roman emperors opens today. How far was his infamous reputation deserved? More info on
#neroexhibition
at & watch out for our article on Nero and Roman Britain in CA 376!
CA Live! 2021 is happening in just a few days time! We'll have talks from over 20 of the country's leading archaeologists telling us all about the latest research.
All talks will be freely available throughout the weekend, so be sure to join us here:
Excavations in North Yorkshire may have discovered the remains of the oldest timber house with wood still surviving ever found in the UK. It was found in a layer dating to the early Mesolithic, c.10,000 BC, preserved by the conditions at Killerby Quarry:
What are hillforts for? Based on many years spent recording these fascinating monuments,
@Toby_Driver1
concludes that they had many functions, and that external similarities disguised different purposes. Chris Catling reports.
First site visit of 2021 yesterday! It feels so good to be out and about again, and
@butserfarm
is looking amazing. They've reopened for pre-booked visits () and have some exciting news to announce next week - watch this space, and read more in CA 375.
Great Orme is one of Europe's largest copper mines, but until recently it was assumed that it was the result of small-scale work over many centuries. Now a new study suggest that it was in fact the site of Britain's first 'mining boom' in the Bronze Age:
Archaeological work during an upgrade to the A1 has revealed an abundance of Roman material, especially at the site of Cataractonium and its agricultural hinterlands. Learn more in CA 359:
Such an interesting day yesterday, visiting
#Richborough
where
@HE_Archaeology
are currently excavating, working in partnership with
@EnglishHeritage
to learn more about the Roman amphitheatre. Amazing finds! More to come in an upcoming issue of CA.
(photo from English Heritage)
More than a year after the discovery of one of the most significant early medieval female burials in Britain, conservation work has revealed the artistry of the grave goods that were buried with a young woman at Harpole in the 7th century. Read more:
A pair of metal detectorists who discovered more than 300 Anglo-Saxon coins and historic jewellery, then hid the £2.9million haul, have today (21 November) been convicted.
MORE:
We are deeply saddened by the death of our long-standing colleague and dear friend Dr Neil Faulkner. Neil worked with us for more than 20 years, writing across all four of our magazines.
He was a wonderful man, and will be sorely missed by all at Current Publishing.
Hi everyone, I just wanted to say that we're listening, and we hear what people are saying: we fully accept that the current conference programme is not diverse enough. (1/3)
An Anglo-Saxon hoard found in 2015 was concealed by the metal-detectorists who discovered it, now they have been sentenced for failing to declare the find and attempting to sell the coins and jewellery they uncovered. Find out more in CA 359:
In the latest issue of CA, out now:
• the Iron Age hillforts of Wales
• the evolution of Arthur’s Stone
• unpicking the Knutsford Hoard
• seeking Anglo-Saxons in Lincolnshire
• Excavating Ankerwycke
Plus: news, reviews, listings, & more!
#Subscribe
via the link in our bio.
A large Roman mausoleum, used to bury high-status individuals, was recently discovered by
@MOLArchaeology
during excavations in advance of the redevelopment of a site near Borough Market in Southwark, by Landsec and Transport for London (TfL).
New analysis of material from the Great Orme copper mine in North Wales has revealed that it had a 'golden age' of production in the Bronze Age, when it supplied copper to the whole of Britain and beyond, refuting previous understandings of the site:
New analysis of two Bronze Age burials discovered more than a century – and over 300 miles – apart has raised intriguing questions about prehistoric ideas of family relationships, highlighting cross-Channel cultural links stretching back 5,000 years.
Butser's new Neolithic (neo-neolithic?) house is fantastic - really enjoyed visiting it a few days ago. We've got an article going into our next issue (CA 375) - you can also find out more about their exciting new virtual platform at
It's been wonderful to finally reveal and welcome visitors to explore our finished Stone Age Horton House over the past week 😀
It's based on
@wessexarch
excavations of a c. 5,800 year old Neolithic structure, find out more and how to visit us here:
Just back from the annual Treasure & Portable Antiquities Scheme report launch - another record year. 1,267 Treasure finds recorded & 79,353 new entries on
@findsorguk
database. Fab finds like this Bronze Age bulla (locket) were on display. Long may the PAS' great work continue!
We never cease to be amazed by the beautiful Neolithic finds emerging from Orkney - not least from the Ness of Brodgar, where archaeologists have found another fantastic example of decorated stone:
Verulamium is our largest Roman town that doesn't have a modern city built over it, making it an ideal place for geophysical survey. Better still, half the town lies under a well-maintained public park, while the other portion is on a private estate, under pasture
#CALive20
BREAKING NEWS! Extraordinary Roman mosaic discovered in Rutland. The first example in the UK displaying scenes from Homer’s The Illiad, and one of only a handful from across Europe. One of the most remarkable and significant
#Roman
#mosaics
ever found in Britain.
Analysis of the runes on a silver armband from the Galloway Hoard has revealed a common male Anglo-Saxon name, Ecgbeorht (or ‘Egbert’ in its modern form). This conflicts with our assumption that hoards like this were the product of Scandinavian raiders:
The
@ntlmuseumsscot
#GallowayHoard
exhibition opens on Sat (). Amazing Viking Age hoard full of unusual objects including this lidded vessel; 3D imaging reveals designs that tell of far-flung origins, as we heard from Dr Martin Goldberg. Article in CA 376!
The latest episode of the PastCast is now live!
@CurrentArchaeo
editor Carly Hilts and
@calum_mh
spoke to Dr Martin Goldberg about the latest research into the
#GallowayHoard
, the subject of a fascinating new exhibition at
@NtlMuseumsScot
. Listen here:
A trench dug to accommodate cables linking an offshore windfarm to the National Grid sparked eight years of archaeological excavations along its route. With the results of
@wessexarch
's work now published, Ashley Tuck summarises key findings:
Three years of excavations centred on a c.6,000-year-old burial monument in Herefordshire have revealed that its story is longer and more complex than was previously thought. CA visited Keith Ray,
@wscutt
, and Julian Thomas on site to learn more.
An Iron Age hoard consisting of 15 gold coins known as ‘staters’ was discovered in Llangoed Community, Anglesey by three metal-detectorists between 2021 and 2022. The hoard, the first of its kind to be found in Wales, was last month declared treasure.
Two local lads turned up to Carenza's Hylton Castle dig, having been kicked out of school - looked like trouble but it was decided to ask them to help with the dig. They did, with gusto - and then fetched friends - and for the rest of the project, devoted helpers!
#calive18
Staff and students from
@BU_ArchAnth
, together with local volunteers, excavating Iron Age settlements around Winterborne Kingston in Dorset as part of the
@Durotrigesdig
, have come upon an unexpected discovery: an early Bronze Age burial.
Today's
#ArchaeMo
is an object to tame your tache, rather than a find-with-fuzz... this little 1st/2nd-century comb, from Langbank Crannog in Renfrewshire, is held by
@NtlMuseumsScot
#Movember
A real joy and a privilege to see the lighting of the solstice lantern at Stonehenge, and to take part in the Amesbury lantern parade... huge thanks to all involved!
@OxbowBooks
Research Project of the Year (sponsored by
@butserfarm
): Bridge over troubled water: Roman finds from the Tees at Piercebridge and beyond, by Hella Eckardt and Philippa Walton, University of Reading and Birkbeck, University of London.
#CALive22
A Roman settlement associated with Navio fort near Brough has been discovered in the Peak District. Excavations found evidence of a range of activities including craftworking, domestic occupation, and lead production, as well as military defence:
One of our final jobs before our conference talks go live on Youtube tomorrow is to check all the auto-generated subtitles & correct any hilarious/unfortunate mishearings that have been created... there have been some corkers! See if you can guess what they should actually say...
The
#sycamoregaptree
was an iconic landmark on Hadrian's Wall. It graced the cover of the magazine a few years ago, to accompany an article on the history of wall pilgrimages. You can access the full article here via
@read_the_past
:
A large Viking-Age hall has been discovered during recent excavations at Skaill Farmstead on the island of Rousay,
#Orkney
. The outline of the structure was revealed by a team of archaeologists from
@UHIArchaeology
who have been digging at the site:
CA’s Research Project of the Year Award for 2023 (sponsored by
@OxbowBooks
) goes to Prehistoric pioneers: how female migrants changed the face of Bronze Age Orkney:
#CALive23
Our latest issue is out now, with a special report on the Roman mosaic in Rutland, plus articles on African identities in Roman Britain, experimental archaeology, medieval Welsh wall paintings & the contents of abolitionist Thomas Clarkson's campaign chest
Fascinating research suggests that Bronze Age communities lived with the dead, curating the bones of their predecessors for years after an individual's death before burying them - as Professor Joanna Brück,
@ucdarchaeology
, explains.
#CALive21
An almost-complete Pictish cross slab was recently discovered in a graveyard in the Dingwall area. It has now been removed, cleaned, and examined, revealing the details of the intricate, and in some cases unusual, decoration on both sides of the stone:
The latest season of excavation at Lindisfarne has revealed more information about the island's early medieval monastery and life around the time of the Viking raids in the 8th century. Article in CA 357, out this week:
#archaeology
@TheDigVenturers
Today's
#ArcheMo
is from
@MuseumofLondon
- this Roman sculpture of Serapis, the Egyptian god of the underworld, was found in the temple of Mithras. The impressive carving is notable for its long hair, beard, and of course, luxurious moustache
#Movember
Fascinating study of Cheddar Man's DNA, suggesting dark skin and blue eyes, could revolutionise thinking about how the early inhabitants of Britain looked:
The
#SycamoreGap
tree was an immediately recognisable feature of the central section of Hadrian’s Wall. Jim Crow, who directed excavations of this portion of the Roman frontier between 1982 and 1989, investigates its archaeological and landscape history.
#CALive22
is go! Our annual conference is being held online today, Saturday, and Sunday, and the talks have now gone live on our Youtube channel - all free to watch. More info:
This is one of the seven Anglo-Saxon disc brooches found within a silver vessel discovered by a metal detectorist in September 2014 – one of more than 100 objects that were subsequently excavated and are now known as the Galloway Hoard. Read more:
Maritime archaeologists have discovered a rare wooden platform dating to the Mesolithic, off the coast of the Isle of Wight. Its discovery more than doubles the amount of worked wood known from the period in Britain!
#archaeology
@maritimetrust
Another day, another site visit! Today we've been up on Hadrian's Wall, visiting the Newcastle University/Historic England excavation at Birdoswald Roman fort. Read all about it in CA 379!
A 1,200-year-old Pictish cross slab discovered at an early Christian site in the Scottish Highlands has been described as a find of 'national importance'. It is one of only 50 near-complete examples known, and is also the first found at this site:
Based on three years of excavations at Dinas Dinlle – carried out by archaeologists from
@GwyneddArch
,
@CHERISHproj
, the
@NTWales
, and
@cadwwales
– new reconstruction drawings by Wessex Archaeology are bringing the site to life once more.
Another lovely artefact from the
@findsorguk
database for
#Movember
. This mount dates to c. AD 600-700 and sports a spectacular moustache as well as an impressive beard. Found in Winchester, it may represent the Germanic deity Woden.
#ArcheMo
Excavations at a site believed to have been used as a ‘summerhouse’ by Alasdair Ruadh ‘Maclain’ MacDonald, chief of the MacDonalds of Glencoe from 1646 to 1692, have revealed a coin hoard underneath the grand fireplace.
The CA Awards have arrived in the office! Which people, projects, and publications have won? Find out on Friday night, when we'll be announcing the winners at
#CALive19
!
We can't believe it's the end of another thoroughly enjoyable
#MuseumsUnlocked
. With today's theme of 'wintertime' we felt it appropriate to dig out a drinking horn ready for a Yule feast. This replica can hold two litres of mead! Cheers!
📷 Phil Morley
Join us for a one-day conference on 24 February 2024 at
@IOE_London
. In partnership with
@UCLarchaeology
, we will hear from the foremost archaeological experts on the latest finds and ground-breaking research. Get early bird tickets for
#CALive24
here:
'This is a landmark publication, summarising as it does the 12 years (and counting) that Operation Nightingale has been in existence.' Our review of 'Broken Pots, Mending Lives' by
@richardhosgood
, published by
@OxbowBooks
.
A new five-year project by the
@VindolandaTrust
is shedding unprecedented light on Magna Roman fort and nearby Milecastle 46. Carly Hilts visited Rachel Frame and Franki Gillis on site to hear the story so far. Access on
@read_the_past
:
In the new issue of CA, out now:
• Warham Camp, an Iron Age enigma in Norfolk
• Tracing Sarmatian cavalry in Britain
• Resurrecting Imber’s ‘ghost village’
• The Knaresborough Hoard
• Reconstructing a Roman arm guard
Plus: news, reviews, & more!
#Subscribe
via our website.