Description
In this issue:
– Fishbourne at 50: how a Roman palace and its gardens came to light
– Back to basics: embracing the Palaeolithic
– Celebrating unusual scheduled sites
– York’s revolutionary Viking dig: Coppergate memories
– Rooted in history: digging into the development of Britain’s street trees
Plus: News, Reviews, Comment, Sherds, Odd Socs, and more!
From the Editor:
In the recent hot weather, the trees that line many of our urban streets offer welcome shade – but when these leafy avenues were first introduced to Britain they were highly controversial. We trace the progress and pitfalls of this movement from its 19th-century roots to the present day.
Greenery was also a key feature of Fishbourne Roman palace; in 1961-1969, excavations uncovered grand formal gardens alongside an astonishing range of Roman buildings. Fifty years after the site museum opened, we explore how understanding of the palace has evolved, and share memories from Barry Cunliffe, who led the dig, and David Baker, who captured it all on film.
Fishbourne is now a scheduled ancient monument, protection that today safeguards around 20,000 sites in England. We take a tour of ten of the most unusual locations that have recently come under this legislation’s scope.
And now for something completely different: while archaeology is invaluable for understanding the past, it can also inform our present and help guide our future. Gustav Milne is taking a thought-provoking look at how, physically and psychologically, we are still very similar to our Palaeolithic predecessors, and how embracing this could benefit us all.
Moving into the not-so-deep past, we revisit the Coppergate dig that uncovered so much about Viking-age York. York Archaeological Trust is keen to hear recollections of the 1976-1981 excavations. We share some of the highlights gathered so far.
Finally, last issue we asked what advice you would give to young people interested in archaeology. This month, as the students of 2019 weigh up university options, we discuss what makes it a great subject to study at degree level.
Carly Hilts
Cover Date: Jul-2018, Volume 29 Issue 4