Cover Story
Deep impact: Can social value save archaeology from extinction? As CIfA’s code of conduct states, ‘fuller understanding of the past provided by archaeology is part of society’s common heritage and it should be available to everyone’. So, how can we make sure that archaeology is accessible to as many… Features
Surprises from the Roman frontier: excavating Hadrian’s Wall in urban Tyneside As Hadrian’s Wall is a protected World Heritage Site, opportunities to excavate across the line of the Roman fortifications are rare. In the summer of 2021, however, planned development works… 
Seeking seclusion: medieval hermitages in Britain and Ireland Medieval monasteries and their communities have been (and continue to be) well studied, but not so the structures associated with those who chose a more solitary route to salvation: hermits… 
Excavations and attractions: Half a century with the York Archaeological Trust Having recently celebrated its 50th birthday, the York Archaeological Trust manages one of the oldest commercial units operating in the UK today, as well as several heritage-themed attractions within its… News
Two hoards from Monmouthshire declared treasure Also recently declared as treasure in Wales was a hoard of Roman coins, found between 2014 and 2022 
Tracing ‘pauper apprentices’ in North Yorkshire 154 skeletons representing people of all ages were recovered from the 19th-century cemetery in Fewston 
Gaming piece discovered in Bedfordshire Such objects were used to play a variety of medieval board games known as ‘tables’, some of which resembled modern-day backgammon. 
Science Notes: Sifting through the soil: surveying the future of DNA For this month’s ‘Science Notes’, I started off writing about ‘sedaDNA’, a catch-all term for any ancient DNA – including from flora, fauna, fungi, and other microorganisms – which is… 
The genetic links of the Picts revealed During the medieval period, it was speculated that the Picts had migrated from isles north of Britain, or even further-afield places such as Thrace or Scythia. A recent genetic study… 
The latest from the past: Re-excavating Boles Barrow Over the course of a very rainy week this past March, Wessex Archaeology and volunteers from Operation Nightingale, led by DIO archaeologist Richard Osgood, carried out a small-scale excavation of… 
Centuries of settlement uncovered in Oxfordshire Ongoing excavations on the grounds of the Besselsleigh estate in south-west Oxfordshire are revealing a rich palimpsest of settlement activity spanning the Roman period through to the modern day, bringing… Views
Excavating 400 issues of Current Archaeology Comment editor Carly asked me to delve into the archives for a bumper edition of my column, in order to tell the story of archaeology in the UK across the lifespan… 
Current Archaeology’s June Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home What's on There are many great ways to get involved with archaeology and heritage this summer, including new exhibitions, events, activities, and more. Or, if you would prefer to get your history… 
Frontier fortlet found The Picture Desk IMAGE: Historic Environment Scotland Of the 41 Roman fortlets that are believed to have been built along the Antonine Wall, the remains of only nine had previously been located –… 
Return of the Gods Museum, What's on A new exhibition running at the World Museum in Liverpool illuminates some of the key figures of ancient Greek and Roman myth, and explores how religious beliefs entwined with everyday… 
Museum news: castle reopenings and a Shakespearean experience Museum, What's on The latest on exhibitions, acquisitions, and key decisions. 
Language, a heritage asset Comment Christopher Catling, Contributing Editor for Current Archaeology, delves into the eccentricities of the heritage world. This is his latest 'Sherds' column. 
Finds tray – Roman finger ring Objects This Roman finger ring with an engraved intaglio was discovered by a metal-detectorist near Chelmsford in Essex and was recently declared treasure. This style of intaglio is known as a… 
Last word on Current Archaeology celebrating a new milestone Comment Andrew Selkirk, Current Archaeology’s founder and Editor-in-chief, marks the magazine’s latest milestone, and looks to the future. 
The Association for Roman Archaeology Groups One of archaeology’s distinctive features has always been the lack of hard boundaries between professional and amateur. Archaeology is perhaps unique in the degree to which anyone can participate in… Reviews
Archaeology, Economy, and Society: England from the fifth to the fifteenth century (2nd edition) Review by John Blair On the whole, classics are better left unrevised. New material unbalances a familiar format, and the less it feels like the same book the less one… Current Archaeology’s June Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home There are many great ways to get involved with archaeology and heritage this summer, including new exhibitions, events, activities, and more. Or, if you would prefer to get your history… Return of the Gods A new exhibition running at the World Museum in Liverpool illuminates some of the key figures of ancient Greek and Roman myth, and explores how religious beliefs entwined with everyday… Museum news: castle reopenings and a Shakespearean experience The latest on exhibitions, acquisitions, and key decisions. 
The Hinterland of Hadrian’s Wall and Derbyshire REVIEW BY MARTIN HENIG The Hinterland of Hadrian’s Wall and Derbyshire is the last of 11 ‘fascicules’ produced under the auspices of the British Academy’s Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani, which… 
Grounded: a journey into the landscapes of our ancestors REVIEW BY JOE FLATMAN Grounded is a book that will divide opinion. Rarely as a reviewer have I read something that I was so unsure about at the end. It… 
Boom and Bust in Bronze Age Britain: the Great Orme copper mine and European trade REVIEW BY SIMON TIMBERLAKE This is a landmark study concerning the origins of mining and metallurgy in Britain. Alan Williams has turned his PhD thesis into a scholarly publication that… 
The Ness of Brodgar: Time and Place REVIEW BY CH The Ness of Brodgar in Orkney is home to a remarkable range of Neolithic buildings, uncovered over the last 20 years. We reviewed the excavation team’s guidebook… 
The Viking Age in Scotland: Studies in Scottish Scandinavian Archaeology REVIEW SHANE MCLEOD This handsomely produced book acts as a 20-year celebration of the earlier Vikings in Scotland: an archaeological study by James Graham-Campbell and Colleen Batey, and as a… 
From the editor
When I joined Current Archaeology (as Editorial Assistant) in 2011, the first issue I worked on was CA 259. I can’t decide whether I am more flabbergasted that that was 12 years ago, or that we are now publishing CA 400. It has been such a joy and a privilege to contribute to the intervening issues, and I hope that this one is a fitting marker for the milestone.
I was keen that the whole issue should not be a retrospective, but should celebrate different aspects of archaeology’s past, present, and future, drawing on sites from across the British Isles. To that end, this month’s features are complemented by a bumper version of Joe Flatman’s column, digging into our archives to trace how archaeology has evolved since the 1960s; and Andrew Selkirk’s ‘Last Word’, in which our Editor-in-chief summarises the history of CA itself.
As for the features themselves, the first demonstrates how developer-led excavations can shed light on even very well-known monuments, with a report on the recent discovery of a new Hadrian’s Wall turret in an unexpected place. We then consider how historical research and archaeological investigations complement each other – in this instance, to shed light on the activities of medieval hermits in Britain and Ireland.
Next, we share the story of one of our oldest commercial units, the York Archaeological Trust, which has recently celebrated its 50th birthday, and which has always been a pioneering force in presenting the past to the public. Finally, we hear from DigVentures, a thriving crowdfunded archaeological enterprise, to explore how ways of ‘doing archaeology’ are changing today, how we can make it more accessible, and what the future of the discipline might look like.
