Cover Story
‘By yon bonnie banks’: Exploring the archaeology of Ben Lomond Ben Lomond is one of Scotland’s most famous mountains, lying on the edge of the Highland boundary fault, with its shouldered profile dominating the skyline of the Central Belt and the Trossachs. Over the last three decades, National Trust for… Features
The history of the ‘Hill of Goats’: Revisiting Brian Hope-Taylor’s famous Yeavering excavations More than 70 years ago, Brian Hope-Taylor led excavations at Yeavering in Northu mberland – investigations that have gone down in archaeological history, both for his skill in recording and… 
Around the rugged rocks: Examining new rock-art discoveries in the Peak District National Park Recent rock-art surveys in the Peak District National Park have documented more than 40 decorated panels dating to the Bronze Age, as well as two animal carvings that may be… 
From lunatic asylum to hospital: Tracing the evolution of attitudes towards mental health at Clifton Hospital, York Excavations by York Archaeology on the site of a former hospital at Clifton Ings have shed light on the institution’s origins as a Victorian asylum, offering insights into how approaches… News
Music to archaeological ears A routine excavation on the site of a west Norfolk housing development has uncovered a metalwork hoard including two extremely rare Iron Age artefacts: a near-complete carnyx and a boar… 
Child’s play Excavations in Wapping, east London, have uncovered tangible traces left by Victorian schoolboys, as well as illuminating glimpses of a diverse dockyard community. CA reports. 
Science Notes: Using isotopes to reveal patterns in early medieval migration Over the past few years there have been several research papers that have made headlines because of their insights into major genetic shifts in the population of Britain throughout time… 
Oldest elephant-bone tool in Europe identified Analysis of a fragment of elephant bone, first discovered during excavations at Boxgrove, West Sussex, in the early 1990s (see CA 153), has revealed that it was used as a… 
Roman villa discovered in Margam Country Park A recent geophysical survey in Margam Country Park, near Port Talbot in South Wales, has revealed the clear outline of a large Roman villa. The building’s footprint was identified during… 
Roman industrial complex uncovered near Sunderland The discovery of the largest number of whetstones ever found at a single site in north-west Europe has illuminated a Roman industrial hub that once operated beside the River Wear… 
Surprising size of Brusselstown Ring revealed Recent excavations at Brusselstown Ring, a prehistoric hillfort in County Wicklow, Ireland, have confirmed that many of the anomalies found in previous surveys of the site are roundhouse structures. With… 
Elite Anglo-Saxon horse burial found during Sizewell C excavations Ongoing excavations on the site of the planned Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk have uncovered an early medieval barrow cemetery with evidence of high-status activity, including a double… 
Bronze Age barrow excavated near Sanquhar A Bronze Age barrow containing the cremated remains of eight individuals, who appear to have all been buried at the same time, has been found in the Nithsdale hills, south… 
World News Mesolithic structures identified off the coast of France A series of 11 submerged structures has been found off the coast of France, near Île de Sein in Brittany. They are… Views
Current Archaeology Live! 2026 What's on In partnership with: Current Archaeology Live! 2026 is coming up quickly, and tickets are selling fast. The conference, held in partnership with University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, will be… 
Current Archaeology’s February Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home What's on There are lots of great ways to get involved with history and archaeology over the next few months, including exhibitions, lectures, and conferences exploring a wide range of subjects. If… 
Adapting ceremonies and festivals Comment Diarmaid MacCulloch, the eminently readable author of numerous books on ecclesiastical history, gave his bestselling work on the history of Christianity the provocative subtitle ‘The first three thousand years’, making… 
Hawai‘i: a kingdom crossing oceans Museum, What's on A new exhibition at the British Museum explores Hawai‘ian history and culture, as well as the archipelago’s complex but enduring relationship with the United Kingdom. Carly Hilts visited to learn… 
Ticking all the right boxes: Broadway, Worcestershire The Picture Desk This unique and remarkably well-preserved bone box was uncovered during excavations at Milestone Ground in Broadway, Worcestershire. Dating to the late Roman period, it measures 68mm long, 33mm wide, and… 
Medieval and modern mines: Excavating the CA archive Comment Last month’s column explored prehistoric mines, and this month I will follow up on the topic by visiting medieval and modern examples that have been examined in past issues of… 
The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society Groups Are letter boxes, postage stamps, Christmas and birthday cards, love etters, thank you notes, pen pals, and postcards all destined to become archaic curiosities, like telephone kiosks? Denmark’s national postal… 
CA 432 Letters – February Letters Saving literary homes and cooling towers Chris Catling’s piece about threats to literary homes (CA 431) is nothing new to those of us in Derby. In 1906, we lost the… 
Finds Tray: Silver seal matrix Objects This unusual silver seal matrix dates to the medieval period, but has reused a Roman intaglio as part of its design. It was discovered by a metal-detectorist in September 2024… Reviews
Current Archaeology Live! 2026 In partnership with: Current Archaeology Live! 2026 is coming up quickly, and tickets are selling fast. The conference, held in partnership with University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, will be… Current Archaeology’s February Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home There are lots of great ways to get involved with history and archaeology over the next few months, including exhibitions, lectures, and conferences exploring a wide range of subjects. If… Hawai‘i: a kingdom crossing oceans A new exhibition at the British Museum explores Hawai‘ian history and culture, as well as the archipelago’s complex but enduring relationship with the United Kingdom. Carly Hilts visited to learn… 
How England Began: From the Romans to the Anglo-Saxons REVIEW BY CH Nicholas Higham’s comprehensive exploration of how ‘Roman Britain’ transitioned into ‘Anglo-Saxon England’ brings with it a wealth of topics that still resonate today – discussions of migration,… 
Aspects of the Bronze Age in the Atlantic Archipelago and Beyond REVIEW BY KK Published from the papers presented at the Belfast Bronze Age Forum, which took place on 9-10 November 2013, the editor makes a point of noting that the… 
Hadrian’s Wall and Its Trees REVIEW BY FEDERICO SANTANGELO Shortly after the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, David Breeze gathered an outstanding lineup of contributors to reflect on specific sections of Hadrian’s Wall: the… 
The Historic Landscapes of Cornwall and Devon REVIEW BY STEPHEN RIPPON The character of the countryside all around us plays an important part in many communities’ sense of place. This is particularly clear in the south-west of… 
A Landscape of Plenty: excavations on a Roman estate, Cambridgeshire REVIEW BY PADDY LAMBERT This report details the results of a large (3.56ha) excavation undertaken by Archaeological Research Services prior to the construction of the new Cambridgeshire South Police Station.… 
King’s Seat, Dunkeld REVIEW BY KK On the threshold between the Lowlands and the Highlands, the King’s Seat fort, 1.5km (a mile) west of Dunkeld on the River Tay, sits in an important… 
From the editor
The picturesque landscape around Loch Lomond has long been celebrated for its natural beauty, including the slopes of Ben Lomond, which attract tens of thousands of hill-walking enthusiasts every year. What, though, is known about the mountain’s historic environment? For the last 30 years, the National Trust for Scotland have been working to document archaeological sites stretching from the lochside to the summit of Ben Lomond. In our cover feature, we highlight some of the key discoveries.
We next turn to an undeniable archaeological icon – or, rather, two, as we trace the life and work of Brian Hope Taylor, and the ongoing impact of his famous excavations at the palatial royal site of Yeavering in the 1950s and 1960s.
From early medieval Northumberland, we then move to Bronze Age Derbyshire, showcasing the intriguing results of a recent rock-art survey in the Peak District National Park.
Finally, we examine more recent history through archaeological investigations centred on a former hospital which began life as a Victorian asylum n the outskirts of York. Some of the project’s finds relate to the people who lived and worked within this institution’s walls, offering thought-provoking insights into how attitudes towards mental health have changed over time.
CARLY
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