Cover Story
The Berlanga Cup: Examining a new addition to the Hadrian’s Wall ‘souvenir’ vessels Over the last 300 years, a handful of enamelled bronze vessels, most of which are thought to depict Hadrian’s Wall and in some cases are inscribed with the names of forts along its line, have been discovered in Britain and… Features
Seeing the dead: Encountering individuals through Roman gypsum burials Why were dozens of people from Roman York coated with liquid gypsum as part of their funerary rites? An ongoing interdisciplinary project at the University of York is exploring this… 
Forging Scotland’s story: Why a 245-year-old society is racing against time to raise £1.5 million As the oldest antiquarian organisation in Scotland, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has been deeply involved in documenting the nation’s past for almost 250 years. Deborah Roe is our… 
Lost seal of Edward the Confessor rediscovered: Interpreting 11th-century imperial imagery One of the most important surviving Anglo-Saxon royal seals, belonging to Edward the Confessor, was thought to be lost after it went missing 40 years ago. CA reports on newly… 
New perspectives on a Neolithic crannog: Documenting a 5,000-year-old construction on the Isle of Lewis The Outer Hebrides are home to over 170 crannogs (small, human-made islands), some of which are proving to be much earlier in date than suspected. Recently published research centred on… 
Flying high: Exploring wartime archaeology at RAF East Fortune Currently home to the National Museum of Flight, RAF East Fortune near Edinburgh is one of the UK’s best-preserved Second World War airfields. Re-examination of finds from previous excavations, on… News
Science Notes: Using modern economics to understand the past The ways in which archaeologists and historians analyse economies in the past often do not align with how economies are assessed today. Modern economics is primarily based on GDP, which… 
Explosive discovery at Culloden Battlefield Last autumn’s excavations at Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness, had already rewritten our knowledge of how the engagement unfolded (see CA 430), but further insights continue to emerge, including the discovery… 
World news Iron age mining rituals in Germany Evidence of Iron Age ceremonial activity associated with quartz mining has been discovered at the Bruchhauser Steine, a prominent rock formation in the Sauerland… 
Classis Britannica clues at Bodiam Castle A second season of excavations at Bodiam Castle in Sussex has revealed extensive evidence of a Roman presence, with tiles and pottery confirming that the site was home to a… 
Norman church foundations revealed in Darlington Excavations beneath the floor of St Cuthbert’s Church in Darlington, Co. Durham, have revealed the foundations of an 11th-century predecessor. The work, part of the ‘Opening Doors’ project, was recently… 
Ninth-century coin hoard found in Worcestershire Members of Go Detecting (Midlands) Ltd, carrying out a routine metal detecting survey in the parish of Bickmarsh in Worcestershire, have helped to uncover a coin hoard dating to the… 
Ancestry and architecture in Neolithic Scotland Since the early days of archaeology, people have been analysing the architecture of burial monuments, seeking connections between them to understand better how ancient populations were related. The advent of… 
Unexpected prehistoric discoveries at Crookston Castle A geophysical survey carried out in the grounds of Crookston Castle, with the aim of learning more about the Glasgow site’s medieval and post medieval history, has unexpectedly revealed the… Views
Current Archaeology’s June 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… 
Excavating the CA archive: Major church buildings Comment In last month’s column, I examined a series of sites associated with William the Conqueror and the legacy of the Norman Conquest. One of these was Westminster Abbey, which I… 
Finds Tray: Cosmetic container Objects This appears to be a relatively ordinary cosmetic container, probably dating to sometime between the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. Inside, however, is a sinister note… 
Chariots, treasure and power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard What's on Dozens of items from the largest hoard of Iron Age metalwork ever found in Britain have gone on display for the first time at the Yorkshire Museum in York. Carly… 
Go digging! What's on This month’s selection of summer digging opportunities includes projects from across Scotland, Wales, and England. 
CA 436 Letters – June Letters Temperance traditions The interesting article about the Temperance movement (CA 434) reminded me of the Cornwall temperance connection at the Padstow ’Obby ’Oss festival, which takes places every May Day.… 
Seeing red Comment Rising high above the floor of the Taff Valley, north of Cardiff, the conical towers of Castell Coch are a familiar sight to travellers driving along the A470. The Victorian… 
Ancient Tree Forum Groups An ancient tree is one that is in the final stage of its life and is exceptionally old for its species. Such trees typically have a wide girth and a… 
Worthing Museum Museum, What's on Worthing Museum recently reopened following a year-long transformation. Carly Hilts visited its new-look archaeology galleries with their curator James Sainsbury. Reviews
Current Archaeology’s June 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… 
Understanding Scottish Graveyards This is the fourth edition of a book that was first published by Betty Willsher (1915-2012) in 1985, with subsequent updates in 1995 and 2005. The original publication came about… 
Things We Found in the Ground Cousins Ellie and Lucie were reunited – and introduced to metal-detecting – during the COVID-19 lockdown. The result is this absorbing account, tracing their adventures in the past, from their… 
The Bamburgh Bowl Hole Anglian-period Cemetery: a bioarchaeological study ofa Northumbrian royal site In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted, producing one of the largest volcanic eruptions in modern history, and causing extreme weather events for several years. Violent storms in winter 1816-1817 eroded a… 
Relativism and the Frontiers of Empire: critical perspectives on Roman soldiers, communities, and military landscapes This volume celebrates the career of Professor Simon James and his contributions to archaeological scholarship. Following Simon’s lead for innovative approaches to the study of Rome’s armies and their indigenous… 
Pioneers, Settlers, Villagers, and Warriors: excavations at Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man This comprehensive site report details the excavation that was carried out by Oxford Archaeology, on behalf of the Isle of Man Airport division (part of the Isle of Man government’s… Chariots, treasure and power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard Dozens of items from the largest hoard of Iron Age metalwork ever found in Britain have gone on display for the first time at the Yorkshire Museum in York. Carly… 
The Archaeology of Britain: an introduction from earliest times to the twenty-first century This is the third edition of a book which first appeared in 1999 and was first revised ten years later. Much has happened since then, and even the editors have… Go digging! This month’s selection of summer digging opportunities includes projects from across Scotland, Wales, and England. 
From the editor
This month’s cover showcases the latest addition to a small group of metal ‘cups’ or ‘pans’ that are associated with Hadrian’s Wall but have been found scattered across the Roman Empire. Most depict a stylised image of the Wall, and some bear the names of forts along its line. What can the Berlanga Cup, recently discovered in Spain, add to our understanding of these artefacts, and of Roman perceptions of the northern frontier
Remaining in the Roman period, we next examine an enigmatic, elite burial practice that appears to have been particularly associated with York and its surroundings: pouring liquid gypsum over a cloth-wrapped body within a coffin, which set to form a hard, white covering. These coatings preserve rare evidence of funerary textiles and resins, as well as details of the deceased. We share some of the latest findings from ongoing research into these rites.
Our third article highlights another illuminating artefact: a wax seal impression of the 11th-century king Edward the Confessor, which has been rediscovered more than 40 years after being declared lost.
From such close detail, we then zoom out to take a much wider view, exploring the almost 250-year history of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, highlighting past and present projects, as well as ambitious plans for the future.
Next, we visit a Neolithic crannog in Loch Bhorgastail on the Isle of Lewis, discussing how ongoing fieldwork including innovative photogrammetry techniques has revealed fascinating details of its construction.
We end with a report on recent evaluations of previously excavated artefacts and recent surface finds from RAF East Fortune, near Edinburgh. What has been learned about the personnel stationed there during the Second World War?
CARLY
