The energy of crowds
Rubina Raja & Søren M Sindbæk on the complexities of communal living.
Multi-period
Current Archaeology’s March Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home
There are many brilliant archaeological events on offer over the next few months, including new exhibitions, conferences, and lectures. If you would prefer to get your history and heritage fix at home, though, there is a wide variety of offerings to choose from, including virtual museum- and site tours, digitised historical resources, games, TV shows, and more. Amy Brunskill has put together a summary of some of the options available.
Gloucestershire
The Cotswolds these days have a reputation as a playground of the rich and famous. The Roman occupation of this area certainly had its social high society too.
Preserving the past: Highlighting the Welsh heritage sector’s rich history and uncertain future
In last month’s ‘Sherds’ column, Chris Catling described the threat to the future of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), so we asked him to tell us more about the work of the Commission, as well as the heritage sector in Wales more generally. Here is his report.
Record year for Treasure cases
The latest Annual Report from the Portable Antiquities Scheme reveals that, in 2022, 53,490 finds were recorded by the initiative, including 1,378 Treasure cases – the highest ever reported in a single year. The county producing the largest number of…
Science Notes: Identifying chromosomal conditions in the archaeological record
In this month’s ‘Science Notes’, we examine a recent paper that has developed a new method to identify ‘aneuploidies’ – conditions characterised by an atypical number of chromosomes – among a large array of individuals from Europe, spanning the Iron…
X Marks the Spot: The story of archaeology in eight extraordinary discoveries
REVIEW BY AMARA THORNTON Popular histories of archaeology have been published, in one form or another, for centuries. These narratives, at least those produced for European and American readers, frequently lean heavily on adventures and derring-do, thrilling revelations of ancient…
Famine and Feast in Ancient Egypt
REVIEW BY ANNA GARNETT The Cambridge Elements: Ancient Egypt series delves into wider Egyptological themes and debates in fresh ways, beyond traditional approaches. Specialist authors collate primary source materials to illustrate complex themes in a way that readers can easily…
The decipherment of hieroglyphs: A momentous achievement in Egyptology
The intricate symbols that adorn Egyptian monuments and papyri stood mute for millennia, their secrets locked away in a forgotten language. Hieroglyphs, with their captivating blend of pictorial and phonetic elements, had tantalised explorers and scholars for centuries, their enigmatic…
Lost Nubian records
Grafton Elliot Smith’s lost recording cards detailing his excavations near Aswan in 1907-1912 have been discovered in an archive at the University of Cambridge, and published as part of a ten-year research project by Dr Jenny Metcalfe of the University…
Current Archaeology 407
• Oxford Archaeology at 50: exploring half a century of excavations
• The Swansea Canal: navigating the history of an industrial artery
• If walls could talk: excavating the lost defences of Beaumaris
• Rediscovering Ranelagh’s forgotten cemetery
CA 408 Letters – February
Your thoughts on issues raised by CA.
Excavating the CA archive
Joe Flatman explores over half a century of reports from the past.
Current Archaeology Live! 2024
In partnership with: Current Archaeology Live! 2024 is almost here, but it is not too late to book your place. The conference, held in partnership with University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, will be on 24 February (Saturday) at the…
Sherds CA 408
Christopher Catling, Contributing Editor for CA, delves into the eccentricities of the heritage world.
UK news in brief
A round-up of some of the latest archaeology news from around the UK.
CWA #123 crossword, and answers to crossword #122
Across 5 Egyptian falcon-headed god also known as Horus (8)8 Roman goddess of the dawn (6)9 English river taking its name from the Old English for ‘winding’ (6)10 Spanish cave system containing Palaeolithic art (8)11 Building in Oxford housing varied…
Objects in the ice
Archaeological survey of ice patches in the Mount Edziza Provincial Park, Tahltan Territory, British Columbia, Canada, has identified an array of perishable artefacts associated with ancient obsidian mining dating back thousands of years. Exploitation and trade of Mount Edziza obsidian…
Facing the Sea of Sand: the Sahara and the peoples of Northern Africa
REVIEW BY ANDREW SELKIRK What fields are left for Barry Cunliffe to conquer? After the Celts and the Bretons, Europe between the oceans, the Atlantic Ocean, the Scythians, and the Steppe, he has now turned his attention to Africa, and…
Current Archaeology’s January Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home
There is a great range of opportunities to get involved in history, heritage, and archaeology this year, with new exhibitions, lectures, activities, and more coming up over the next few months. Or, if you would prefer to get your history fix from the comfort of your home, there are plenty of ways to do so, from virtual tours of museums and heritage sites to recently digitised resources and new radio and TV shows. Amy Brunskill has put together a summary of some of the latest options.
Oxford Archaeology at 50: Exploring half a century of excavations
With one of the UK’s oldest commercial units recently celebrating its 50th birthday, Carly Hilts spoke to its founding director, Tom Hassall, and current CEO, Ken Welsh, about how the archaeological profession has changed over this period – and what the future might hold for the ways in which we engage with the past.
Excavating the CA archive
Joe Flatman explores over half a century of reports from the past.
New evidence for the changing importance of cattle husbandry in Ireland
Although cattle were introduced to Ireland during the Neolithic period (specifically, by at least 3800-3700 BC), archaeological and documentary evidence indicate that early medieval communities in Ireland put increased value on cattle husbandry, so much so that it became the…
Britain’s Landmarks and Legends: the fascinating stories embedded in our landscape
REVIEW BY EDWARD BIDDULPH How did a giant ship create the White Cliffs of Dover? Why can Oxfordshire’s Rollright Stones never be counted? Which ghost said to haunt Lake Windermere was recorded on Ordnance Survey mapping? The answers can be…
Current World Archaeology 122
• A forgotten civilisation: exploring the lost world of Sanxingdui
• Not just a stone age: extraordinary timber architecture at Kalambo Falls
• Young versus Champollion: deciphering the decipherers of Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Myanmar: cradle of empires
• Tating ware: on the trail of a pottery paradox
• Georgia: the Golden Age
Win a copy of Medicine and Healing Practices in Ancient Egypt by Rosalie David and Roger Forshaw
Do you recognise this place?
Ancient Egyptian Society: Challenging Assumptions, Exploring Approaches
REVIEW BY CAMPBELL PRICE One of the major issues in Egyptology is how prone we are to repeat assertions that were made – often provisionally – more than a century ago. Thus the lazy explanation of ancient Egyptian society as…
Cartouches: Field Guide and Identification Key
REVIEW BY SG Being able to identify the kings by name can unlock the mysteries of monumental inscriptions and scenes. Thus a handy reference to help the beginner identify kings by their cartouches would be really useful. There are such…
Medicine and healing practices in Ancient Egypt
REVIEW BY J PETER PHILLIPS In contrast with previous works on this subject, which have focused exclusively on the remedies available to ancient Egyptian medical practitioners, this work also considers the subject from the viewpoint of the patient – a…
Current Archaeology’s December Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home
There are lots of great opportunities to get involved in history, heritage, and archaeology this winter. Whether you’re looking for new exhibitions, lectures, or days out, there’s something for the whole family. If you would rather take advantage of resources available online, there are plenty on offer, ranging from digital exhibitions and virtual site-tours to podcasts, TV shows, games, and more. Amy Brunskill has put together a selection of some of the options.
CA 406 Letters – December
Your thoughts on issues raised by CA.
Excavating the CA archive
Joe Flatman explores over half a century of reports from the past.
Dogs, Past and Present: an interdisciplinary perspective
REVIEW BY KK This volume brings together the current evidence of dogs in the past: from their evolution from wild animals to domesticated pets, to their presence in the archaeological record, through to their importance in myths and legends. Combining…
Current Archaeology 405
• Llanddwyn Island: illuminating centuries of sacred and secular life
• A Victorian rock garden: ‘dahlia-mania’ at Stonehenge
• Distilling the spirit of Northumbria’s Golden Age at Ad Gefrin
• Alternative views: exploring ‘icons’ of the Hadrian’s Wall landscape
• The tale of a tree: an archaeological history of Sycamore Gap
• Rooted in the future: a cultural ecology of the Sycamore Gap tree
• Avalon Archaeology: a new open-air museum in Somerset
Ancient Egypt Magazine 139
• Hunting lions: in search of Nubia’s endangered monuments
•Crown Prince Ramesses: pharaoh-in-waiting
• Hathor’s healing talismans: tattooed female figurines
• Tutankhamun: the lost mansion of the golden pharaoh
• Predynastic warfare: violence in the Nile Valley
• The origins of silver: the bracelets of Hetepheres I
• The meanings of life: the ankh hieroglyph
CWA #122 crossword, and answers to crossword #121
Across 6 Homo ___, early human species, the name meaning ‘handy man’ (7)8 Undeciphered script found on tablets in Crete (6,1)10 Earliest epoch of the Tertiary period (10)11 Recess in the wall of a Roman basilica (4)12 ___ Ware, 6th-century…