It is hard to disagree with the observation, made by the distinguished military historian John Keegan (1934-2012), that ‘all battles are in some degree… disasters’. But if the brutal nature of warfare means that all such conflicts end in calamity,…
At which battle in 216 BC did Hannibal lure a much larger Roman army into a deadly trap?
In his latest book, the distinguished historian Peter Burke considers the many ways that misunderstandings, arrogance, and lack of knowledge can affect events on the battlefield.
Test your military history knowledge!
Review by AB The City of London’s seven historic gates – Ludgate, Newgate, Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Moorgate, Bishopsgate, and Aldgate – were first constructed in the Roman period and continued to play a central role in controlling access to the city…
Current Archaeology Live! 2023 is coming up quickly, and tickets are selling fast. This year the conference, in partnership with University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, will be on 25 February (Saturday) at the UCL Institute of Education, a stone’s throw from our previous venue of Senate House, near Russell Square. Join us as we listen to a fantastic line-up of expert speakers sharing the latest discoveries from these shores as well as further afield (and even underwater). Here are the latest details of what we have planned, and everything you need to know to book your place.
To many, this part of the country is the ‘definitive’ Scottish landscape of their dreams, the stuff of countless movies and TV shows. To less romantically inclined archaeologists, it is a place forged by the environmental extremes experienced there.
There is a great selection of opportunities on offer this year to get involved in heritage, history, and archaeology, with new exhibitions, lectures, conferences, and more coming up over the next few months. Or, if you would prefer to get your heritage fix at home, there are plenty of resources available, including virtual exhibitions and heritage-site tours, podcasts, games, and TV shows. Amy Brunskill has put together a summary of some of the latest options.
The latest on acquisitions, exhibitions, and key decisions
• St James’s Palace: from leper hospital to royal residence
• Excavating Dings Roman villa
• Marks of devotion: surveying graffiti in St Magnus Cathedral
• Celebrating a pioneer of aerial photography
It has been a year of non-stop turbulence in the news – from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the continuing upheaval of Covid-19, and from record-breaking heatwaves to the return of rampant inflation. These seismic events have provided us with…
Which Frenchman cracked the code of the Rosetta Stone two hundred years ago in 1822?
What does Stonehenge have to do with Christmas? How did the Romans celebrate midwinter? Was Jesus really born on 25 December? How did the Medieval church merge the celebration of the Nativity with earlier pagan tradition? Why did Parliament abolish Christmas in the 17th century? What are the origins of Christmas trees, carols, and crackers? And who is Santa Claus?
Which Germanic god is closely connected to the pagan festival of Yule?
Review by Diana Bentley Years of research as a folklorist and historian have enabled Adrienne Mayor, research scholar in classics and the history of science at Stanford University and an acclaimed author, to discover a marvellous array of the more…
Having learnt Arabic, Hilda would hire and pay their workers. She slept in a hut at Tarkhan with 80 skulls by her bed, living off canned pilchards and bully beef.
Review by Lucia Marchini As well as death and displacement, conflict brings with it a threat to cultural heritage. Nearly one year on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this timely and attractive volume (with profits donated to the organisation…
Which king was the last to live at the Palace of Westminster?
We are pleased to announce the latest details of our upcoming conference. Current Archaeology Live! 2023 will be on 25 February at University College London’s Institute of Education. Buy tickets now at http://www.currentpublishing.com/shop!
Review by Stephen Rippon Silbury Hill in Wiltshire is one of our best-known prehistoric monuments, but was it unique? It seems not, as a similar – if somewhat smaller – mound appears to have lain ‘hidden in plain sight’ just…
Some of the latest stories from the world of archaeology and heritage from Ireland and the UK.
Historic England recently published its Heritage at Risk Register for 2022.
Almost 2,000 images taken by Harold Wingham (1924-2021), an unsung pioneer of archaeological aerial photography, have been made available to the public for the first time in a new project by Historic England. CA explores his life and work.
In this month’s ‘Science Notes’, we explore a recent paper that tests some of the assumptions behind Brothwell’s chart relating dental-wear to age and develops a more up-to-date one.
This stunning coastal location is better known for its Pictish carvings, but researchers have shown that it has a much longer, and more enigmatic, prehistoric pedigree, dating back at least as far as the Bronze Age.
Exhibitions and events on ancient Egypt from around the world.
Across 8 Ancient Mesopotamian temple similar to a pyramid (8) 9 Legendary island where King Arthur was taken after his final battle (6) 10 Ancient Egyptian funerary god, one of the Four Sons of Horus (6) 11 Australian state, location…
Battle in which the Duke of Monmouth was defeated by the troops of James II? Put your military history knowledge to the test!
Scapa Flow is a vast natural harbour in the Orkneys, to the north of mainland Scotland. In the First World War, it was where the Grand Fleet was based. And in the Second it was the anchorage for the Home Fleet, therefore playing a central role in the naval history of two wars.
A round-up of some of the latest archaeology news from around the world, including: evidence of an ear infection identified in 100,000-year-old remains; analysis of ancient Chinese bronze formulae; and a rethinking of how Cahokia's North Plaza was used.
The latest on acquisitions, exhibitions, and key decisions
Moving geographically west to east, we then come to Bearsden on the north-west outskirts of Glasgow. This site is, if not the most excavated of Antonine sites, then certainly that most visited by Current Archaeology.
Biomolecular and mineralogical techniques applied to lake settlements obtained from Scottish and Irish crannogs have yielded genetic and environmental data, providing evidence of animal butchery and feasting.
Under normal circumstances, archaeologists tend to report on ancient ceramics, discussing the age, condition, colour/lustre, whether it is glazed or unglazed, sometimes focusing on the petrology of the fabric. To understand the petrology element, Quinn’s book is an essential reference…
There are great opportunities to get involved in heritage, history, and archaeology over the coming months, ranging from new exhibitions to exciting conferences, lectures, and more. Or, if you prefer to get your cultural or historical fix from home, there are plenty of ways to do so, including virtual museums, radio and social media offerings, documentaries, and games. Amy Brunskill has put together a selection of some of the options available.
To which debtors' prison was Charles Dickens' father sent in 1824, when the novelist was 12 years old?