Current Archaeology 435
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An enduring landscape: Uncovering 8,000 years of life and death on the Cotswold Edge
Recent excavations at Milestone Ground on the eastern edge of Broadway have revealed one of the most intriguing archaeological landscapes yet found in Worcestershire. Beneath quiet pasture lay evidence of human activity stretching back 8,000 years, including Mesolithic flint tools, Bronze Age burials, hundreds of Iron Age storage pits, a Roman farmstead, and the largest late Roman cemetery known in the county. Constance Mitchell reports.
Llanbedrgoch: Exploring a unique early medieval trading centre on Anglesey
Ninth-century Carolingian coins from the reigns of Louis the Pious and Charles the Bald are not the sort of objects you would expect to find on a remote farm on the Isle of Anglesey, so, when metal-detectorists began reporting these and other exceptional artefacts from the early medieval period, the National Museum of Wales (now Amgueddfa Cymru) sent Mark Redknap, then Curator of Medieval and Later Archaeology, to investigate. Between 1994 and 2012, Mark led ten seasons of fieldwork on the site, revealing the remains of a trading settlement with a form unparalleled in Wales. With the full report recently published, Chris Catling describes its key findings.
Finds tray – medieval staff terminal
This is the terminal of a medieval staff, which was recently discovered by a metal-detectorist near St Mary in the Marsh, Kent. Many similar objects have been identified over the centuries across England – including several examples recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Ancient Maya settlement unearthed in Belize
The settlement has been dated to the Early Classic Period (c. AD 250-600).
The mystery of Mithras
An exhibition at the Musée Saint-Raymond explores the Roman cult of Mithras. Gillis Kersting visited to find out more about this enigmatic religion.
Hunters or gatherers? Women’s everyday lives in the Ice Age
Recent debate about women’s roles in the Ice Age raises questions about how much can be said about everyday lives in this era. Elle Clifford and Paul Bahn examine the evidence for who did what in the Palaeolithic.
Archaeologists uncover 17th-century ‘vampire’ burial in Poland
According to Slavic folklore, sharp instruments such as sickles could be used to decapitate the deceased should it try to leave its grave.
Recreating an ancient Egyptian perfume
Experimental archaeologists have recreated a famous ancient Egyptian perfume known as the Mendesian in a lab, using ingredients mentioned in Classical sources.
Current World Archaeology Photo of the Year 2023
Send us your best heritage-themed photos for the chance to win first prize in our annual CWA Photo Competition and have your work showcased in the magazine.
Pottery analysis sheds light on ancient trade routes across the Caribbean
A new study is using Indigenous pottery to find out more about travel between the islands of the Caribbean throughout history.
World new in brief: Spain, Beirut, and the USA
A round-up of some recent archaeological news stories from across the globe.
Thinking through images: narrative, rhythm, embodiment and landscape in the Nordic Bronze Age
Review by George Nash. Throughout prehistoric Europe, there are significant areas where rock art was commissioned, executed, consumed, and abandoned. One of these is southern Scandinavia. Here, during the later prehistoric period,
Circles of stone: exploring the monuments of Jomon Japan
Numerous ancient stone circles are known in Japan, but how and why were these monuments built? Simon Kaner examines what these enigmatic structures can tell us about a key period of Japanese prehistory.
Giant warriors in Arabian art
Saudi Arabia is a paradise for researching engraved rock art (see ‘Saudi Arabian rock art’ in CWA 102). In March 2022, I returned to the Saudi provinces of Najran and ‘Asir. In
Narbo Via Archaeological Museum
The city of Narbonne in southern France has opened a brand new archaeological museum. Roger Wilson is our guide.
Animal habits
One common motif is that of a knight in armour engaging in combat with a snail. Another is that of the killer rabbit, shown wielding sword, axe, or bow and arrow as it fights against those hunting it.
Lost cities of Bolivia: rethinking prehistoric life in the Amazon
It has long been assumed that Amazonia was always sparsely inhabited by humans. Now LiDAR survey in Bolivia has revealed the stunning scale of settlements that lay concealed beneath dense tropical vegetation. Heiko Prümers told Matthew Symonds why it is time to rethink the nature of life in this region.
Analysis identifies earliest evidence of ear infection
The infection was identified in a hunter-gatherer who lived c.100,000 years ago, and was excavated from a cave in Morocco.
Falconer figurine
What is it? This small, carved figurine depicting a falconer was discovered in Oslo, Norway. The object, made of bone, antler, or walrus tooth, is 7.5cm long, with a flat, oval cross-section.
Evolution in the air: the urban conundrum
The human ape, with our big, social brain, is well suited to a life of dense social interaction. So, when faced with limited resources and growing populations, similar solutions tend to present themselves – in very different corners of the planet.
Coin Hoards and Hoarding in the Roman World
Review by Roger Bland. This volume, based on a conference that was held in 2016, is the first publication to come out of the Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire project, which