ca399

World news in brief: from Neanderthals to Vikings

A round-up of some of the latest discoveries from across the globe.

Opposite Looking across the remains of Richbrough Roman fort, towards the reconstructed gateway that was recently built on the site. above The on site museum’s displays have been completely transformed to offer a more representative selection of the tens of thousands of finds that have been excavated at Richborough.

Gateway to Britannia: reimagining Richborough Roman fort

Richborough in Kent was one of the key locations in the early stages of the Roman invasion of Britain, later flourishing into a wealthy port town and then a significant military site. Over the last century, excavations have provided an extraordinary array of insights into the experiences of people who lived and worked within its walls – now, following a transformation of the on-site museum and the presentation of the outdoor archaeology, what new stories are there to tell? Carly Hilts visited to find out more.

Doggerland: lost world under the North Sea

Review by Bryony Coles The blurb on the back of this book gives an uncommonly accurate description of its contents: ‘a popular science book that tells the story of one of the most important, but least known major archaeological sites…

CA 399 Letters – May

Your views on issues raised in CA.

Wren 300

In CA 373, we lamented the lack of a society ready to take on the task of managing the tercentenary of the death of Sir Christopher Wren. Fortunately, the Georgian Group has put on the mantle of chief co-ordinator of…

The Public Archaeology of Treasure

Review by Emily A Freeman The term ‘Treasure’ is complicated and has a variety of connotations for those inside and outside the heritage sector. This book of collected papers explores the legal and cultural attitudes towards ‘Treasure’, with many of the…

The future of proteomics and teeth

Joannes Dekker, along with researchers from the Universities of York, Copenhagen, Chester, and Leiden, used a type of mass spectrometry to visualise the two-dimensional distribution of proteins in both archaeological and modern teeth. In this month’s ‘Science Notes’, we explore the results from this project.

Deciphering the Stone of Destiny

The Stone of Destiny – an ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy – has undergone extensive new analysis in preparation for its role in the Coronation of Charles III at Westminster Abbey. The Stone was taken by Edward I during…

Ponteland’s prehistoric past: tracing life and death on the edge of the Northumberland Coastal Plain

Recent excavations on the south-western part of the Northumberland Coastal Plain have revealed an early Bronze Age ring-ditch with a remarkable sequence of human burials. Milena Grzybowska, who analysed the human remains, reports on this discovery and other prehistoric features in its immediate vicinity.

Opposite A reconstruction by Alan Duncan of a late Roman hunting party returning to Whitley Grange villa with their quarry. right The remarkably clear results of a geophysical survey of the St Laurence School villa, Bradford on Avon.

Rural Romanitas: rethinking the role of villas

It has been an undergraduate essay topic for the last 50 years and is a question that continues to challenge archaeologists studying the history of Roman Britain: what exactly is a villa, and is there even a simple definition that fits them all? The Association for Roman Archaeology recently brought together 20 experts to consider new discoveries, new interpretations, and the role of the villa in Romano-British culture, religion, and landscape. Their conclusions have just been published, as Chris Catling reports.

Tarradale Through Time: community archaeology on the Black Isle

Review by CH This beautifully presented book (illustrated in colour throughout) showcases the results of an archaeological initiative that set out to engage the Tarradale community with their local heritage, and, through six excavations between 2017 and 2019 (see CA…

Roman mosaic uncovered in Buckinghamshire

The mosaic will now be carefully preserved in situ with the whole excavated surface re-covered using materials that will protect the tiles from any wear or damage in the future.

Museum news: Stonehenge on screen and seven sites added to the UK’s Tentative List

The latest on exhibitions, acquisitions, and key decisions.

Right The engraved surface of the Whixall Stone, an example of late Neolithic or Bronze Age rock art recently found in Shropshire.

Found and lost: tracing a later prehistoric engraved stone from Shropshire

When a rock carved with late prehistoric imagery was uncovered in Shropshire – a county where examples of ancient artwork are notably scarce – it was recognised as a very significant find. George Nash reports on the discovery, its motifs, its place in British rock-art research, and its uncertain future.

Rethinking Roundhouses: later prehistoric settlement in Britain and beyond

Review by Trevor Creighton This book is, in part, an update of D W Harding’s 2009 publication, The Iron Age Roundhouse. Significant new insights from the author justify the updated title, however. The chronology now extends from the later Neolithic…

Exhibitions, events, and heritage from home – CA’s May Listings

Over the coming months, there are many great ways to get stuck into history and heritage around the UK, from exciting new exhibitions to a variety of events and activities for the whole family. Or, if you would prefer to get involved from home instead, there are plenty of archaeological and historical resources available online, including virtual museum tours and online exhibitions, digital platforms and archives, and new TV shows. Amy Brunskill has put together a selection of some of the latest options.

Major Roman bathhouses revealed in Carlisle

Who used this huge bathhouse is not clear, but finds including 34 carved intaglios, more than 100 hairpins, multiple gaming counters, and fine glass beads within the drains, as well as vaulting tubes hint at a rich, non-military clientele.

Beyond the sea

Humans in the late Palaeolithic lived mainly on the coastline at a time when sea levels were up to 100m lower than they are today, meaning much of the archaeology of this period now lies below the waves.

Signalling and Performance: ancient rock art in Britain and Ireland

Review by Ceri Pennington This book presents a compilation of new interpretations of prehistoric rock art across Britain and Ireland. The beautifully illustrated volume is filled with images displaying art from a range of different sites. Case studies originate from…

Excavating the Lowlands and Borders

The Scots borders have it all in terms of archaeological content. Within a discrete area, this column spans the Neolithic through to the post-medieval period

UK news in brief: from meadows to monuments

A round-up of some of the latest archaeology news from around the UK.

Rendlesham Revealed: the heart of a kingdom AD 400-800

An exhibition running at Sutton Hoo tells the story of nearby Rendlesham, an early medieval elite settlement whose remains have been brought to light just four miles from the famous burial ground. Carly Hilts visited to find out more.

Whispering Walls: First World War graffiti

Review by AB Almost every village in the Hauts-de-France region is home to a quarry, dug centuries ago as a source of limestone for their houses and churches, and often used as hiding places in times of trouble over the…

Above This plain ivory ring would have been used as part of a frame supporting the mouth of an Anglo Saxon bag. Such rings are typically found with around 1 5% of female burials of this period, but some 20% of Scremby’s female burials contained one.

Anglo-Saxon ivory: exploring exotic artefacts from Scremby’s early medieval cemetery

In CA 349, we reported on the discovery of a previously unknown Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Scremby, Lincolnshire. Since the dig finished in 2019, study of the 49 graves and their contents has continued back in the laboratory, giving fascinating insights into the lives of those buried in the Lincolnshire chalk c.AD 480-540. Katie Hemer (UCL) and Hugh Willmott (University of Sheffield) reveal the findings from their work with colleagues Jane Evans and Michal Buckley on one of the most exotic Anglo-Saxon materials: ivory.

Finds tray – Roman lion brooch

This is a copper-alloy brooch that was discovered in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, in March. It dates to the later Roman period, sometime during the 3rd century AD. The body of the lion is composed of one long, narrow plate with…

Domesday pottery location excavated in Gloucestershire

Investigations by Cotswold Archaeology revealed finds spanning the Mesolithic through to the modern period, with the majority of the remains relating to a medieval farmstead with associated enclosures and trackways

Multi-period cemetery discovered in West Yorkshire

One of the interments contained a lead coffin with a female occupant; such coffins are relatively uncommon in Britain, and would probably have been expensive.

Bronze Age and Roman occupation found near Newquay

Fragments of Trevisker ware pottery, with slightly different styles perhaps reflecting the different phases of the site, were found throughout each of the four roundhouses.

Scent back in time: how ancient odours can bring the past to life

For half a century, AromaPrime has been creating historically accurate scents for museum exhibits and heritage attractions. Carly Hilts spoke to Heritage Scenting Consultant Liam R Findlay to learn more about how smells can help to conjure up the distant past.