This Birdlip brooch was found by a metal-detectorist near Catterton in North Yorkshire this past June, and is believed to date between the late Iron Age and early Roman period. Birdlip, or Beaked Bow, brooches date from between 30 BC…
Found late last year on the Thames foreshore, this is the base of a small Samian ware bowl with a maker’s stamp. Based on its size, approximately 42.5mm (1.7in) in diameter, it is likely to be one of the smaller…
During this year’s annual excavations at the Roman auxiliary fort of Vindolanda, Jim and Dilys Quinlan from Merseyside – who have been volunteering on the site for 21 years – discovered this sandstone relief. It was found in May, in…
REVIEW BY RP This volume compiles the findings of excavations carried out by Wardell Armstrong at Botchergate, a main street to the south-east of Carlisle’s city centre. There, works undertaken ahead of the construction of a new municipal building revealed…
A unique find, this tiny object is very finely crafted. What is it? This Roman miniature padlock, comprising a gold exterior and an iron core, measures just 1.2cm by 1.1cm. It is similar in form, technical structure, and decorative style…
This object was found by a metal-detectorist in Roxby cum Risby, North Lincolnshire, and was subsequently identified by the local Finds Liaison Officer as a nail cleaner, or possibly a surgical instrument, dating to the late Roman period (c.AD 250-410).…
This glass bead was a surface find by a metal-detectorist in Wanston. It is an example of an ‘eye’ bead, possibly dating to the Early Iron Age (c.800-c.350 BC), and was found on an area of farmland known to have…
This unusual object was recently found in a garden near Boldre in the New Forest. While its function was a bit of a mystery when the finder first brought it to the Finds Liaison Officer to be recorded, it was…
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.
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…
This late medieval silver-gilt strap-end was recently featured in the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and Treasure annual reports. It was discovered in October 2021 by a metal-detectorist in the parish of Worldham in East Hampshire. Dating to around…
Review by HB. This lavishly produced volume offers an introduction to Thames ‘mudlarking’ – the practice of searching the river’s foreshore (with a permit!) for historical objects and other items of interest. The book is not so much a practical…
English Heritage and Historic England archaeologists have been investigating the remains of Richborough’s Roman amphitheatre – uncovering rare traces of painted decorations, as well as insights into the later years of the associated town. Carly Hilts visited the excavation to find out more.
Crafted from copper-alloy, this early medieval disc brooch features a bird holding a branch (outlined above by Peter Reavill, Finds Liaison Officer for Shropshire and Hereford). The item is thought to date to between c.AD 800 and c.AD 1000, and…
This is a Roman enamelled copper-alloy strap fitting, believed to date to c.AD 100-300. It was found this past winter by metal-detectorist Dave Arveschoug near Middle Rasen in Lincolnshire. Although most of its original edge has been worn away, the…
A tough and comfortable pair of boots and clothing for all seasons should be on anyone's list when they go digging in the UK.
A sense of humour may come in handy for those days when it is wet and windy on site but these are balanced by the days out in the glorious warm weather of the summer.