Go digging!
This month’s selection of summer digging opportunities includes projects from the Midlands, south-east England, Scotland, and Wales.
training excavation
Current Archaeology’s July Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home
There is a fantastic selection of archaeological events on offer over the coming months, from history festivals and new exhibitions to opportunities to visit or get involved in community excavations. If you would prefer to enjoy your archaeological activities from the comfort of home instead, there is plenty to choose from, including digitised museum collections, virtual site tours, and new TV shows. Amy Brunskill has put together a summary of some of the options available.
Go digging!
Following on from CA 410, this selection of summer digging opportunities includes projects in North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Dorset, and Aberdeenshire.
St Aidan’s settlement: Finding evidence of medieval Ferns
In the year AD 580, St Aidan crossed the Irish Sea from St Davids in Pembrokeshire (where he had been studying as St David’s favourite pupil) to Rosslare in County Wexford. Eighteen years later, he established a new monastery at Ferns, in the same county. This grew to become one of south-east Ireland’s most important settlements, a seat of royal power and the site of an Augustinian abbey. Little was known about the early history, however, until the Irish Archaeology Field School launched a major research project in June 2021. With commendable speed, the first fruits of that research have just been published, as Chris Catling reports.
Go digging! Fieldwork opportunities in the UK and Ireland
This summer offers a wealth of opportunities to get involved in fieldwork in the UK and Ireland. Ceri Pennington has put together some regional highlights for 2023, but see www.the-past.com/digs for even more archaeological experiences.
Digging a future
Archaeology graduate Emma Watts-Plumpkin recalls her fieldwork experiences, from rooky through to old hand.