Cotswold Archaeology is working in conjunction with Operation Nightingale and the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) to search for the remains of a missing US Army Air Forces pilot, whose P-47 Thunderbolt crashed in rural Essex on 26 January…
The volunteers who excavated a World War II landing craft in Lincolnshire three years ago have now applied for it to be given a permanent home. The Buffalo LVT (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) was dug up in Crowland, north-east of Peterborough,…
Over the course of a very rainy week this past March, Wessex Archaeology and volunteers from Operation Nightingale, led by DIO archaeologist Richard Osgood, carried out a small-scale excavation of Boles Barrow (also known as Bowl’s Barrow), a Neolithic long…
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
The National Trust cares for more than 250,000ha of land, encompassing historic sites and structures spanning prehistory to the present day – but what do the Trust’s archaeologists do? Joe Flatman highlights some of their diverse roles, recent research, and how routes into the profession are evolving.
Small finds included 3rd- to 4th-century Roman pottery – comprising local coarse ware, Oxfordshire ware, and a few shards of Samian ware – as well as a small number of 4th-century Roman coins.
• Museum + Heritage Award winners announced
• Thames Discovery Programme continues
Fishbourne is just about the largest Roman villa yet to be discovered in this country, but until excavations began the site was virtually unknown...
Patrick Mercer begins an occasional series looking at some of history’s less well-known battles.
The precise number is uncertain, but around 35,000 foreign fighters may have served in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. Of these, perhaps one in five died, becoming, in the words of Ernest Hemingway, ‘part of the earth…
My excavations, including Khok Phanom Di, have yielded well over 1,000 human graves, and often the dead were interred with multiple mortuary offerings from fine pottery vessels to thousands of ornaments in gold, silver, bronze, iron, carnelian, glass, shell, and agate.
Many miles of Hadrian’s Wall survive beneath turf and rubble, unexplored and often under threat from erosion, people, and animals. A recent excavation at Walltown Crags in Northumberland, undertaken in advance of fixing some of this damage, revealed sections of…
When I have gone into schools to speak to children about our digs they are normally convinced that when they get on site they will be like Indiana Jones and uncover lots of treasure.
We have to move past the idea that building in a youth-focussed programme on a dig site is enough to inspire young people to get involved with archaeology.
The most important quality we look for is enthusiasm and a love of all things in the past.
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.
Always be willing to ask questions, no one ever gets it right first time and no one minds, we all did our first dig once!
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.
If there is anything particular you would like to become involved with, then it is best to let the supervisor know at the outset, but don't appear upset if this is not possible.
For students doing an archaeology degree, compulsory field school experience is on the cards. Phoebe Scrivener, archaeology graduate from Sheffield University, tells you what to expect.
Are you heading out on a dig this season? If so, congratulations! Volunteers are an essential part of the excavation season. We’ve put together a short guide, including a checklist, to identify key areas for your preparation. Happy (and safe) digging!
Former CA Editor Lisa Westcott spent an inspiring week in the trenches, brushing up on her digging skills and meeting volunteers.