Featured: Hare and Tabor T Shirts for discerning antiquarians

Hare and Tabor T Shirts for discerning antiquarians

Random Image

Nine Ladies

Nine Ladies

Hengeworld

Hengeworld

Login

Register here - as a registered user you get more features and fewer ads.

Who's Online

There are currently, 2952 guests and 1 members online.

Sponsors

<< News >> Archaeologists will dig deep on return to Bexley, SE London

Submitted by coldrum on Sunday, 02 March 2008  Page Views: 1321

DiscoveriesA team of archaeologists is returning to Bexley to find out more about ancient Britain. The team from Durham University will be using sonic drilling equipment never used before in the UK to drill as deep as 15m.

They will be working at the Holmscroft open space in Hurstwood Avenue, Erith, where the bones of extinct animals and flint tools were found in the 19th Century.

Initial drilling and investigations by the team last September showed deposits suitable for dating and environmental analysis.

This time the archaeologists will collect samples to try to find bones of small mammals, molluscs and pollen.

The work is part of the European Context Project (AHOB II) looking at the human occupation of Britain from the earliest times to the end of the last Ice Age.

Team leader Dr Beccy Scott said they would be drilling two boreholes, fenced off from the rest of the open space, which will still be open to the public.

She added: "Members of the public are welcome to ask the team about their work, but only when they are outside the fenced off area."

The team will be on site on March 6 and 7 and the results will be published by Bexley's local studies unit as well as on the project website.
More at News Shopper

<< Cannibalism May Have Wiped Out Neanderthals

Satellite images reveal extent of harm to Iraqs archaeological sites >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

An Archaeology of Natural Places

An Archaeology of Natural Places

Sponsors

More News

See all News →

Latest Visit Logs

  • White Hill Tumulus
    “In a field, very ploughed out, no more than a metre high, but of course it's in a beautiful spot wit…”
    by Brian_Eyes · 23 Jul 2026
  • Hampton Down
    “Quite overgrown today but a beautiful location, worth a visit.”
    by Brian_Eyes · 23 Jul 2026
  • Mycenae.
    “Absolutely amazing place, worth hours exploring!”
    by ttcoops · 23 Jul 2026
  • Nether Largie Stone Row
    “Absolutely wonderful site. We got engaged here, such a special place! In July 2026, only us and a ha…”
    by ttcoops · 23 Jul 2026
  • Avebury
    “Amazing vibes, with the village inside the stones. Definitely worth a visit.”
    by ttcoops · 23 Jul 2026

"Archaeologists will dig deep on return to Bexley, SE London" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Re: Archaeologists will dig deep on return to Bexley, SE London by Andy B on Sunday, 02 March 2008
(User Info | Send a Message)
Archaeologists from Durham University will be returning to a London borough site where a 19th century historian once found flint tools and animal bones.

This time, however, the latest sonic drilling equipment will be used to take samples from the earth, for the ongoing Ancient Human Occupation of Britain II project (AHOB).

Initial drillings were carried out at Holmscroft Open Space in September 2007 by the archaeologists, who are looking at human occupation of the country right from the first people who lived here about 700,000 years ago, up to the end of the last Ice Age, roughly 8,800 years ago.

AHOBII, Ancient Britain in its European Context, entails the re-analysis of old artefacts held in museum collections as well as fieldwork to refine dates and provide more accurate reconstructions of past environments.

The Durham University team is interested in Holmscroft because of 19th century finds by amateur archaeologist and geologist FCJ Spurrell. Spurrell collected bones of extinct animals and flint tools from the Crayford and Erith area. The Natural History Museum now holds some of these finds.

“This is an intriguing project,” said Cllr Gareth Bacon, Cabinet Member for the Environment at Bexley Borough Council. “I am delighted that the first stage of the archaeological investigations last September turned up such promising results and that the team will be returning to make more in-depth studies.”

“This is an excellent opportunity for us to learn more about the borough’s past and the information will provide and excellent historical resource both locally and nationally.”

Spurrell turned up his flint tools in old brickearth quarries to the north and south of the area now known as Holmscroft Open Space, but little is known about their specific context. Early Victorian archaeologists didn’t use the thorough recording techniques of present day professionals.

Three boreholes drilled last year confirmed there are still useful deposits at the site such as mammal bones, molluscs and pollen, which can be dated and analysed.

The team will return on March 6 and 7 2008 to make a more in-depth study, drilling down 12 to 15 metres. It will be the first time the sonic drilling equipment has been used in the UK to dig to such a depth.

“Members of the public are welcome to ask archaeological team members about their work, but only when they are outside the fenced off area and away from machinery,” said Dr Beccy Scott, who is leading the team.

The results will be published by the London Borough of Bexley’s Local Studies Unit, and on the AHOBII project website.

The project is a collaborative effort that involves archaeologists, palaeontologists, and geologists at a number of different British Institutes, including the Natural History Museum and the British Museum, working together with leading universities to build a calendar of human colonisation in Britain during the Pleistocene period (1.8 million to 12,000 years ago).

http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART54807.html
[ Reply to This ]

Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>
We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.