Introducing the September/October issue of British Archaeology magazine

Submitted by Andy B on Friday, 19 August 2005 Page Views: 3806

New British citizens are currently told that “In the beginning of history… [Celtic tribes] built Stonehenge and their priests were the Druids”. This was a theory invented by John Aubrey in the 17th century. To help the citizenship panel get up to date, British Archaeology has sent chair Sir Bernard Crick a copy of English Heritage’s new Amazing Pop-Up Stonehenge

* Artefacts of fear – and why we should preserve them
As peace comes to Northern Ireland, over 300 buildings at HM Prison Long Kesh/Maze – home of the infamous H Blocks – stand empty. A consultation panel has recommended demolition of all but a select sample.
Laura McAtackney asks, why the haste?

* Stone plaque is first neolithic face in over a century
Excavations at Rothley Lodge Farm, Leicestershire, have uncovered a large neolithic pit (3000–2000BC) containing thousands of artefacts, amongst them a unique stone plaque engraved with a human face

* Requiem for a lost age
Conventional wisdom said medieval Christian graves held little interest for archaeologists. Now cemetery excavations revealing thousands of graves have shown an extraordinary world of fear, superstition, care and mourning. Roberta Gilchrist reports on a major new study

* Saving Llangors crannog
A unique artificial island in a Welsh lake, built for a medieval royal hall, was threatened by changing lake levels and pleasure boat wakes. Engineers and archaeologists mounted an unprecedented rescue project

* Orkney dig first to date gold and amber jewellery
Archaeologists in Orkney excavating a barrow first explored 150 years ago have found gold and amber jewellery and human bone, offering a rare chance to radiocarbon date a classic rich grave of the early bronze age (2050–1500BC)

* Silbury Hill to be saved?
After extensive research following a collapsed shaft at the Avebury World Heritage Site prehistoric mound of Silbury Hill, Wilts, English Heritage will reopen an old tunnel so that archaeological evidence can be fully recorded and the tunnel properly backfilled. Research had revealed that the tunnel, dug by archaeologists and the BBC in 1968–9, was threatening the mound’s structure and uniquely preserved evidence for ancient ecology

* Artist and archaeologists explore ancient Scottish site
Artist Sara Bowler worked at the excavation of stone rows at Battle Moss, Caithness, placing specially cast glass blocks in areas of geophysical interest. Archaeologists say the art helped them understand the 4,000 year old stones

* Questioning the midget theory of history
In his regular Science column, Sebastian Payne says it is a myth that people in the past were much shorter than us. Height can be estimated within an inch or so using longbone measurements. Changes in this country in the past 6,000 years have been slight

* Fay Godwin
In one of her last interviews, the photographer spoke to British Archaeology about Avebury, Bill Brandt, English Heritage and the photos that archaeologists take

* Converting the British landscape
A church and houses surrounded by fields with woods and moorland beyond – the archetypal British village. Yet Roman and prehistoric countrysides were quite different. Sam Turner argues a key force for change was the new religion: Christianity

REGULARS

* On the web
Excavation diaries on the internet and a new site for Isle of Skye dig
* In view
Autopsy on Time Team’s Big Roman Dig
* Spoilheap
Archaeological gossip you may have missed
* Books
Our choice is a book that re-invents the Dark Ages
* Opinion
Olympics 2012 is a unique opportunity for British archaeology
* Briefing
The comprehensive listing of archaeological activities, with exhibition news
* Letters
Peter Fowler on Hadrian’s Wall erosion and the footnote scandal
* Council for British Archaeology News
National Archaeology Week success and henge news

British Archaeology magazine, the largest, brightest, most forward-looking and talked about UK archaeology magazine ever published

Contributor Bio for Andy B: Megalithic Portal Founding Editor.

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