The May/June 2012 Issue of British Archaeology is out now

Submitted by Andy B on Monday, 02 April 2012 Page Views: 2528

Finds highlight prehistoric leather workers. Last year two metal detectorists searching 230 miles apart from each other – one near Penrith, Cumbria, and the other near Fincham, Norfolk – found two similar but rare objects. Made over 2,500 years ago from copper alloy or bronze, with a hollow socket for a handle and curved, triangular-shaped blades, they are thought to be leather-working tools of a type that is still in use today. The new finds bring the total known up to ten.

ON THE COVER: STILL DIGGING
British Archaeology Magazone had an overwhelming response from readers to last issue’s front cover exclusive – Mick Aston’s resignation from Time Team – and we print a selection of these with thoughts from Time Team’s founder and executive producer, Tim Taylor

PICTISH CEMETERY EXCAVATED NEAR PERTH
Archaeologists have excavated a complete cemetery near Perth that may be all that remains of an otherwise unknown small Pictish community. The early medieval graves (third to eighth centuries AD) were found during routine evaluation of a field destined for agricultural development. Individual graves were surrounded by circular- or square-shaped ditches, and contained no artefacts

THE LOST CATHEDRALS OF ST PAUL’S
We know St Paul’s as one of London’s most revered buildings, whose dome survived the blitz to offer a defining counterpart to the rising verticals of modern city architecture. But an earlier tragedy is less well remembered: Wren’s triumph was made possible by the destruction of one of Europe’s largest medieval buildings in the great fire of 1666, which also took away a huge portico by Inigo Jones. The cathedral’s archaeologist John Schofield has been exploring

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY CELEBRATES
In April 75 years ago the Institute of Archaeology opened for business in a luxury London villa, under the direction of a playboy and soon-to-be TV star; its next full-time director was a Marxist who had previously worked with an illegal revolutionary socialist group in Australia. Being led by two of the world’s greatest archaeologists, however, is not the institute’s only distinction, as Gabriel Moshenska explains

GOING NATIVE IN THE LAND OF BOUDICA
At the time of the Roman invasion the Iceni occupied what is now Norfolk and beyond. Their queen Boudica led a damaging but failed revolt against the invaders in AD61, after which the tribe seems to have vanished from history. Will Bowden thinks we are wrong to write off the Iceni in this way. And he has a very strange building to prove it

BLITZING A YORKSHIRE ROMAN TOWN WITH GEOFIZZ
Aldborough, as the estate agents of North Yorkshire say, is conveniently located near the A1 motorway and highly sought after. But the village was once a busy town and an important feature of Roman Britain (like the road). Rose Ferraby and Martin Millett report how survey is bringing the lost city to life

ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE IN CHITRAL, PAKISTAN
We read about the “mystery” of places like Stonehenge or the pyramids, but here is a part of the world where truthfully almost nothing was known of its ancient history, despite its being traditionally popular with adventurous tourists and in the midst of some of the world’s great early cultures. Ruth Young and Pakistani colleagues proved there is much to be found – though being surrounded by Al-Qaeda training camps, with a daily threat of kidnapping and fieldworkers protected by armed guards, did not make work easy: Young was warned not to continue research

A MUSEUM FOR EVERY COMMUNITY
It has never been easier for a wide range of people to investigate the past, and new ideas and technologies bring new opportunities. We hear from two community projects, about something that works – and something that didn’t

REGULARS INCLUDE

* Mick’s travels
Mick Aston finds an old stone at the centre of things on the Lizard Peninsula
* Spoilheap
Maybe it’s just time to bring Time Team up to date
* Greg Bailey on TV
Is archaeology safe with BBC4?
* My archaeology
Artist Jeremy Deller enjoys getting out with the past
* Books
Digging up medieval and Roman London, and the Archers
* Briefing
The UK's only archaeological events listing, with exhibition reviews
* CBA Correspondent
The opportunities of Challenge Funding
* Casework
Jon Wright’s new column on threatened listed buildings considers Deptford Dockyard

British Archaeology is a bimonthly members' magazine that is also available in larger WH Smith stores, some independent newsagents, and by subscription. You can now subscribe to the digital edition of the magazine from £15.95 a year – perfect if you live abroad or would like access to your issues wherever you are.

Contributor Bio for Andy B: Megalithic Portal Founding Editor.

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