Description
ON THE COVER
WHAT ARE ARCHAEOLOGY’S 10 BIG QUESTIONS?
British Archaeology proposes the ten big questions about the human journey in Britain that we would like answered – questions that can only be addressed by archaeology. And we asked four leading archaeologists for their personal thoughts on what matters to them in their different fields. What would your questions be?
AMONG OTHER STORIES
ROMAN EMPEROR’S STATUE AT LINCOLN?
Found during a metal-detecting rally, pieces of bronze look like scrap – archaeologist Adam Daubney’s first thought was that they might be exploded munitions. But if he is right, they came from a statue of emperor Domitian (AD81–96), mounted on a life-size horse in the fashion of the famous gilded bronze of Marcus Aurelius in Rome
HEATHROW AMBER COULD BE MAJOR PRESTIGE ITEM
A fine piece of amber distinguished by bored holes, each only 2.2mm across, was probably originally triangular, and as one of a pair would have formed a diamond or lozenge shape. The ensemble matches four early bronze age lozenge-shaped objects: two were found in a rich grave near Stonehenge and are gold, as is a lozenge from Dorset; a decorated jet lozenge was found in Suffolk.
RETURN TO LA COTTE
La Cotte de St Brelade, on the Jersey coast, is a famous and spectacular site, where neanderthals apparently killed and butchered vast quantities of mammoth and rhino. Iconic though it is, the cliff-bottom cave was researched by earlier generations without access to ever-changing modern research technologies. Matthew Pope and his colleagues have a new vision for the site
DEAR LORD CHANCELLOR
As you might have heard, 40 leading archaeology professors have written to Kenneth Clarke expressing their concerns about what British Archaeology last year called “the human remains crisis”. Here is the letter, and the key issues laid out
THE ONE WITH ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
At least, that’s what Andrew Young says, as he presents his case for how the stones were moved to Stonehenge
THE BIG DIG: ST MARY MAGDALEN, WINCHESTER
The Roman army looked after its men, and excavated remains suggest care for the disabled and elderly in early medieval times. But hospitals – medical institutions for the ill and infirm – came to Britain with the new monastic orders after the Norman conquest. Or so it was thought. Excavation by Simon Roffey and Phil Marter near Winchester are challenging this version of history
DIGGING FOR HISTORY
Every year across Britain, archaeologists are outdoors, watching, recording and excavating. Photographer Adam Stanford was out there with them
REQUIEM
In tribute to their everlasting contributions to the story of our origins and history, British Archaeology brings together the names of some of the archaeologists and lovers of antiquity who died in the past year
REGULARS INCLUDE
* Mick’s travels
Mick Aston visits West Penwith, Cornwall
* Science
Sebastian Payne writes about the stories in old window glass
* Britain in archaeology
News from the past two months
* Letters
Photography, chimneys and a medieval inscription
* Spoilheap
Can archaeology reveal the past? Or does it tell us only about ourselves?
* Broadcasting
Greg Bailey reviews coming archaeology on TV, and wonders how to pitch ideas
* On the web
Caroline Wickham-Jones thinks about the good times
* My archaeology
Francis Pryor relives some moving moments
* Books
Britain after Rome, Norwich Castle and Heathrow T5 (and 10 more titles)
* Briefing
The UK’s only archaeological events listing, with exhibition reviews
