ArchaeologyUK

What might we learn by reporting archaeological research in a multi-sensory way? 👀📣👋❄

In our latest British Archaeology Open Access article, Emma Bentley explores an Egyptian-Nubian dagger through touch, sound, temperature, and more. Revealing the human stories hidden behind its more obvious “stabby-ness”.

Read it free 👉 https://shorturl.at/lCGWU

Earlier this summer, a group of YAC leaders spent the day in Ecclesall Woods with researcher, and poet, S.K. Marley, exploring British prehistory through a q***r lens.

Through walks, discussion, drawing and creative writing, they looked at how archaeology can challenge some of the assumptions we make about people in the past, and help us reform our ways of thnking to make space for fluidity, transformation, and non-dual ways of being.

Throughout the walk S.K. shared some examples of prehistoric artefacts and sites that can help us think about non-duality in prehistoric Britain, such as the famous Iron Age ‘god dollies’ from East Yorkshire.

We’re now really pleased to share the Our Transcapes resource pack, created by S.K. for YAC leaders to use with their own groups (and a great resource for anyone interested in general!). It includes archaeological examples, practical guidance and activities to try with young people.

Read more about the day and download the free pack 👉 https://shorturl.at/urLen

The new National Planning Policy Framework has now been published, including significant revisions to Chapter 20 on the historic environment.

Earlier this year, we raised concerns about parts of the consultation draft and worked alongside Historic England, CIfA, ALGAO and others across the heritage sector to recommend changes.

We’re particularly pleased to see archaeology reintegrated across the wider heritage policies, a stronger and more explicit role for Historic Environment Records, and clearer expectations around assessing heritage significance and impacts as development proposals are prepared.

There is still more we want to see. In particular, we’ll keep advocating for planning policy that enables greater public participation and social value through archaeological work.

But there is a lot in this revision to welcome. Find out more by swiping 👉

And for those who really want to get into the policy details, the tracked-changes comparison between the consultation draft and the published NPPF is well worth a look 👉 https://shorturl.at/6FmHx

For this year’s Festival of Archaeology Haiku Competition, our winners found two very different ways to connect with the past: one through tenderness, grief, and memory held in the earth; the other through a sudden flash of colour, fire, and clay.

Chosen by Raksha Dave, congratulations to Pranshi Gupta, our Under 18s winner, and Alexa Wolff, our Over 18s winner. 💚

Swipe to read their fantastic poems 👉

A big thank you to everyone who entered; we'll be sharing more snippets of entries in the coming weeks.

Emily, our Communications Assistant, spent this summer managing Past in Our Hands, our digital series bringing archaeologists, students and enthusiasts straight to audiences at home.

In our latest blog, she looks back at how the series came together, some of the brilliant people who got involved, and why creating more ways for people to discover and take part in archaeology matters.

You can also catch up on all the Past in Our Hands videos in the blog 👉 https://tinyurl.com/mpp39e9a

A huge thank you to Emily for bringing the series together, and to everyone who took part and shared their archaeology with us 💛

What a summer for Gloucestershire YAC! 👋🏺

Their young archaeologists took on the by creating their own Nature Through Time trail, researching medieval recipes, making food for visitors and sharing their work with the public.

And they didn’t stop there; the summer ended with the club’s first-ever awards event, where 18 members received 722 AQA Unit Award Scheme certificates between them.

Big congrats to everyone!

Read more about their brilliant summer at Gloucester Cathedral, with support from Museum of Gloucester 👉 https://tinyurl.com/4hkxjnty

It’s striking how little archaeological attention has been given to the bodies of those persecuted during the witch trials.

Research often focused on objects and historical texts rather than the osteological evidence that may reveal experiences of torture, violence, and persecution.

In her work, Magdalen explores how osteological and bioarchaeological methods can help bring these overlooked individuals back into the archaeological narrative, giving greater agency to those who were falsely accused and revealing how their experiences may be preserved in the archaeological record.

Discover Magdalen’s talk at the Student and Early Careers Conference 👉 https://youtu.be/B4jCfiJWpZk

Did you catch us on BBC Radio 4? 📻

Our Executive Director Neil Redfern joined Eleanor Barraclough for Above and Below: The Battle to Save Britain's Prehistoric Art, exploring what climate change means for some of Britain’s most vulnerable prehistoric sites.

From the Uffington White Horse to Bronze Age rock art threatened by wildfires, the programme looks at what we could lose, and the difficult decisions involved in protecting it.

🎧 Listen now on BBC Sounds 👉 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00300hp

Image credit: John-Henry Clay