Issue 89

July/August 2006

Contents

news

Sensational new discoveries at Bryn Celli Ddu

Missing royal table discovered in Westminster Hall

Unprecedented divide over Stonehenge

DNA surprise: Romani in England 400 years too early

Drama of Shrewsbury's lost medieval bridge

In Brief

features

Balloon over Stonehenge
Martyn Barber considers a photo taken 100 years ago.

Discovering Scotland
Dave Cowley looks back on 30 years of air photography.

Forgotten hero
Miles Russell finds Nero in England.

on the web

Recommended websites

letters

Views and responses

CBA news

Headlines from the CBA office.

ISSN 1357-4442

Editor Mike Pitts

letters

So many of you wrote to us about Tony Robinson's piece in the last issue, this time we have squeezed in an extra page of letters. Letters may be shortened

Tell your MP

Robert Key MP

So, Keith Nurse (Opinion, May/June) and Tony Robinson (My Archaeology, May/June) think archaeology is lost, shouting loudly, in the global village. I don't think so.

When television has done its best and its worst to tickle the fancy of viewers, they'll be off to the internet and its amazing archaeological menu, to learn about the serious stuff, whether students of Year 5 or U3A. When the National Trust and half our "conservation organisations" have got over knifing English Heritage, the Society of Antiquaries and the other half, over Stonehenge; and when HM Treasury (oddly left out of Tony's Whitehall bogies) has decided whether we do justice to the Stonehenge landscape and road transport or kick the issue into the long grass yet again, then two pennies will drop.

First, despite its many virtues, the British government machine is not designed for and cannot cope with multifaceted projects like Stonehenge any more than it can cope with the Dome, Concorde or the Channel Tunnel. I've grown grey with the Stones, from childhood picnicker, as local MP for 23 years, to heritage minister and roads minister. Even on her knees, poring over maps with me, Mrs Thatcher was defeated. Tony Blair has done no better - so far. Believe you me, I've seen more ministerial limos, more bus-loads of frustration and more reinvented wheels than lorries on the a303.

Secondly, Tony Robinson should not give up so easily on MPs. I'm a rather critical member of the All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group which typically has four times as many "professionals" in attendance as MPs and peers, despite its alleged vast list of members (most of whom are blissfully unaware that there is a meeting of insiders once a month, so Tony is right that it has no muscle and very little influence). Instead, every archaeologist, every dig, every museum and each threatened site has an MP.

Yes - he or she is overworked and harassed at Westminster. Take it from me, your MP will respond if a constituency interest is at stake. Don't go to Westminster for satisfaction. Go to the MP on home ground. Invite him/her to meet you on site or in school or college. Suddenly your MP finds an armoury of parliamentary ploys and ministerial open doors.

Now I must proudly declare my interest as a trustee of Wessex Archaeology - and an internet anorak. Tony Robinson says our archaeology is under threat. Nothing new there then. But I also see it as under starter's orders.

Robert Key MP (Salisbury), the House of Commons.

It's our archaeology

Graeme Simmonds

Mr Robinson makes a rather unfortunate statement regarding metal detecting that undermines his core message to the point that it appears almost hypocritical. To say metal detecting is "ravaging... our archaeology" is insulting, and ignores the efforts that continue to consolidate metal detecting within the wider archaeological remit. In its early stages detecting attracted negative publicity, from anxiety by the archaeological academia and the irresponsible actions of some detectorists. But this situation has been largely reversed, with widespread recognition that there is mutual gain in aligning these activities to the benefit of our heritage. The National Council for Metal Detecting is involved in the development of national government policy. Detectorists are involved in amateur archaeology and work with museums and archaeological units.

Mr Robinson's article does not once mention the Treasure Act or the considerable success of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Whilst I applaud his main theme, I feel that he has done himself and others a disservice in using his position to attempt to drive a wedge between detectorists and archaeologists. His views lack a degree of balance and fairness which, if included, would indeed rally the quarter of a million or so detectorists to the cause instead of potentially alienating them. It is after all "our archaeology".

Graeme Simmonds, chairperson Norwich Detectors Club.

Alan Golbourn

What a shame that Tony Robinson still persists in his "dinosaur" attitude towards metal detecting. Many finds made by detectorists lead on to wider archaeological investigations of some importance and have been, in fact, the initialising factors in several Time Team programmes.

The majority of items found by metal detectorists come from the plough soil - they may have been discovered just before the plough or chemicals result in their final destruction. Is it better that coins or artefacts disintegrate in the soil rather than be discovered by a metal detectorist?

Alan Golbourn, publisher Treasure Hunting magazine.

Catherine Petts

[In the feature Bling King's last battle, May/Jun] the importance to people of their heritage and their history is put more eloquently and more viscerally than I have ever read before. If nonarchaeologists can talk so eloquently about the importance of archaeology, why cannot archaeologists?

Part of the problem, I think, is that archaeology is dependent on public funding. There is a fear that if it bites the hand that feeds it, the funding may be withdrawn. Another problem is the increasing divide between professional archaeologists and those for whom archaeology is a leisure interest. One of the reasons for the success of other environmental groups is that there is a seamless continuum between professional and amateur that seems to be completely lacking in archaeology. There are no forums where professional and leisure archaeologists meet on an equal basis to discuss issues of common interest. Other groups like the Council for the Protection of Rural England regularly run courses for local volunteers giving guidance on how to run effective campaigns and other issues. I am not aware of training like this for local archaeological societies.

In the whole article on Camp Bling I noted that there was not a single mention of local archaeological groups. I am not suggesting that the Societies should be endorsing the protest. I do not know enough of the issues involved but has there been any contact? If not, why not?

Archaeologists should all be rallying around Tony Robinson and the spirit of those at Camp Bling. Unfortunately I think far more of your readers will be nodding in agreement with Keith Nurse. That's the problem with archaeology.

Catherine Petts, catherine@petts.co.UK

Peter Davies

I thoroughly enjoyed young Tony Robinson's rant. One of the best articles for a long time. He made the point that if archaeology in the UK is to be taken notice of then the short-term spats between the entrenched theories, or specialities, must be subjugated to the more important long-term, strategic, objectives. And not the least of these is funding!!!

I did my archaeology degree as a (very!) mature student at Reading. Whilst I cannot thank my long-suffering tutors enough, the one thing that was missing were the all important lectures and/or tutorials on National Archaeological Politics.

The Roman image of the fasces says it all - united we stand, divided we fall! Good on yer, Tony, stuff it to 'em!

Peter Davies, PeterWDavies01@aol.com.

Charles Abdy

It was good to learn from Tony Robinson that he has such a strong commitment to archaeology. There was one important omission: the effect of cuts in government funding of county councils in the south-east. Surrey has identified a potential funding gap of £50m for 2006/07 and all heritage services are likely to suffer. The post of principal archaeologist has already been axed and other reductions in staffing are expected. This will have a serious effect on the ability of archaeologists to advise planning authorities on developments on sites as recommended in ppg16, and to see that excavations are carried out to required standards. In our area there is increasing pressure from developers for all types of housing, and a depleted county archaeology service will find it impossible to cope adequately.

Thank you in advance for your response.

Charles Abdy, secretary Epsom & Ewell History & Archaeology Society.

Heather Jones

Well done Tony Robinson. The future of our children's heritage is at stake, and it appears in some circles that nothing is being done about it. Yet what concerns me more is the total disregard in some areas of the country to the future of archaeology and history in education. The Young Archaeologists' Club performs an excellent role and it will be interesting to see how far the new History GCSE will promote the importance of archaeology and our heritage.

Yet why are certain educational institutions cutting courses? Is it really a matter of finance? In the Wirral/Cheshire region, humanities coursesare being replaced with "clubs not classes" whilst the Junior Archaeology course I teach - amongst other junior courses - is also being scrapped.

How can we encourage our children to respect and appreciate the historic environment when magnificent churches lie derelict, scheduled monuments are restored with public money and then sold to private buyers, and courses are cancelled? What has happened to lifelong learning? It will be no consolation when I tell my Young Archaeologists that there will be no course in September and when my local history class is forced to disband, that this is a national trend.

Yes, every Archaeologist, professional and amateur needs to be doing their bit otherwise we will not have any future Archaeologists and our heritage will literally become "history".

Heather Jones, Wirral

Mine's a meadowsweet

James H Dickson

The report on meadowsweet pollen from the bronze age cairn in Wales (News, May/Jun) gave me considerable pleasure. I could never understand why the finding of that pollen from such contexts should be, within Britain, an exclusively Scottish matter. Since my late wife, Camilla, first brought the issue to light over 40 years ago there have been at least seven other discoveries of meadowsweet pollen from prehistoric graves in Scotland.

These occurrences of Filipendula pollen have been controversial since, in 1978, I reinterpreted Camilla's results. She thought that funerary flowers were the answer but I thought that alcohol in the form of mead was a better explanation. Subsequently, some other analysts in Scotland took her side and some took mine, though favouring ale rather than mead.

That meadowsweet was used in alcohol production seems established beyond doubt not just because of the British results but also those from prehistoric Denmark, and from southern Germany as shown by Manfred Rösch. That meadowsweet is a very successful additive to ale has been shown experimentally by Merryn Dineley.

In Plants and People in Ancient Scotland (Tempus 2000, p84), I wrote "The funerary flowers and alcohol explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Had meadowsweet been very important to the prehistoric inhabitants of Scotland, is it then inconceivable that both meadowsweetflavoured alcohol and bouquets or shrouds of meadowsweet were placed in the graves?"

I also raised the possibility there that some of the occurrences might be the result of the activities of bumblebees; their subterranean nests were shown a long time ago to contain large amounts of meadowsweet pollen by Knut Faegri, the Norwegian pioneer of pollen analysis.

James H Dickson, professor emeritus University of Glasgow

Stick to the past

Alison Skinner

I was amused to see your reference to the ice age stamps (News, Mar/Apr). It is possible to build an entire stamp collection on an archaeological theme, from the Ice Age to the medieval period and beyond from almost every country in the world.

Archaeology on stamps has in the past mostly meant Roman, Greek and Egyptian remains from the Mediterranean, with a few European Roman and cave painting examples. Roman buffs could reproduce the entire empire on stamps now with issues from countries right round the Mediterranean rim illustrating remains and mosaics. From the 1980s onward however sites and artefacts from the neolithic and bronze age have increasingly featured on stamps from Europe, mirroring the growing interest in this period among professionals. Many are very attractively reproduced. East African countries also increasingly feature the human remains found there and examples of rock art from all over the world are growing in popularity as a theme for stamp issues.

Certain countries deploy their archaeological heritage on stamps to reinforce national identity. Britain has been very slow to do this - last year's issue paired with sacred sites in Australia was the first one to feature Stonehenge and Orkney stones. Interestingly many of the former Soviet and Yugoslav republics, in the communist era never allowed to show that they had any heritage before 1917, are now featuring their archaeological and medieval history quite extensively in their stamp issues.

I would be pleased to hear from any readers who are collectors on this theme or interested in the possibility.

Alison Skinner

Great Western Heritage

Kay Lacey

I would like to mention the Roman Site of Durocornovium on the edge of Swindon. Only part of this site has been scheduled but this did not stop the A419 being built on the scheduled area. Swindon Borough Council has designated this area for development - expected c2016. The town will be lost unless action is taken now. It seems that it was the capital of an iron age tribe - there is evidence of 8-9th century royal and ecclesiastical land ownership nearby from charters and field boundaries. I am intending to set up a website about the town in the hope that it can be preserved. Archaeologists and landscape historians are needed now to assess the site. Time is running out. Swindon is hopeless at preserving heritage.

Kay Lacey, Wanborough.

Urswick - a response

Steve Dickinson

In reply to criticisms of our archaeological programme at Urswick, Cumbria (Running with the Runes, Mar/Apr; Letters May/Jun), we contend that we have evidence for structural features - remains of a 1st century AD timber-built Roman fort - from our 2004-5 excavations and 2004 geophysical survey.

As regards the claim that the remains represent an "undatable" agricultural landscape, as noted we await results from finds and sample analyses. Reported metal-detected topsoil finds from the fields include four 1st/2nd century AD Roman coins. We would love to have found inscriptions or tombstones, but the interior of a timber-built fort with no succeeding stone phases seems an unlikely place to discover them!

Far from being "elusive", the best-preserved section of the early medieval monastic site outer boundary is still clearly visible 1km se of Urswick Church, on the swedge of Birkrigg Common. Careful study of the church walls has revealed fragments of other early Christian inscribed stones, along with evidence for phases of early medieval building work. It seems most unlikely that this corpus of evidence originates from another early Christian site in Furness. Afull report on the 2004-5 Urswick excavations will be published later this year, or in 2007.

Steve Dickinson, First Light Heritage Agency

What's it all about?

Andrew Elston

I am a fairly recent convert to archaeology although I have been fascinated by history for many years. As a result of this new-found enthusiasm, I was thrilled to get my hands on your excellent magazine which keeps me abreast of what is currently going on in this fascinating world. I would like to make a few suggestions. I would really appreciate (as I'm sure other readers would) a section devoted to helping people like myself get a better understanding of what archaeology is all about - the meanings of archaeological terms, and an "idiot's timeline" which would trace the various stages eg neolithic, bronze age, etc within an historical context. This would seriously help my enjoyment of archaeology and would help me get more from the articles within your fascinating magazine. I would also appreciate suggestions for good archaeological books for the beginner. Does anyone else have other suggestions?

Andrew Elston, Kirkcaldy.

Please send your ideas for the magazine: we may not publish them all, but we will read and take notice. Ed

We welcome letters from readers. They may be emailed to Mike Pitts the Editor at editor@britarch.ac.UK or faxed to 01904 671384. They may be edited.

CBA web:

British Archaeology

CBA Briefing

Fieldwork
Conferences
Noticeboard
Courses & lectures
CBA Network
Grants & awards

CBA homepage