Introducing this year's theme: Journeys

Getting from A to B, one step in front of the other, road to nowhere, life in the fast lane, life journeys, career paths, holidays and pilgrimages: our cultural language and heritage is littered with references to the Journeys we make in our lifetimes.

From the processes we apply to archaeological finds to transform their meaning, to the evidence of former transport systems - the theme of Journeys resonates through archaeology. Journeys happen at every scale, through space, time and personal experience. Journeys include daily commutes, trade routes and migrations. Journeys cross land and sea or take place within yourself as a personal journey.   

Journeys of and within people traverse all genres and eras from prehistory to the modern day, a journey encompasses careers and volunteering (either from youth or a midlife change) to a journey of recovery and/or discovery. 

We hope the theme of Journeys will help people discover the archaeology that is all around them. It will flow throughout the 2022 Festival in a myriad of ways from the obvious such as pilgrimage, roads, canals and railways to the wider the wider influence of folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge and language.  

A Journey encompasses many aspects of archaeology and heritage from travelling to progression, and during this year’s Festival we want to help people discover new journeys and share their own, whether it be physical or psychological, tangible and/or intangible heritage.   

Where will your Festival Journey take you? 

Throughout the Festival we encourage you to share your Journey via TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and tagging #festivalofarchaeology and @archaeologyuk.