🚲 hero

This is why we used a detected Bronze Age ring from Cumbria as a case study for the Cultural Heritage Capital scoping report (Appendix 3). Valuation is complex, Waverley criteria used in some but mostly beyond scope of current legislation and will probably remain so. www.gov.uk/government/p...

This year I had a life-threatening brain haemorrhage, caused by a Cavernoma (the source of my epilepsy) and underwent major brain surgery. I’m asking people to donate to the Epilepsy Society as they conduct cutting edge research, provide medical care and advocacy to support people like me! 💜

"This promise of an AI future, is really just a collective anxiety that wealthy people have about how well they're gonna be able to control us in the future." - @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit. Incredible words. Listen to all of it!

Still thinking about this session: rubble as artefact, archaeologists as listeners and how hard we all listened to Mazen Iwaisi, Brian Boyd, Mauro Puddu and Tobias Mörike. #TAG2025 #YorkTAG

Yes to this, and also particularly if grandparents are present but a distance away.

Much deserved winners of the TAG prize 2025 🏆 50% of @trowelblazers.bsky.social being presented with their prize by @pennybickle.bsky.social in York earlier tonight.

Join us #TAG2025 Session 7 in LMV/036X for Archaeologies in and of Neoliberalism: Is Professionalisation a Barrier to Participation? 12.30 on Monday. @drsadiewatson.bsky.social and I reflect on development-led archaeology and museums & I'll be sharing participatorymuseums.wordpress.com/the-report/

Just did a mock Oxbridge interview for a brilliant Dorset state school pupil who was on @durotrigesdig.bsky.social this summer ✨🏺👩🏼‍🎓

A year ago yesterday, everything changed for Syria. This January, Hiba Alkhalaf will speak at Birkbeck about "From Destruction to Recovery: Syrian Heritage, Fourteen Years On".

I had a fab chat with some sparky 11-12 year olds in the US yesterday- highly recommend helping out @skypeascientist.bsky.social for inserting a fun 40 minutes in your day!

Very much looking forward to next week’s @royalarchinst.bsky.social lecture @antiquaries.bsky.social by Dr Al Oswald - ALL WELCOME! #Neolithic

In which the European Neolithic is invoked in support of banning ‘veggie burger’ as a descriptor for vegetarian burger-shaped food. 🤦‍♀️

Both my babies were born at home, with experienced midwives (2 at each, plus a student at the 2nd, her first delivery ❤️). No risk taken at any stage, with anything. Home birth is not the same as free birth, I could barely read this awful story. But home births should continue when possible.

What's buried under Peers' Car Park? 🚗

Finally results of the #archaeology evaluation at #Westminster are being publicised by R&R: fieldwork by my MOLA colleagues. Also a foreshore survey incorporating documentary research. Some incredible evidence of 11th century #medieval phase, with earlier yet to come underneath (in a later post).

A lot of comments on low student numbers, obvious absenteeism in this vid - but it shouldn’t only be up to them to protest. Are Summers’ Harvard colleagues doing anything about how disgusting it is to have him a room with young people? (genuine question, I haven’t seen anything but 🤞🏻 there is)

A £50 annual licence fee for the 3000 members of the Surrey Metal Detecting Club could pay for three FLO post recording solely their finds. But why ask the cost of heritage in a finder takes all system.

And don’t forget we have one last gas lamp powered by actual human gas 💨 historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-...

We're really looking forward to welcoming @rakshadigs.bsky.social to Sussex to deliver the 2026 Long Man Lecture. We don't have enough opportunities to meet together to listen to, and celebrate, a single voice from the heritage world, but this is one. Pls share and join us this March! 🏺

Anwen Cooper & Tina Roushannafas @ox.ac.uk have just published a beautiful piece in Archaeological Dialogues @universitypress.cambridge.org on how archaeological work can realign to meet the needs of pressing environmental agendas and be part of #nature #recovery projects. doi.org/10.1017/S138...

Hello folks. I've been making plaster of paris artefacts/decorations for friends. I'm opening it up here now - all items incl. postage (UK only, sadly) & gift packaging. I can send things within a week, usually faster. Anyway, if there's anything you fancy, message/email me! 😊 #Archaeology 🏺

Proper treat yesterday listening to Dr Ana Vale of Uni of Porto speaking on her incredible research into social lives in Late Prehistory. Thank you to @bbkhistorical.bsky.social and @lesleymcf.bsky.social for the invitation, the Carena Institute for Sustainable Archaeologies is up and running 🌟

Hidden in one of my favourite ever papers is a nugget about the UK almost refusing to sign #Valetta due to the (illegal) #antiquity trade & (unlicensed) #metaldetecting. It’s all baked in to UK Govt policy and Willem Willems recorded it, the absolute legend. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

It was a real joy to write this paper with @guillermodiazliano.bsky.social - in many ways an overdue love letter to my colleagues in the trenches over the years. Huge thanks to those who spoke to G, their job is hard and #archaeology is only the half of it! 🏺👷🏻‍♀️

Guardian obituary of the historian Gillian Tindall (1938-2025) whose histories of place - London, Paris, Chassignolles, Bombay - were created from the lives of their forgotten residents. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o... #Skystorians

We find archaeological evidence of the expulsions in the City of London: pits of ceramics from c. 1290 from behind houses around the Guildhall area, and the abandoned mikveh on Milk St. The Old Jewry street name is perhaps the only hint of this terrible history today.

First week of term, first year of study, evening teaching, from Birkbeck to British Museum, from gallery to study room, from Neolithic Cumbria to Bronze Age Cambridgeshire through the connection of Langdale stone, from gold cup to gold-makers hoard.

#NationalPoetryDay, Spike Milligan (1977ish) Father Thames: Let us look at the River Thames. One of England's watery gems. Oily brown, greasy, muddy. Looking foul, and smells of cruddy. The conservancey say they’re cleaning it, so why is it the colour of sh*t?

#GoodNews!

#TinyJoys my dad Mick (left) and his best mate since school & best man (also Mick), having a Fine Day Out at the Womens Rugby World Cup Final yesterday #WholesomeBoomerContent

Quoting this to acknowledge Taryn Nixon OBE (!) as a trailblazer and heroine - she alone spoke up against stopping pay minima in 2012, had women & mothers in senior mgt and field roles, and refused to play the game. Also carefully theorised mgt in a huge and complex org through chaotic times.

This piece of news about the @archaeologyeaa.bsky.social mess of the last weeks is very very very serious. If you did not sign the campaign we are moving to try change things at the EAA yet, maybe this helps to decide… here is the link: ee-eu.kobotoolbox.org/x/QInTdoHZ The news ⬇️

We are seeking a new Editor for the Archaeological Journal to succeed @nannonstevens.bsky.social. #archaeology #editor #journal @royalarchinst.bsky.social Please share to your networks! ✍️

An inch of progress on the horizon perhaps 🤞🏻

Paid a visit to the London arms fair today... Found a component for cluster munitions, banned under international law, on full display. Confirmed by staff, and removed swiftly by event organisers. But what else remains? These vile weapons should never be peddled in the UK.

Love this for Khans and Peckham will owe them even more after this, my nanny used to say how posh Rye Lane was before the war and now we’ll get a glimpse.

📣 Calling all archaeologists! 📣 ***This call requires 10% of EAA members to sign*** 🍉🍉🍉 EAA members: sign and share widely (you'll need your membership number) ✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼 Not an EAA member? Please share widely around your networks! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

You can sign this if you have an #EAA ID, whether you are a currently active member or not.

Dear colleagues, some concerning news has been circulating this week in relation to the 2025 @archaeologyeaa.bsky.social Annual Meeting (Belgrade Virtual). We, the IAI Board, believe it is important to acknowledge & share this info. Please see the full statement, with links, here: buff.ly/8YG0WmV

Important statement from @iaiarchaeo.bsky.social (...& don't forget to email board whether you're member or not, and if you are member, don't forget to attend AMBM later today) Board emails: www.e-a-a.org/EAA/About/EA... [Text from IAI copied below with Alt-Text] #Archaeology 🏺 #EAA #EAA2025

You don't have to be #EAA member to email regarding #EA2025 mess. Email is so important - many people don't use social media & online comments can be dismissed, but heartfelt emails from individuals can't be ignored... Please write today. Thank you! 1/2 #Archaeology #Archaeologists 🏺

So disappointing that people who have worked on papers are being forced to withdraw from #EAA2025 but as Guille says there are several important reasons why. Particularly ironic for this session but as usual some in our discipline just provide more evidence of their bigotry and complacency.

So.. either the EAA President knew & agreed to this statement/email going out without board approval (so breach of constitution?) Or didnt know & has lost control of the organisation/brought it in to disrepute? Surely either way she should resign? Can members bring a vote of no confidence?

One of the key points I make in "Heritage and Healing in Syria and Iraq" is about the roles and ethical responsibilities of archaeological and heritage organisations in conflict areas. In the following skeets is the text of my acceptance speech 1/n

If you're in London this Thursday, Sept 4th, don't miss this evening at the Horniman Museum, a tie-in with the 'All Eyes on Her!' exhibition curated by Heba Abd el-Gawad. Artists, DJs, food, films, women-led marketplace, dabka classes and other workshops - celebrating the Middle East/SWANA. 📜🇵🇸🇪🇬🇮🇶🇲🇦

I will also just suggest if folks are cancelling their memberships in protest to maybe consider donating the amount of money you’d put towards that to a Palestinian’s fundraiser instead. My friend Divya has put together a list of verified campaigns in need here: linktr.ee/divyamp?fbcl...

Not currently an @archaeologyeaa.bsky.social ie EAA member as too ££ but if you are, you can see recommended action via the link (resign in disgust whilst calling out the bullies basically).

Worth a read, illuminating about #AI use in #archaeology and particularly for the ‘funding has to come from somewhere’ excuse. 🏺