Fifty years (30/50) Here I am at a party at the Old Rectory in Welwyn. I'm hugging Merle Rook who died in 2012. Merle was a lovely person and I miss her enormously. #VoteKris @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social #Welwyn #Hertfordshire

Fifty years (29/50) Just to show I haven't given up digging, here is me in Suffolk last summer cleaning up a surface in the Roman bath house we are excavating there. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @romanpalace.bsky.social #RomanArchaeology #VoteKris #RomanBath #excavation @ehasarch.bsky.social

Fifty years (28/50) Here is another early selfie. This time taken when in sixth form mucking about with the camera on a tripod. Linda must have been very trusting! @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #VoteKris #TheHowardSchool #WelwynGardenCity #Selfie

Fifty years (27/50) Taking a #selfie wasn't so easy with a #35mm #SLR. Here I am, "Sur le Pont d'Avignon" during an #InterRail trip in 1988. I wanted to be sure I was in the frame, but somewhat over estimated how far away I needed to be with a 28mm lens. #France #Avignon @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

Fifty years (26/50) In 1989-1990 I worked for the Test Valley Archaeological Trust. One site I excavated was at Kings Sombourne where I found an Anglo-Saxon grubenhaus. Some days the weather was less than kind. #MedievalArchaeology #excavation #Hampshire @ehasarch.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years (25/50) Who knew that the little baby on his sister's knee was destined to become an archaeologist? The woolly babygrow was almost certainly knit by my Mum. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social #VoteKris

Make the most of the festive break and drop into Verulamium Museum while we’re open over the next couple of days! Wander through recreated Roman rooms, get up close to stunning large‑scale mosaics, and enjoy a brilliant family day out. #VerulamiumMuseum #Museum #StAlbansMuseums #StAlbans #WhatsOn

Fifty years (24/50) I took the radical decision to do 'O' level cookery ('79-81) at a time when only the girls did cookery in their first three years. I really enjoyed it so cooked meals for my friends. Here I am in the late Carol Spall's kitchen cooking supper for them. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

Fifty years (23/50) Here are some of the authors at the launch of the "Archaeology in Hertfordshire: Recent Research" book in 2015 with the honouree, Tony Rook, holding a copy in the middle. tinyurl.com/4h5hn5z7 #VoteKris @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social @uhpress.bsky.social

In case you need a positive reminder: How effective is protesting? According to historians and political scientists: very www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Fifty years (22/50) The Society used to have a #BoxingDay walk with mulled wine and mince pies half way round. Here is a group photo from 2005 with (L to R) Jenny Wright, Bryan Scott, the late Tony Rook, Sylvia Rook, the late Jenny Searle and myself. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #walking #VoteKris

This is one of our favorites!

Fifty years (21/50) Here I am at Cholesbury putting in grids with a dGPS. I'm wearing my favourite (in fact only!) festive hat. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and have a wonderful day whether you celebrate or not! (Photo: Stuart King) @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years (20/50) Here I am undertaking an earth resistance survey in Iraq in 2014. In the background is a large tell. #geophysics #EarthResistance #archaeology #PrehistoricArchaeology #VoteKris @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social

Fifty years (19/50). Ideally one should keep the sensors vertical... sometimes it is simply not possible! Here I am pushing the magnetometer at Verulamium in 2022. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #RomanArchaeology #geophysics #magnetometry #Verulamium #VoteKris @hertshistory.bsky.social

Winter Wonderland. #WorldBollardAssociation

#GVerse #BreakingNews #Update The Associated Press is now reporting that at least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ's Epstein File website since they went up.

Fifty years (18/50) Here is a multiple exposure photograph taken in 2018. In the background is my former home. Sadly Historic England refused to list it, and the owners destroyed the cupula in 2021. I cannot describe how upset I was. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social #VoteKris

A blog for the season 🎄 #Archaeology 🏺 bigbookoftorcs.com/2025/12/21/d...

Fifty years (17/50). How many hours of my life have I spent shuffling along with a res meter? Too many! Here I am at Ashwell undertaking a survey for/with the North Herts Archaeological Society. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #EarthResistance #archaeology #Hertfordshire #geophysics #RomanArchaeology

Fifty years (16/50) Today would have been my Mum's birthday so today's photo is my PhD graduation with Mum and Dad. I wore my old school tie: the #HowardSchool, Welwyn Garden City. The school has long since been demolished and turned into a housing estate. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years (15/50) Kris and a Pony. Here's me trying to take a photo of a #Shetland #Pony with a vintage #Pentax camera. Photo by Ellen. #Hertfordshire #LamerPark #Wheathampstead @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social #VoteKris @currentarchaeology.bsky.social

Other work of the Ladybird artists. ‘Knole Park, Kent’ Artist: Ronald Lampitt (Readers Digest cover)

Fifty years (14/50) Back to the early days. Here I am helping to excavate a section in Well Wood, #Hertfordshire. The wood is next to Chapel Wood where I first excavated in 1976. We were hoping to find some dating evidence. We didn't, if I remember correctly. #VoteKris #MedievalArchaeology #digging

Fifty years (13/50). Today I'm in court! Later today I am presenting at #TAG2025 in #York. The last time I attended #TAG was in the early 1990s and I've never given a paper before. Here, I'm talking about the geophysics project from the dock of the court in @stalbansmuseums.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years (12/50) #EarthResistance survey at #AlbaIulia, #Romania, 2018. It's hard to follow the guide lines when they vanish into the snow! @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #geophysics @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years (11/50) One of my nerdy interests is Roman ceramic building materials. Here I am processing the tile from a collapsed granary roof at #Posta, #Romania. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social #CBM #RomanArchaeology #tiles #nerd #VoteKris

Fifty years 10/50 Having joined WAS as a child, I went on as many WAS coach outings as I could. One of those included #Stonehenge in the days when one could walk around the stones. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social #VoteKris #prehistory #archaeology

Fifty years 9/50 In 2000 I was part of a British delegation to the Olbia conference held in Kyiv. We went on a trip to #Poltava where posed next to a "baba" in the Museum grounds with one of our hosts. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #Ukraine #archaeology @ehasarch.bsky.social @hertshistory.bsky.social

Gradually reintegrating five really critical female scholars back into our disciplinary history: Maud Cunnington, Dorothy Liddell, Lily Chitty, Molly Cotton, Peggy Piggott. Hillfort women aren’t so easy to forget 💪🏼

In September, we hosted our first-ever working party at St Michael’s, Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire, showcasing the skills that are needed to repair a historic church.

Tonight (12/12/25): Kris Lockyear will be speaking on "My life in archaeology: the first fifty years." All welcome. Lecture meeting starts 7.45pm, Welwyn Garden City, United Reformed Church hall. Bring and share Christmas meet-up beforehand, 7.15. All welcome. @ehasarch.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years 8/50. In 1986 I was asked to be the photographer at #StAidansCollege ball, @durham.ac.uk Towards the end of the evening Allan (left in the picture) and I (right) got bored, so took a selfie with Colin (sitting). The mafioso with his goons look was accidental. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

Congratulations to all of the #CurrentArchaeologyAwards nominees! Cast your vote here: bit.ly/48zAZp3 We're also excited for the Current Archaeology Live conference next year which includes our @nts-archaeology.bsky.social colleagues on their their award winning #PioneeringSpirit whisky project!

Fifty years 7/50 Having shown 2 of my non-archaeological interests (motorcycles and American football), I thought I'd show the third: playing the tuba. Here I am with the City of Southampton (Albion) Band playing on tour in Germany. #BrassBand #tuba @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social

Fifty years 6/50 Outside of archaeology one of my obsessions is American Football. I've been a Denver Broncos fan since I watched "the drive" on 11/Jan/87. In 2007 I managed to go on a tour of the Broncos stadium. I've watched them live twice, they lost both times! @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

Fifty years 5/50. I have often travelled to excavations, surveys and events on my motorcycle as I don't drive. I rode to Wroxeter in 1984 on a Honda C70, 145 miles at 30mph. I especially enjoyed riding a combination. Here I am on my Honda Benly with sidecar. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social #VoteKris

Fifty years (4/50) Terry Jones of Monty Python fame and me at #SarmizegetusaRegia, #Romania in 2005. We were filming for his series "Terry Jones' Barbarians". I was one of the experts interviewed about the Dacians. It was a great five days. #archaeology #Dacia #VoteKris @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

I live in Wales and today received my Join Us letter from Reform UK, complete with SAE which I posted back to them, immediately, empty. If every other person in Wales did this, Reform would spend over £1.5 million on postage. Not sorry. Join me Cymru.

Fifty years (3/50). Here I am pushing the #GPR in #Verulamium park during the surveys with #CAGG in 2016. This is the southern side of the town near Watling Street and outside of the line of the 1955 ditch. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social @ehasarch.bsky.social #Geophysics #Hertfordshire #VoteKris

Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar, window 6 ‘Lane in Winter’ Artist: Rowland Hilder

Fifty years (2/50) Group photograph from Phil Barker's excavations at Wroxeter in 1984. The photo also includes my colleague Mark Lake, the late Mike Corbishley, Phil Barker, Kate Pretty, Sidney Renow, Roger White, Andrew Simpson, and there's a royal there somewhere too. @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

Fifty years ago today, as an 11 year old, I attended a WAS lecture by Francis Pryor entitled "Prehistoric Excavations at Fengate, Peterborough". I joined the society that evening. To celebrate I'm going to post a series of 50 photos. The first was taken on a trip to the Tower of London, c. 1976.

Repairing a 1930s Roman Catholic church. Rachel Morley, our Director, speaks to Contracts Manager Martin Nee from Messenger Construction about the repairs at St Mary of the Angels', Brownshill, Gloucestershire.

Some 1,900 years ago a child was buried with an array of terracotta figurines in the #Roman town of Arae Flaviae, #Rottweil: 2 pigeons, 2 dogs, 2 roosters, a chicken, a duck, and a female figure, commonly identified as Iuventas, the personification of youth. Rather than....🧵1/2 🏺 📷 me

Great culture can save lives. Literally. Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard

This poem is dedicated to anyone making a start on their advent calendar today.

More perilous adventures in time and space.

🌍🪐✨ St. Mary Lastingham, Yorks - out of this world. "This place - the journey to it, the aura, the echoes, the muted light, the Saxon remnants and the Romanesque - has lifted my anxious self into a more rooted sense of the world." More words and 📸: 👉 www.digest.andymarshall.co/andy-marshal...

Still places available for what should be a wonderful talk.