This week on the Butser blog, we've written all about the origins of the wickerman, Maypole, bannock bread, butter churns & other ancient rituals to explore this Beltain season. Read more here: www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/blog/2026/4/...

Do you want some Money? Of course you do. Here's a fund that will help early career archaeologists become *actual* career archaeologists... sussexpast.co.uk/research/the...

We apologise for the technical issues that affected our live stream/recording of @lettyingrey.bsky.social's lecture last night. Unfortunately, the problem was not resolved during the broadcast despite our AV provider’s (Society of Antiquaries) best efforts.

We’re really sorry for the issues with our livestream this evening for those joining us online for Letty’s lecture - we seem to be having some problems with the technology. Our apologies both to our speaker and the audience, we’re trying to resolve the problems!

𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Our next lecture will be presented by Letty Ingrey on 'Maritime Academy, Frindsbury: Early Neanderthal archaeology preserved in a chalk landscape capture point'. At Burlington House & on youtu.be/-8TFCyzvckU Non-members are welcome - contact us to join the guest list.

🎊𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to Jason Cohen from UCL Institute of Archaeology who has been awarded the RAI Master's Dissertation Prize for his dissertation, Weapon Burials in Early Medieval England: A DNA-Informed Perspective. Future submission info is available at www.royalarchinst.org/grants/disse...

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐬, 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Dr Tony Wilmott will be presenting our next lecture on 'A small town on Hadrian's Wall? - the extramural settlement and bathhouse at Birdoswald’. At Burlington House and on youtu.be/a87uR2-M3Go Non-members are welcome - just contact us to join the guest list.

And here's an excellent recreation of the Iron Age SW gate of South Cadbury hillfort © John Swogger from the 2020 article: Hillfort gate-mechanisms by Pope, Mason, Hamilton, Rule and Swogger @royalarchinst.bsky.social which is OPEN ACCESS 👇 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... #HillfortsWednesday

Congratulations to all of the shortlisted candidates for Book of the Year, and to the winners - An Irish Civil War Dugout by Marion Dowd, Robert Mulroney & James Bonsall #CALive26

We’ve had a wonderful day at the ArchaeoFair - thank you to everyone who came to chat to us! Looking forward to the Awards Ceremony coming up shortly! #CALive26

Hello everyone, and welcome to #CALive26! It’s great to be back at @ioe.bsky.social and to be hosting our annual conference in partnership with @uclarchaeology.bsky.social again – and it’s fab to see so many people here to learn the latest news about the past.

Congratulations and best wishes to our 2026 grant recipients! www.royalarchinst.org/grants/awards

We’re looking forward to attending Current Archaeology Live! in London on 28th February and proud to announce that we are sponsoring the Book of the Year Award. Come and see us at the ArchaeoFair! archaeology.co.uk/live @currentarchaeology.bsky.social @uclarchaeology.bsky.social

Would you like to curate a lecture series? Could you support the work of our society? Would you like to attend field visits? Are you retired or working PT? If so, the role of Honorary Secretary might be right for you! The role is voluntary but expenses are paid. www.royalarchinst.org/news/2026/vo...

Want to help preserve the county's history? We're recruiting an Archives and Local Studies Senior Officer to our team! Head to the link below for more information. jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/job_detail/3...

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐬, 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐄𝐁 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 - 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐬𝐞, 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 BY Dr Rob Dinnis on ‘The evidence for early Homo sapiens in Britain: historical review and new opportunities’ Non-members are welcome but should contact [email protected] in advance so that we can add you to the guest list.

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Dr Jim Leary and Dr Elaine Jamieson will be presenting our next lecture on ‘Life on the lake: The prehistory and history of Skipsea, Holderness’. At Burlington House and on youtu.be/dTxePLmT25I

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 🎨 The Royal Archaeological Institute visit to Lincoln Cathedral, 1880

Application deadline: 18th January 2026

👇

Incredibly useful resource! www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/...

This was excellent. Well worth a watch!

A very interesting talk this evening by Alastair Oswald at @royalarchinst.bsky.social on Neolithic monuments and their relationship to woodland. www.youtube.com/live/zhFabvh... #archaeology

Thinking of studying for a PhD? I'd be happy to hear from anyone considering research into British or Irish prehistory, monuments, radiocarbon dating, heritage. Part-time, distance options. There are funding schemes here at @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social - but be quick, deadlines are in Jan/Feb!

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟏𝟎 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Dr Alastair Oswald will be presenting our next lecture on ‘Patches of the endless forest: landscape, monuments and remote perception in the early Neolithic of southern England’. youtu.be/zhFabvhYk0E

We are proud to sponsor Current Archaeology’s 2026 Book of the Year award. Voting is now open at archaeology.co.uk/awards/book-...

... a special guest lecture from Nathalie Cohen from @royalarchinst.bsky.social. The IHR Discovery Courses are designed to be accessible for anyone interested in history - family and local historians, students and academic researchers are all welcome! Sign up at: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

Want to use archaeology in your local history research? In my new @ihr.bsky.social 'Discovery' short course (29 April-1 May 2026) you will learn where to locate and how to use records of surveys, excavations and finds in your area. Plus a visit to the @antiquaries.bsky.social library and...

NEW Toolkit: working with experts across a number of different institutions & with support from the Royal Historical Society, we're delighted to share this FREE resource for anyone interested in or involved with the conservation & interpretation of ruins. heyzine.com/flip-book/77... #ruins 🏰

And CONGRATULATIONS to Melissa Lambe - Highly Commended of the Early Career Archaeologist Award at the Archaeological Achievement Awards.

🎉🎉 Huge congratulations to Kayleigh Hibberd - winner of the Early Career Archaeologist Award at the Archaeological Achievement Awards! 🏆 #ChangingChalk @nationaltrust.org.uk @archaeologyuk.bsky.social @royalarchinst.bsky.social

Only a few hours left until we come together with archaeologists across the UK and Ireland to celebrate the 2025 #ArchaeologicalAchievementAwards! You can join us and cheer on the winners from home by watching our live-stream, starting 8 pm today 👉 www.youtube.com/live/GA6_QaE...

We had a great day in Canterbury yesterday for our Autumn Meeting! Many thanks to our Meetings Secretaries for arranging a fabulous programme, and to our guides at St Martin’s Church, St Augustine’s Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral.

A splendid day was had with the @royalarchinst.bsky.social yesterday, in Canterbury. The earliest still-in-use church of St Martin, St Augustine’s monastery, the cathedral, its drains, and library ticks (arachnid variety). Thanks to Nathalie and Peter the organisers.

My review of Amanda Chadburn and Clive Ruggles' book Stonehenge: Sighting the Sun has been published in @royalarchinst.bsky.social Archaeological Journal. Let me know if you want to read it but don't have institutional access; I've got some free 'offprint' links: www.tandfonline.com/eprint/NJ7DZ...

Do you have a steady hand and an eye for detail? We're looking for volunteers to help us with our conservation work! This is an exciting opportunity to help us look after the past for generations to come. If you're interested, get in touch at [email protected]

CALLING ALL ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENTS The submission deadline for our Master's Dissertation Prize is approaching. ⌛ The winner receives £500, one year's membership and the opportunity to publish an article derived from their dissertation in the Archaeological Journal. 👇

Absolutely cracking research session at the Royal Academy today, followed by a fantastic talk by Professor Richard Bradley for @royalarchinst.bsky.social at @antiquaries.bsky.social Am now completely jiggered, but absolutely fizzing with thoughts. Now, homeward bound… 😊 🎨 Knowlton, John Piper

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟏𝟐 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Professor Richard Bradley will be presenting our next lecture on 'Two famous archaeologists excavate a henge in the 1930s: King Arthur's Round Table then, and its interpretation today'. www.youtube.com/live/xPtQIlm...

Aymer's wife Lucy is in our @beyondnotables.bsky.social database beyond-notability.wikibase.cloud/wiki/Item:Q3...

Aymer Vallance, the owner of Stoneacre, was an active member of the RAI during the late 19th - early 20th centuries:

𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐘: 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 The RAI is seeking applications for the role of Honorary Secretary. Expenses are available for business travel & accommodation where necessary. Full details at www.royalarchinst.org/news/2025/vo...

The Community Archaeology Radiocarbon Dating (CARD) Fund is now open for applications. ⏳ Funded by Archaeological Research Services Ltd and the SUERC Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, the fund covers the full cost of radiocarbon dating for community projects across the UK.👉

We are accepting 𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 8 December 2025. Full details/application at www.royalarchinst.org/grants

New paper! Thanks to @royalarchinst.bsky.social and Catherine Mackichan Trust for funding this research. Regional and Extra-local Pollen Evidence for Long-term Vegetation Change and Human Impact from the Hinterland of Hadrian’s Wall at Alston Moor, North Pennines, UK doi.org/10.1080/1461...

𝗩𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗬: Editor of the Archaeological Journal 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 31st October 2025

𝐑𝐀𝐈 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐄 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝟭𝟬 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 The MA Dissertation Prize will be for the best dissertation written in 2024 or 2025 on the archaeology or architectural history of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and other countries. Details at www.royalarchinst.org/grants/disse...

Booking is now open for our Autumn Meeting in Canterbury! We will be visiting St Martin’s Church, St Augustine’s Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral during the day, with guided tours at each location and a special visit to the archives at the Cathedral ⛪️ www.royalarchinst.org/events/2025/...

Are you a student at a UK university and looking for support to come to TAG York? Did you know the Royal Archaeological Institute Cheney Bursary is available to support you? You can find more details here: www.royalarchinst.org/grants/bursa... @royalarchinst.bsky.social

𝟖 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝟓 𝐩𝐦, 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 & 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 The first lecture of our 2025-26 series will be presented by our former Honorary Secretary, Brian Kerr who will be speaking about ‘Cathcart Castle reconsidered'. youtu.be/KGbT-sgQOSk