Mark Hinman will be presenting alongside Charlotte Lockwood at the upcoming CAS Autumn Conference in Cambridge. They will discuss their recent excavations of an extraordinary early Saxon settlement at Great Chesterford. The site offers invaluable insights into early medieval life, and Mark and Charlotte look forward to sharing their findings.
The conference will take place on Saturday 9th November at Cripps Court Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Click here for further details.
This beautifully decorated 5th-century AD Saxon comb case, from a site in Essex, would have kept a fragile comb safe. The intricate carvings and animal head finials highlight the artistry of the period, suggesting that everyday items were created with aesthetics in mind.
Click here to check it out from all angles in our 3D model on Sketchfab!
Today, we’re excited to share a glimpse into Roman Winchester’s southern cemetery, where recent work has revealed an intriguing burial assemblage. The black vessel held a cremation and it was found with two bow brooches and two Samian dishes — one of which served as a protective lid over the cremation. This site has also revealed several inhumations. Though the cemetery along the Roman road is relatively well-known, each find continues to add new insights into burial customs and personal belongings of the time. #FindsFriday
Join us on Saturday, 2 November 2024, at the Central Library, Milton Keynes, where Mark Hinman and Judy Mlynarska will showcase some of the incredible archaeology uncovered during PCA’s recent excavations in the area.
Their presentation From Roundhouses to Roundabouts: Uncovering an Iron Age and Early Roman settlement at Milton Keynes East will be part of MK Archaeology Day, a free event open to all, with additional activities, displays, and talks throughout the day.
#FindsFriday This week we have an exciting find – a silver minim of Caratacus, known as a Caratacus Car type, dating c. 40-43. Caratacus was one of the sons of Cunobelin and one of the rulers who fought against the incoming Romans.
Only one example of this coin was previously known, so this is only the second known example! The obverse has the letters CAR while the reverse depicts an eagle with three pellets. This remarkable find comes from an assemblage of Celtic coinage retrieved during recent excavations in Buckinghamshire.
PCA’s Head of Environment Jane Wheeler will be giving a talk to COLAS on 20 September titled “The secret micro-archaeological world of pollen & other pesky palynomorphs, including recent work in London.”
Palynomorphs, including pollen and spores, are critical for fully understanding past environments. Jane has been using these micro-tools in the post-excavation analysis of recent PCA London sites to reveal ancient landscapes and how people interacted with their environments.
By analyzing microscopic traces in sediment, Jane shows us how palynology helps unlock stories of climate, vegetation, and human activity—stories too small for the naked eye.
You can either attend in person at the church of St Olave, 8 Hart Street, London EC3R 7NB, or online by registering on Eventbrite (click to register).
Join us at the Southwark Heritage Centre and Walworth Library for the latest insights into the archaeology of Roman Southwark.
When: 21 September, 11am to 3.30pm
Where: Southwark Heritage Centre and Walworth Library, 145 Walworth Road, London SE17 1RW
.
From 11am to 1pm, drop in to explore Roman artefacts from Southwark’s museum collections. PCA will have a stall alongside other leading archaeology companies. AOC will be showcasing their new In Situ 3D scanning tool, giving you the opportunity to explore Southwark’s oldest ‘mystery’ statue in a whole new way!
In the afternoon, from 1 to 3.30 there will be three talks from PCA, MOLA, and AOC, each focusing on different aspects of Roman Southwark. Ireneo Grosso will discuss PCA’s recent excavations in Southwark with a presentation on the southern cemetery. Additionally, Southwark’s borough archaeologist will provide an exciting update on the latest Roman sites.
This event is free and open to all.
Over the summer, PCA has been working alongside the local community at Friarsgate Park in Winchester, the newly-opened green space next to the bus station. The dig concluded with a successful Family Archaeology Event, where around 100 people joined in the fun.
Attendees, particularly young people, had the opportunity to engage directly with history by discovering, washing, and drawing finds unearthed during the excavation. The event also included creative activities like pottery painting and tile design, inspired by the artefacts found on site. These types of events not only raise awareness about local heritage but also help foster an appreciation for archaeology.
This event marked the culmination of a six-week dig, which saw more than 120 community volunteers help uncover Winchester’s hidden history. Friarsgate Park, now fully developed, offers a welcoming space complete with seating, wildflower landscaping, and improved views of the River Itchen. It forms part of Central Winchester Regeneration, a broader effort to breathe new life into under-utilised areas while longer-term plans for the site are still being developed.
While some had called for a full-scale archaeological excavation akin to the one conducted before the construction of the Brooks Centre in the late 1980s, the city council decided on a more targeted approach. This strategy focused on key areas of interest, including the corner of Friarsgate and the bus station entrance, balancing the need for archaeological investigation with time and cost considerations.
The event was covered by the Hampshire Chronicle (click to read the article)
Mark Hinman will be presenting a talk titled “Everybody Needs Good Neighbours” to the St Neots Local History Society. He will explore the community networks of the Cambridgeshire claylands from 400 BC to AD 600, focusing on PCA’s large-scale excavation ahead of the Monksfield development, where evidence of continuous occupation spanning 700 years was revealed.
Where: Eynesbury C of E Primary School, St Neots, PE19 2TD
When: Friday 4th October 2024 7.30pm
Members- free; £5.00 – to non-members payable at the door
For more information and membership visit the St. Neots Local History Society website
To celebrate the release of our 26th monograph, we’ve unlocked all publications older than five years! Explore our archive with free, open-access flipbooks and downloads here.
© Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd 1993-2025
