Category: Guide

Guide: Common Features of Iron Age Hillforts

Maiden Castle, Dorchester, Dorset

This article attempts to serve as a guide for many of the features of the hillforts found in Britain, in particular. It explains the basic elements of the design and architecture of a hillfort.

Guide: Iron-Age minting: Ceramic pellet-mould trays

Iron Age coin mould fragment (Box 3, no. 40: showing capped pellet hole)

This article explores the most tangible evidence we possess for indigenous minting north of the Humber: the smashed ceramic “pellet-mould” trays recovered in quantity at Scotch Corner and, in lesser numbers, at Britain’s southern oppida.

Guide: Fortified Barns in Yorkshire – A historical overview

Monastic Fortified tythe barn in Wenseydale

Even in a rural community of mainly farmers, there are often reasons to wish to build or create a structure that is for, at least in part, for defensive purposes. Thus, some barns in Yorkshire and other places can be seen to have “arrow slits”, and later, square “gun ports”. This article provides a brief overview of what these structures are, why they were built and how they were used.

Guide: Preservation

Preservation in archaeology is crucial, not just in terms of physical artifacts but also in maintaining the integrity of the archaeological record and the knowledge it provides. If we define it broadly, preservation in archaeology involves

Guide: Ray Selkirk – The Maverick of Landscape Archaeology

Ray Selkirk - 1980

Ray Selkirk was a trailblazing landscape archaeologist who revolutionized how we interpret the hidden past beneath our feet. As a former World War II pilot, Selkirk brought a unique aerial perspective to archaeological surveying, allowing him to recognize subtle patterns in the landscape that often went unnoticed at ground level.

Guide: Francis Prior

A stylistic suggestion of Flag Fen

Francis Pryor stands as a luminary in British archaeology, whose profound insights into prehistoric Britain have reshaped our understanding of ancient societies.

Guide: The Ard – Early Ploughing in English Brigantia

Single Tyne Plough, Arba Minch

The ard, also known as a scratch plough, represents one of the earliest forms of agricultural technology used by the people of ancient Brigantia.

Guide: In Depth – Church Doors and Windows

Stanwick St John East window

The placement of church doors and windows, including the absence of eastern doors, reflects both theological symbolism and practical architectural traditions

Guide: Socratic Thought in Archaeology

An archaeologist standing puzzled in front of a new Oldsmobile car with a confused look on their face

Socratic thought in archaeology is a method of critical inquiry that challenges assumptions, promotes deeper exploration, and encourages rigorous reflection about the past. Based on the questioning techniques of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates,

Guide: Magnetometry

A confused archaeologist sitting in a DeLorean with the Flux Capacitor glowing brightly

Magnetometry is one of the most widely used geophysical techniques in archaeology. It involves the measurement of the Earth’s magnetic field and detecting variations in magnetic properties caused by human activity.

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