Andrew Mayfield

Concluding our first session, Dr Sophia Adams (British Museum) is here to tell us about an amazing Iron Age discovery from North Yorkshire, in ‘The massive Melsonby Iron Age Hoard’ #CALive26

👏🏻👏🏻

#teamMelsonby @currentarchaeology.bsky.social winners 🏆❤️👏🏻

The Melsonby Hoard's 2nd deposit was block-lifted and CT-scanned. It is a remarkable lump of corroded metal items - including a tiny face, and a little boar's head; more vehicle parts and bridle bits... this block has been kept together and will be displayed as such at the Yorkshire Museum #CALive26

Other items in Hoard 1 include a cauldron decorated with fish imagery; fine decorative openwork pieces of metalwork; 3 very large iron spearheads (60cm+ long); an iron mirror; another vessel, poss a wine-mixing bowl decorated with a face or 'mask' #CALive26

The tyres range from 76cm to 1.08m in diameter - but were they for 2-wheeled chariots or 4-wheeled wagons? Some were heftier than you'd expect for a chariot... and we have at least two 'king pins' which come from 4-wheeled vehicles #CALive26

The harness pieces are larger than needed to be functional, and some are very ornate, adorned with coral. The Melsonby material had been designed for display #CALive26

The Melsonby Hoard includes some 28 big iron rings - Iron Age tyres. They had been bent and bashed about (and apparently heated, poss to get rid of woodwork and help bend them), but then carefully layered up with other objects #CALive26

The Melsonby Hoard actually has two deposits.

Hoard 1 contains almost 900 fragments of metalwork representing more than 300 objects. Lovely snaffle bits, harness fittings, terret rings, and vehicle components like tyres, linchpins, and decorative finials #CALive26

A cow toe bone was also found beneath the objects in Hoard 1, indicating that any associated human remains should have survived. But no sign of an inhumation or cremation burial associated with the Melsonby Hoard has yet been found #CALive26

The Melsonby Hoard is set to go on display in a new exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum, ‘Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard’, which opens on 15 May: www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/news-media/l... #CALive26

The Melsonby Hoard: Exploring unprecedented insights into Iron Age Yorkshire | The Past One of the largest Iron Age hoards ever found in the UK was recently unveiled. Comprising hundreds of metal items, its contents are shedding brilliant light ...

You can read more about the Melsonby Hoard in CA 423: the-past.com/feature/the-... #CALive26
For more insights into the Melsonby Hoard, see www.durham.ac.uk/departments/... #CALive26

The winner of the 2026 CA Award for Rescue Project of the Year (sponsored by Udig Excavations Ltd) is… ‘The Melsonby Hoard: exploring unprecedented insights into Iron Age Yorkshire’ (@durham.ac.uk /British Museum/Historic England) #CALive26

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

We are watching a video from the excavation of the Melsonby Hoard, one of the largest Iron Age metalwork hoards yet found in the country #CALive26

Understanding the age of listed buildings can be a minefield. Ye Olde Fighting Cocks at St Albans is claimed to date to 793; its listed as 16C; but is a dovecote of c1400 resited c1600.

More on Reinterpreting Listed Buildings during an online talk, 26 Feb:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reinterpre...

The Melsonby Hoard is thought to be the largest collection of Iron Age metalwork ever discovered in the UK. It was found in December 2021 by amateur metal detectorist Peter Heads in a field near the village of Melsonby, North Yorkshire. The hoard consists of over 800–900 artefacts dating back approximately 2,000 years (late 1st century BC to mid-1st century AD). Image: Gareth Buddo/York Museums Trust

🧵 (4 posts) More than 800 Iron Age objects discovered at Melsonby in North Yorkshire are to go on public display for the first time in a major new exhibition. Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard will run at the Yorkshire Museum from 15 May 2026 to summer 2027, offering 1/4

Melsonby Hoard: Iron Age haul to be on public display in York this summer The Melsonby Hoard, one of the UK's largest Iron Age finds, is at the Yorkshire Museum.

#Melsonby to go on display 👏🏻👏🏻 BBC News - Melsonby Hoard: Iron Age haul to be on public display in York this summer - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A montage of pictures showing ornate Iron Age metal work and spear heads.

The Melsonby Hoard will go on public display at the Yorkshire Museum later this year. This internationally significant Iron Age find was excavated by @arcdurham.bsky.social, including our Archaeological Services team. Find out more 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

Melsonby Hoard: Iron Age haul to be on public display in York this summer The Melsonby Hoard, one of the UK's largest Iron Age finds, is at the Yorkshire Museum.

More than 800 Iron Age artefacts, known as the Melsonby Hoard found in a N. Yorks field will go on display for the first time at the Yorkshire Museum, York from May onwards. The collection features chariot wheels, cauldrons & spears. 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Canterbury archaeology investigation after vault discovered The structure was found under paving in St Mary Bredman Square in Canterbury, Kent.

Archaeology investigation after vault discovered

#Kent #BBCNews

🔗: https://www.bbc.com/news/arti...

And now the #Melsonby story is shared with European colleagues! Well done to @proftommoore.bsky.social and Sophie! #moesgaardmuseum is an incredible venue for a conference 👏🏻👏🏻

A close up photograph of a mask-like human face decorating the shoulder of a lidded vessel or cauldron from the Melsonby hoard, shown upside down as found during excavation.

Our innovative and impactful research transforms lives and makes a difference, globally and locally.

Discover more in our Global Research Newsletter 👉 mailchi.mp/96a54d0bd591...

#DUresearch

Let's talk about the Aylesbury tunnels.

Three archaeologists in hi viz vests and hard hats excavate a prehistoric burial at the base of a cylindrical chalk cut pit

A diver cleans the surface of a carved stone coffin lid at the bottom of the sea

A decorated copper alloy mount from and Iron Age assemblage

Very pleased that the Durotriges Project pit burials have been cited by the BBC as one of the top UK archaeological discoveries of 2025 alongside @buarchanth.bsky.social 13th century *Mortar Wreck* and @arcdurham.bsky.social work on the Iron Age Melsonby Hoard 😊👍

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Tuesday 13 January, venue Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre Old College, speaker various, title/theme Unit Round-up Tuesday 3 February venue Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre Old College, speaker Martin Carruthers, title/theme Making and Breaking the Broch: Excavating Iron Age Households at The Cairns settlement, Orkney Tuesday 3 March, venue Lecture Theatre A, University of Edinurgh, 40 George Square, Speaker Andrew Fitzpatrick, Title/Theme La Tène: everything you wanted to know but never felt strong enough to ask Tuesday 7 April venue Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre Old College, speaker Sophia Adams, title/theme Accumulating wealth: the growing story of the Melsonby Iron Age hoard Tuesday 5 May, venue Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre Old College, speaker various, title/theme Finds Medley

🎉We can finally reveal our seminar programme for the rest of 2026!

📆We start next Tuesday (13/01) with the traditional unit roundup showcasing some recent commercial archaeology projects.

➡️Please note that we are now meeting in the Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre in Old College (except for March)

The next online talk will look at life on the road in the mediaeval period. What was it like to travel, who could be found on the road, and what observations did they leave us?

I'll be live online at 7pmGMT on Wednesday 28 January.

Booking & more info:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mediae...

YouTube video by PottedHistory A Mould for a Goddess Pt 1 The Archetype

We're often asked 'how did Roman potters create the moulds that they used to make lamps & deity figurines?' The answer is that there were numerous methods used. In these 4 videos Sarah & I show one technique that we have identified.🏺#Archaeology #Pottery #Ceramics #Classics youtu.be/nJD9tCfv-7I?...

A deer peeks out from tall grass in a lush green setting.

A picturesque view of the Rose Garden pathway at Greenwich Park, lined with vibrant purple and pink flowers and lush greenery under a clear blue sky.

A vibrant display of white roses and purple salvia flowers in full bloom, set against a backdrop of lush green leaves.

A vibrant garden scene at Greenwich Park featuring lush greenery and blooming white flowers under a sunny sky with scattered clouds.

May 2025: It was another busy month in Greenwich Park - with two milestone announcements.

For the first time since 2021 a new herd of eight fallow deer returned to the park 🦌

At the end of the month the Rose Garden reopened after an exciting multi-year regeneration project 🌹

#12MonthsOfTRP

Photo of large circule bronze shield, with central circular boss, decorated by concentric rings with raised circles inside.

Photo of a group of tiny metal votive shields of different sizes and shapes.

Photo of oval bronze shield, with black patination, and a central linear boss.

Photo showing meticulously conserved bark shield, with central woven boss.

🏺 You want ancient shields? Not only can you gawp close-up at huge Bronze & Iron Age examples, but also see gorgeous mini votive shields from hoards - showing real variety in form - and the simply astonishing Enderby BARK SHIELD, which revealed true diversity in Iron Age materials & artisan skill.