Archaeology News in Suffolk
A collection of archaeological news, projects and events in Suffolk from Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service
Welcome to our e-newsletter for July 2021
Featured Projects
Image: excavations at Rendlesham in 2014
Rendlesham Revealed: Anglo-Saxon Life in South-East Suffolk
Join the Archaeological Excavations 2021 - Booking Now Open
We are so pleased to finally tell you that the archaeological excavations at Rendlesham will be taking place this August and September.
This summer is the first season of excavations and we will be investigating the wider area of the Anglo-Saxon settlement, so we can better understand the range of activity and what life was like during the 5th to 8th centuries. This work will follow on from a pilot project in 2008-2017 - learn all about the discoveries so far on our website.
Book your space now to help us excavate this unique site. You will be with professional archaeologists in the trenches, receiving hands-on training and experiencing real-time discoveries. Be prepared for physical work and all weather conditions!
Activity on-site each day will vary depending on what archaeology is found, but you can expect to get involved in things like digging, trowelling, sieving soil, recording and washing and processing finds. Training and support will be provided by Cotswold Archaeology (Suffolk).
There is a small charge of £5 per space to attend. This contribution will help towards the cost of training.
If you are unable to join us in-person, you can follow our journey and share in our discoveries through online videos and regular blog posts throughout the season. Keep an eye on our blog for updates.
Booking is essential as spaces are limited. Please note that the site is on private land with no public access.
Image: Soil sample extracted with a hand auger
Geoarchaeology Fieldwork at Rendlesham
Last month, we visited Rendlesham to conduct a palaeoenvironmental survey of the river valley with Professor Charles French and Dr Sean Taylor from University of Cambridge. The aim was to understand more about the soil sequence, the development of vegetation in the valley and impact of human activity in the past.
With help from some hard-working volunteers, we extracted a series of boreholes using a hand auger, which has revealed a possible palaeo-channel that may have a connection with the Anglo-Saxon settlement at Rendlesham.
The samples are now at University of Cambridge for further analysis.
Finds Recording in Suffolk
Image: Roman silver coin
Featured Find - Roman silver denarius of Augustus
Recovered by a metal-detector user in 2020 near Ashfield cum Thorpe, this Roman coin is an issue of the first emperor Augustus, who reigned between 27 BC – AD 13.
As Rome was transformed from Republic to Empire under Augustus, he instituted many significant reforms affecting daily life throughout the Roman world. One of these areas was coinage, with the Augustan coin system remaining in place until around AD 260.
If you have recently found an archaeological object in Suffolk which you'd like identified and recorded, our Finds Recording Team can help. Find out more about Finds Recording here.
Archaeology in Development
Image: oak timber excavated at Eye
Rare remains of medieval bridge found near Eye Castle
The remains of a previously unknown medieval wooden bridge have been discovered at Eye, in the north of Suffolk.
Experts believe the oak remains were part of the defences of Eye Castle, dating back as far as 1200 AD.
The wood was in such good condition that score marks made by the 13th century carpenter were still clearly visible. It is very unusual for timber to be preserved for so long, but these remains were largely intact as the waterlogged conditions had stopped the decaying process.
Suffolk County Council’s Archaeology Service oversaw the excavation, which was carried out by Britannia Archaeology Ltd, ahead of development by Roundwood Restorations Ltd at the site near Eye Castle.
Thank you for joining our e-newsletter, for those who are new, here's a brief summary of what we do.
We are the main provider of archaeological advice in Suffolk and to promote the conservation, enhancement and understanding of Suffolk's distinctive historic environment, we:
- maintain a record of archaeology and heritage assets, the Historic Environment Record
- provide advice to planners, developers and farmers
- identify and record finds made by members of the public
- curate an archive for fieldwork projects carried out in the county
- publish the results of fieldwork and other research into Suffolk's past