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From a 2,000-year-old skeleton unearthed in Hungary with a complete set of Roman surgical tools to a perfectly preserved doctor’s toolkit found in the ruins of Pompeii, these remains offer an incredible look into how medicine was practiced in the ancient world.

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Hello,

It has been one of the privileges of my life to borrow your time twice a week while you read A Whole Lot of History and, more recently, The Archaeologist’s Notebook.

Alas, I must now take a break from writing our Substack newsletter in order to concentrate on my other life as a Viking academic, a job title that is as cool as it sounds, but rarely involves my taking part in amphibious operations against naively located coastal monasteries.

Rest assured that, like an early medieval annalistic chronicle, the TAN newsletter will be continued by other hands. For those of you who are gluttons for punishment, it will be possible to see me on The Archaeologist’s Notebook’s brand-new YouTube channel, for which I have just recorded an interview about Viking gold with my brilliant colleague Giselle Király.

As an aside, note here that I have been assured by much younger and cooler folk that this combination of subjects might prove popular on the Information Superhighway, so do, please, subscribe to the TAN YouTube and turn on notifications so that you don’t miss my talking about the spectacular gold hoards of the Viking Age world, from Galloway to the Baltic.

For now, though, I just want to reiterate my genuine and heartfelt gratitude to you, my readers, for giving me and the newsletter your attention when I know how many of life’s daily obligations and diversions exist to take your valued, and valuable, time away from a chap writing long-form content in a somewhat florid manner (involving, as here, perhaps one too many subclauses) about occasionally rather niche - but hopefully fascinating - archaeological discoveries.

In signing off, I would like to give thanks to my friend and editor Amy Irvine, without whom this newsletter would not have been polished and published, my colleagues at TAN, and to my old pal Dan Snow, who contacted me many moons ago with the idea for a newsletter written by a slightly eccentric Scottish archaeologist.

Most importantly, though, I would like to thank you, dear reader, for your audience and your unwavering support.

Yours Aye,

Dr Tom Horne

The Weirdest Things Victorians Did To Mummies

Why did Europeans spend centuries eating ancient Egyptian mummies? Today, Giselle delves into the dark history of Europe’s obsession with Ancient Egypt, from medieval apothecary remedies to the high-society mummy unwrapping parties of Victorian London.

Learn the true story behind the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter, how Harry Burton’s iconic photography shaped modern Egyptology, and how the legend of the Pharaoh's Curse forced archaeologists to abandon tomb raiding in favour of modern scientific preservation.

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Discover how experts locate buried sites and what happens when teams uncover unexpected skeletons. Join Giselle as she reveals the intense process of rescuing history before it is destroyed by modern construction and how we uncover the human past!

Want to learn more about the myths and facts of professional archaeology? Giselle has a bonus video available for YouTube Channel Members! You can become a certified Dirt Nerd and watch the additional questions by becoming a channel member

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It's the question we've all been asking: Did Odysseus actually exist, or was Homer’s epic entirely a work of fiction?

Following the release of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster adaptation of 'The Odyssey', Giselle traces the real-world journey of Greece's most famous legendary hero. From the the city of Troy's nine layers of ruins to the mapping of a tsunami-destroyed port in Corfu, Giselle investigates the physical evidence behind the saga! You can watch the mystery unfold here:

You can become a certified Dirt Nerd and watch Giselle's other favourite finds by becoming a channel member here.

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A Roman stone sculpture of a protective deity carved over 1,600 years ago has been discovered underneath a barrack floor in Vindolanda, a fort located near Hadrian’s Wall.

The sculpture was unearthed by Dr Andrew Birley during the excavation of a Roman army barracks dating to the 4th century AD.

Likely originally part of a domestic shrine, or lararium, it is thought that the carved figure is a Genius, a guardian spirit that protected the household (or barracks community). In one of its hands, the figure holds a cornucopia that symbolises prosperity and, particularly, the abundance of produce, while in the other it has a patera, a dish used in divine offerings.

The style of the carving, and most notably the eyes and other facial features, suggest it was produced by a local sculptor blending British and Roman influences.

Dr Birley, Vindolanda’s Director of Excavations and the grandson of Professor Eric Birley, who began investigations at the site in the 1930s, said:

‘I have been fortunate enough to have worked at the site for many years and made some wonderful discoveries along the way, but I was completely unprepared for what I found on the other side of this stone. It was an extraordinary moment, one that we were able to share with the team of archaeologists and volunteers whose hard work makes discoveries like this possible.

‘My first thought was simply, ‘Who on earth am I looking at?’ Thankfully, Hadrian’s Wall is home to an incredible community of generous and knowledgeable scholars. After sending photographs to Lindsay Allason-Jones, Dr Fraser Hunter and Alex Rome-Griffin, the unanimous response came back within hours: we had uncovered a previously unknown relief of a Genius – the protective spirit of a place.’

The sculpture will now be conserved and studied before going on display at the Vindolanda Museum.

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Vindolanda Charitable Trust: Hidden Roman Guardian Emerges After 1,600 Years in Remarkable Vindolanda Discovery

Pray for Forgiveness: Slave Shackles and Ritual Offerings at Ancient Gallic Settlement

A large ‘productive settlement’ and religious complex at Allonnes la Gauloise in France has produced an array of metal objects, including shackles for human slaves.

Most notably, perhaps, was the exceptionally rare discovery of five well-preserved iron shackles used to bind human wrists and ankles, with the concentration of these finds indicating that trading of slaves was part of the commercial offering of Allonnes.

The small diameter of the heavy restraints from Allonnes suggests that the shackles were used on women or children.

While the finding of slave shackles is known in the ancient and early medieval sphere, it is entirely possible, if not probable, that most slaves were bound with organic materials that rarely survive.

Those made from base metal, such as the five iron examples from Allonnes, would also likely decay over time, meaning that contemporary historical references to regular or even mass slave-taking and slave-trading in past societies often lack archaeological proof, hence the critical importance of this discovery.

Beyond the shackles, archaeologists have found much evidence for metalworking at the site, with a large volume of tools, semi-finished metalwork products, scrap metal, and slag from furnaces amidst likely traces of workshop or shop structures.

Offerings to the Gods

Alongside the presumed commercial activity and slave market at Allonnes is a major and long-lived sanctuary that was used for almost 800 years, with its lifespan continuing after the Roman conquest of the area and the ultimate abandonment of the workshops and market.

Weapons of all forms and at least five centuries of Gallic and Roman coins were deposited as offerings, as well as items of metal jewellery, keys, and horse fittings.

Many were deliberately hacked or otherwise ritually ‘killed’ as part of the act, transforming them from functional, profane pieces to gifts for the divine.

A selection of the finds was put on public display for the 2026 European Archaeology Days by Inrap, the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research.

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Inrap: Le riche mobilier métallique d’Allonnes la Gauloise (Maine-et-Loire)

I Want My Mummy: Ancient Egyptian Tomb Found in Luxor

A previously unknown 3,000-year-old tomb has been unearthed in Luxor, Egypt.

The structure is situated in the Sheikh Abd el-Qurna necropolis, to the east of the so-called Theban Tomb No. 45, where the team from Leiden University led by Dr Carina van den Hoeven has been excavating since 2018.

Inscriptions in the tomb, seemingly dating to the Ramesside era (c. 1292-1069 BC) within the New Kingdom period, have revealed that it was the burial place of a high-status person with the name Paser.

The tomb itself, accessed by a staircase and ramps, consists of an external courtyard directly outside an inverted T-shaped rock-cut chamber above lower burial vaults. The courtyard has a mud-brick niche thought to have once contained a funerary plaque.

The interior contains several multicoloured murals that depict the deceased in various scenes, including his worshipping of deities inside shrines and a rendering of Paser with his wife next to a table of offerings to the gods.

Dr van den Hoeven’s team will continue to work at and conserve the site.

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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities: Facebook

CBS: Archaeologists uncover 3,000-year-old tomb near Egypt’s Luxor

Heritage Daily: New discovery at Sheikh Abd el-Qurna reveals tomb of Ancient Egyptian official

It's the question every archaeologist gets asked all the time: "What's the best thing you've ever found?" Today, Giselle reveals some of her favourite archaeological discoveries that she's gotten to keep at home. From a neolithic hand axe to 10,000 year old hazelnuts, take a look at Giselle's fascinating treasure trove of finds!

Excitingly, we're also launching a membership for the channel! You can become a certified Dirt Nerd and watch Giselle's other favourite finds by becoming a channel member here.

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Excavations near Chelmsford have uncovered five high-status Iron Age cremation burials that show off prestigious diplomatic and trade links to the Roman Empire, even before Claudius’ invasion in AD 43.

Over 100 burials were discovered at the cemetery, which largely dates to the 1st century AD and was surrounded by a large square ditched enclosure.

Of the burials, five appear to have belonged to elite individuals, their status displayed through a range of prestige Roman imports used as grave goods, including what may be one of the earliest glass vessels to reach Britain.

These five graves were further distinguished from the majority of simple cremations in urns by their deposition in large square pits. The imported grave goods, deposited seemingly in a period shortly before Claudius’ invasion of southern Britain in AD 43, point to a British elite’s desire to broadcast high-status diplomatic and exchange contacts with the Roman Empire.

The grave goods included amphorae likely used to contain imported Roman wine, an exquisite moulded Roman glass bowl, ornate Roman copper-alloy vessels - including a pan with a swan’s head terminal on its handle - and brooches.

Angus Forshaw, excavation leader for UCL Archaeology South-East (ASE), said:

‘These exceptional grave goods are likely a reflection of diplomatic contact and economic exchange between Iron Age people in Britain and the Roman Empire, which was happening prior to the Roman conquest of AD 43. The pillar-moulded glass bowl alone – one of the earliest glass vessels to arrive in Britain – would have been a highly-prized personal possession, and the amphorae could have arrived in Britain filled with wine, intended for consumption by society’s elites.’

ASE project manager Samara King noted:

‘The period around the Roman conquest was a time of immense political and cultural change. These burials may have been a way in which different Iron Age communities signalled their identities, their power, and perceived allegiance to Rome.’

From the 18th of July, 2026, ten of the grave goods will be displayed at the Museum of Chelmsford as part of the Timeless Treasures exhibition.

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UCL Archaeology South-East: High-status Iron Age burials reveal early links to Roman Empire

The Times: (£) How the Iron Age elite craved Roman luxuries, even before invasion

Museum of Chelmsford: Timeless Treasures

What is the most significant archaeological find of all time? Is it the ancient stele that was the key to helping us understand hieroglyphics? Today, archaeologist Giselle discusses the fascinating history of the Rosetta Stone with a special guest, host of The Ancients podcast, Tristan Hughes!

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Excavations in Oderzo, Italy, have uncovered spectacular mosaics from what is believed to have been the city’s first church.

The Late Antique ecclesiastical site, dated to the period after the height of the western Roman empire, sits just outside the town known to the Romans as Opitergium.

Digging in advance of a residential project, archaeologists unearthed large areas of multicoloured mosaic floors between the substantial masonry footprints of lost walls. The impressive remains - currently estimated at 23 metres in width and a minimum of 30 metres in length - are believed to be the remains of the city’s first church.

The polychrome mosaics feature delicate motifs of geometric and floral designs, and are particularly well preserved in part of the nave and the southern aisle.

As the regional authority, known as the Soprintendenza, writes:

‘Among the most complex [mosaics] is a square panel along the aisle, characterised by a large central octagon with a velarium [awning] motif and an intricate composition of squares and lozenges bordered by double frames and enriched with additional geometric and vegetal decorative elements.

‘There are also geometric patterns with octagons bordered by braids, intertwined circles adorned with acanthus leaves, and vegetal motifs such as ivy [...] and lozenges with an inscribed cross, attributable to decorative repertoires attested in northern Italy in the Late Antique period. Based on these, it is currently assumed that the complex dates to between the late 4th and 5th centuries AD.’

Square bases discovered in the eastern part of the excavated area are thought to have been for the pillars that supported the screen that enclosed the liturgical area around the high altar, known as the presbytery. Burials were also found immediately outside the church walls.

In the southeast of the wider site, an area seemingly relating to the storing or processing of materials for the building and decoration of the ornate church has been revealed. Here, a possible furnace lies next to significant volumes of mosaic tesserae, fragments of marble and ceramics, glass, and notably delicate glass tesserae that might indicate the former existence of wall or vault mosaics in the highly decorated church.

Work is in place to preserve and display the most important parts of the finds for future public viewing.

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SABAP Padova, Treviso e Belluno: Oderzo (Tv) | La Soprintendenza presenta i primi risultati delle indagini archeologiche in corso nell’area dell’ex pescheria: torna alla luce un eccezionale contesto di epoca tardoantica

ArcheoReporter YouTube: Ancient Christian Mosaics in Veneto: Exceptional Discovery in Oderzo at the Former Fish Market

Hall and Oats: Early Medieval Hall and Cereal Farm Found in Cumbria

Archaeologists from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology have uncovered a settlement dating to between the 7th and 10th centuries AD near Kirkby Thore, Cumbria.

Unearthed during investigations for the A66 project, finds include the remains of a large timber hall-like structure, as evidenced by a series of postholes.

In a rare find for the region, several ‘sunken-featured buildings’, partially subterranean huts often associated with textile production, were also discovered at the site.

Evidence for the production of fabric was also seen in the material culture via finds of spindle whorls used to spin thread - one of which was made from recycled Roman pottery - and the unfired clay weights used to weigh down the warp threads in upright weaving looms.

A possible threshing floor and grain pit were also unearthed. The grain pit, which had suffered a fire that preserved the charred contents through carbonisation, largely contained barley alongside some oats. The cereals were, seemingly, held in a storage basket, indicating the primary source of food for the Kirkby Thore farmers.

The discovery of the likely domestic posthole structure amid evidence for small-scale fabric production and the processing of cereal crops suggests the site was a large farm or farming settlement, occupied between c. AD 600 and 900.

Aidan Parker, Site Project Officer for OCA, told TAN:

‘The findings at Kirkby Thore provide an exciting opportunity to learn more about Early Medieval Cumbria. Dating from evaluation works pointed to a 7th-10th century date and the discoveries in the wider excavation have been in keeping with that timeframe.

‘In short, we believe we are looking at an Early-Medieval settlement that sprung up alongside the Roman road of Maiden Way, a link between Roman Kirkby Thore and Hadrian’s Wall.

‘The threshing floor and grain pit highlight specific agricultural practice, while artefactual evidence associated with spinning and weaving shed light on domestic activity.

‘All of this was [indicated] a farmstead in which people lived and worked continuing the occupation of Kirkby Thore from its previous Roman identity’.

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Oxford Cotswold Archaeology: Stripping back Early Medieval Cumbria, by Adam Parsons

OCA YouTube: Early Medieval Settlement Discovered During the A66 Excavations

The Archaeologist’s Notebook would like to thank OCA for their help with this story!

Break a Leg! Injured Late Medieval Hunting Bird Given Metal Splint

Archaeologists have revealed the probable use of a metal splint to help a valuable Late Medieval hunting bird recover from a broken leg.

Teams from Cotswold Archaeology and the University of Exeter used a CT scanner to investigate the discovery of a sparrowhawk’s leg bone encased in a spiral of copper alloy from the Rookery Farm site in Cambridge.

The results of the CT scan demonstrated that the metal wrapping surrounded and protected a leg break that had subsequently healed. Notably, the splints used in modern falconry are similar to the Rookery Farm example, which is either Late Medieval or slightly later, indicating that this find represents one of their antecedents.

Care this expensive and difficult was given to sparrowhawks because they were highly valued when used in the elite sport of hawking, a form of high-status hunting.

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Cotswold Archaeology: Facebook

All at Sea: 1776 Copy of the Declaration of Independence Discovered in London

One of only 11 copies of the Declaration of Independence printed in 1776 has been discovered in The National Archives in London.

The copy reached Britain after an American privateer ship - the Dalton - was taken by a Royal Navy vessel off the coast of Portugal on Christmas Eve in 1776.

Notably, the writer of the inventory listed the seized document, somewhat dismissively, as just ‘another paper’, meaning that its presence in the archives was only noticed by volunteer Michael Scurr during a cataloguing project of Revolutionary War-period Navy captains’ papers by The National Archive to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The Declaration copy was printed in New Hampshire between the 16th and 19th of July, 1776, part of attempts to spread the news across North America and beyond.

The National Archives’ Dr Graham Moore, curator of Revolution 250, said:

‘This is one of the rarest forms of the Declaration we know about. It wasn’t meant to be preserved – it was printed quickly and distributed widely.

‘What makes this discovery even more exceptional is that, as the only known copy taken by military action, we know much more about it – thanks to the bureaucratic processes of war.’

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The National Archives: Press | Blog: Finding a new copy of the US Declaration of Independence

Archaeologist Explains The Oldest Weapons In The World

How far back does the history of human warfare truly go? Today, Giselle investigates the oldest weapons ever discovered. From the hunting spears to 70,000-year-old projectile bows, Giselle explains them all!

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A well-preserved German WW2 StuG III tank destroyer buried after the end of the Second World War has been discovered under a military airbase in Germany.

The 24-tonne StuG was a tracked assault gun and tank destroyer with a fixed forward-facing 75 mm main armament. It was Nazi Germany’s most produced all-tracked combat vehicle.

Buried in an existing trench by personnel from the US Army Air Forces, and recently found in a thick layer of sand at the Nordholz airbase, situated near Cuxhaven, the StuG (Sturmgeschütz / ‘assault gun’) IIIG is in a remarkable state of preservation.

Dr Eva Susanne Fiebig, Head of the Administrative Tasks Department of the Federal Agency for Real Estate (BImA) in Koblenz, said:

‘The disposal of relics of war was intended to create a “zero hour” [Stunde Null] that allowed for a new life to begin unburdened by the past. The salvage story of the StuG [...] symbolises that a future without reference to the past is impossible.’

Dr Henning Haßmann, State Archaeologist at the Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage Management, said:

‘The discovery in Nordholz tells the story of the end of the war in Northwest Germany – a time for which there is comparatively little written record. While the fighting was ending all around, it raged here even more fiercely than before. Parts of the military equipment gathered for this purpose were subsequently disposed of directly on site.’

It will eventually go on display in the German Armed Forces Military History Museum in Dresden after an initial period at the Munster Tank Museum.

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BundesImmobilien: Neue Heimat für Nordholzer Sturmgeschütz (StuG III)

WELT: Der Sensationsfund von Cuxhaven

Bundeswehr: Sturmgeschütz wird im Deutschen Panzermuseum als Bodenfund gezeigt

A Grave Discovery: Intact and Sealed Roman Sarcophagus Found in Croatia

A sealed and lidded Late Roman limestone sarcophagus has been found in Cavtat, Croatia, site of the Roman colony of Epidaurum.

Excavated from its original, in situ, location at the Zorina 8 site by Museums and Galleries of Konavle, the Salona-type sarcophagus - a distinctive Late Roman type produced in the Roman capital of Dalmatia - dates to a period between the 4th and 6th centuries AD.

Remarkably, the sarcophagus, which weighs around 5 tonnes, still maintained the original lime plaster seal between the lid and the main body of the chest. The lid has a gabled roof with ornaments known as acroteria on its corners.

Upon opening, poorly preserved skeletal remains and probable clothing and/or grave goods were discovered in the interior.

Post-excavation analysis of the contents is ongoing. The empty sarcophagus is now on public display near the site of discovery.

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Muzeji i galerije Konavala: Facebook

dubrovački vjesnik: U Cavtatu otkriven iznimno rijedak kasnoantički sarkofag u izvornom položaju. Okvirno datira između davnih stoljeća

Circle of Life? Indications of Major New Prehistoric Circle Monument at Machrie Moor

A possible prehistoric timber or stone ceremonial circle has been discovered via a geophysical survey of Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran by archaeologists from Historic Environment Scotland.

The survey revealed the below-ground existence of twelve pit-like circular anomalies, arranged in a circle with space for two more as-yet-undiscovered settings. It is thought that the pits might have been postholes for a prehistoric timber - or even stone - circle.

The site at Machrie Moor is known for its numerous Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments, which include six surviving stone circles. Notably in view of the latest potential discovery, some of these stone circles were preceded by a timber post version on the same footings.

It seems probable that the newly discovered (likely) monument was constructed by the same Neolithic and Bronze Age population of farmers who built the confirmed ceremonial circles at Machrie Moor, which, as per HES, ‘align with a prominent notch at the head of Machrie Glen, where the midsummer sunrise would have been visible.’

Dr Nick Hannon, HES’ Senior Heritage Recording Manager, said:

‘We are tremendously excited about this new discovery. We know that there is a lot of archaeology yet to uncover at Machrie Moor, but the discovery of a new circle completely surpassed our expectations.’

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Report: Machrie Moor, Geophysical Survey Report

Historic Environment Scotland: New ancient circle discovered underground at Machrie Moor

TAN would like to thank Dr Nick Hannon and Historic Environment Scotland for their help with this story.

A Stitch in Time: Viking Age Fabric Factory Unearthed in Denmark

Archaeologists digging near Aarhus, Denmark, have discovered what appears to be a large Viking Age factory-like site focused on textile production.

The site at Søften is situated just 10 km to the north of the Viking Age international market town port and royal centre of Aros, today’s city of Aarhus, and may have been a planned factory-like centre for the mass production of textiles for both local and export use.

Finds of loom weights and 82 pit houses - partially buried workshop huts often associated with loom-based textile production known as sunken-featured buildings - as well as areas for processing flax are indicative of a major planned centre of textile production.

The large production-oriented specialised settlement is thought to have covered at least 100,000 m², with the ongoing excavations uncovering 48 pit houses to add to the 34 found during previous surveys in 2008 and 2013.

The wealth of the site and of its presumed elite owner, who likely lived in the lone domestic building discovered to date, is also indicated by finds of silver in the form of bullion and coin, and high-status decorated glass beads.

Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg, excavation manager and archaeologist at Moesgaard, said:

‘We do not see traces of an ordinary village, but of a production area that was specialised and organised on a large scale. The settlement appears with separate areas for production, crafts and a single residential house. The structure suggests that the activities were led by a central actor with control over resources and production.’

Kasper H. Andersen, historian at Moesgaard, noted:

‘During the Viking Age, Aarhus emerged as one of the kingdom’s most important trading centres under the king. But Viking Age cities did not arise alone – and Søften [is a very clear example] of this. Goods and resources were brought from the surrounding countryside, traded in the cities and thus entered the extensive international network of the Viking Age.’

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Moesgaard Museum: Moesgaard finder stor produktionsplads fra vikingetiden nord for Aarhus

In today’s episode of The Archaeologist’s Notebook, to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America, Giselle looks at a baffling archaeological find: how did a gunboat from the American Revolutionary War end up under Ground Zero in New York City? The site of the World Trade Centre memorial. Giselle has the answers here:

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Every Tuesday and Friday at 5 PM UK time, we premiere new episodes that dive deep into thousands of years of human history.

From the Romans and the Vikings to the earliest prehistoric civilisations, we’re uncovering it all, and you’ll spot me popping up there, too, so please do keep an eye out!

I’ll be back on Friday with more of the latest fascinating archaeology news and breakthroughs, complete with links to the peer-reviewed research and credible sources behind them.

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Well, the lovely people behind History Hit have just launched something new: The Archaeologist’s Notebook. When I say ‘just,’ I really mean ‘just;’ the first video on its YouTube channel went live about an hour ago! It’ll also be posting content to Facebook, social platforms, and most places you get your podcasts.

Just like A Whole Lot of History, The Archaeologist’s Notebook celebrates the latest archaeological discoveries and examines what they tell us about our shared past.

You’ll notice some differences that we hope you like, including links to videos from The Archaeologist’s Notebook. Excitingly, I’ll be appearing in some of those videos alongside host Giselle Király. In addition, please note that I’ll be publishing this newsletter at this new, slightly later, time so that we can incorporate the very latest TAN videos into the newsletter.

There might be other changes down the line, but all with the same intent: to serve you with illuminating stories from the wonderful world of archaeology. We hope you continue to enjoy reading them just as much as I love writing them!

Dr Tom

Old Gold! Tiny Iron Age Decorated Gold Foil Discovered in Norway

A minute piece of decorated gold foil depicting a couple - a Late Iron Age votive offering known as a gullgubbe - has been found in western Norway.

The thin gold foil is thought to date to between AD 600 and 800, and was found during pre-construction archaeological excavations in Leikanger. As academic Krister Vasshus has noted, this is the first find of such a gold foil in Sogn og Fjordane.

Gullgubber are considered to have had amuletic or cultic properties, and are often associated with elite Iron Age power centres in Scandinavia. In particular, these embossed gold foils are linked to ritual activity at high-status halls, being often found in the postholes of these large timber structures, possibly deposited as foundation offerings.

Only around 50 of the 4,000 gullgubber discovered in Scandinavia have been found in Norway, with the majority of findspots in Denmark. The Leikanger find joins another recently discovered Norwegian example from Hauge, Klepp, in Rogaland.

Gullgubber date to between c. AD 500 and 800, and are usually stamped with human figures often in the form of couples in affectionate poses, as seems to be the case for the latest find, the surviving fragment of which appears to preserve the male figure.

While the name gullgubbe translates to ‘little gold old man’ (vel sim.), this is somewhat misleading, as most depict a male and female couple facing each other.

Sigmund Oehrl, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Stavanger, notes that the couples depicted in gullgubber may be the Norse sibling gods Freyr and Freyja, or, more simply, a human married couple.

The Leikanger find was discovered by a team from the University Museum of Bergen.

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Universitetsmuseet i Bergen | Arkeologi i Vest: Facebook | Facebook

UiB: 1898 Gullgubber og gullkoner

Rogaland fylkeskommune: Sensasjonelt gullfunn – første av sitt slag i Rogaland siden 1897

Hold Your Horses! 2,500-Year-Old Bronze Chariot Points to Iron Age Iberian-Italian Luxury Links

A ‘unique’ bronze Etruscan-Italian miniature chariot dating to the 5th century BC, apparently deposited as a votive offering, has been unearthed at Casas del Turuñuelo in southwestern Spain.

The small chariot, possibly designed as a ‘mobile incense burner during ritual celebrations’, unique in the Iberian peninsula in its complex decoration and iconography, was both a luxury Italian import and a ritual offering made by members of the local Tartessian culture.

The partially preserved 2,500-year-old cart was found in a large building with an apparent ritual purpose, as suggested by the prior discovery of an altar made to resemble a bull’s hide. The find was made next to the so-called ‘banquet room’, the setting for a feast made by the local community before the apparent ritualistic ‘closing’ and burial of the building.

Two of the chariot’s miniature wheels and a section of the main body, 60 cm wide and 47 cm tall, have been excavated to date.

The complex piece was richly decorated and includes multiple religious motifs, including a depiction of Achelous, a river god popular among Greeks and Etruscans, here perhaps merged with a gorgon, possibly adding an element of the underworld. Two eagle-headed lions known as griffins are also part of the sophisticated scheme, with two Atlas-like male figures supporting the body of the chariot.

The find has no known parallels in Iberia, with the closest comparanda being made by the pre-Roman era Etruscan culture of Italy, currently seen as the most likely place of origin for the chariot.

Nevertheless, the chariot does seem to demonstrate the existence of luxury trade networks linking the region to the central and eastern Mediterranean, a suggestion supported by the discovery of Greek Attic ceramics, an alabaster vessel from Egypt, and decorated ivories depicting warriors from eastern sources.

Dr Esther Rodríguez, who co-directs the excavations, said:

‘These materials are providing us with extraordinary information to understand the commercial relations between the east and the Iberian peninsula. We are documenting imports and unique pieces that help reconstruct these exchange networks.’

The excavations are being undertaken by the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida, part of the Spanish National Research Council, and the Regional Government of Extremadura.

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Ayuntamiento de Guareña: Hallado en el Turuñuelo de Guareña un excepcional carro votivo de bronce, único en la península ibérica

CSIC: El hallazgo de un carro de bronce único en la Península evidencia un comercio de lujo entre Tarteso y el Mediterráneo | pdf

Arkeonews: 2,500-Year-Old Bronze Ritual Cart Unearthed at a Tartessian Site: Archaeologists Say Nothing Like It Has Ever Been Found

No Backwater! Biggest Roman Bathhouse Found in the Netherlands

The largest Roman bathhouse yet discovered in the Netherlands is being uncovered in Nijmegen.

Found in the Roman-era city of Ulpia Noviomagus, the monumental bathhouse sits within a wider emerging urban layout of housing blocks, high-status townhouses, a tower, and connecting streets. Artefacts include a copper-alloy bust of Bacchus, coins, hairpins, and jewellery.

The bathhouse, initially identified in 1992 and now being uncovered by RAAP and BAAC, extends over an area of at least 4,900 m², making it twice as large as the complexes at Voorburg (Roman Forum Hadriani - 2,200 m²) and Heerlen (Coriovallum - 2,500 m²).

It is thought that the construction of this monumental structure and other major public buildings might be linked to Emperor Trajan’s granting of city status to the settlement in c. AD 100. Built with marble, limestone, and sandstone, most of the structure was robbed out in the medieval period. Despite this, appreciable areas of the bathhouse survive, with sections of flooring, drains, and hypocausts between partially standing walls.

Commenting on the find, Radboud University’s Prof. Stephan Mols said:

‘If you’d been walking around here back then, you wouldn’t have got the impression that you were on the edge of the Roman Empire, such was the luxury and scale of the buildings.

‘The new finds show that the Romans did not regard this city as a backwater. There were a lot of soldiers here. When they weren’t fighting, they needed something to keep them occupied, so they built complexes like this.’

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Radboud Universiteit: Unearthed bathhouse reveals a thriving Roman Nijmegen. ‘The Romans did not regard this city as a backwater’

Guns and Roses: 1461 Wars of the Roses Skeleton Found in Towton?

Human skeletal remains found in Towton, Yorkshire, are thought likely to date to the notorious Wars of the Roses battle that took place there in 1461.

The bones were discovered by members of the Towton Battlefield Archaeology Project after the removal of a tree next to Towton Hall, an 18th-century manor house whose foundations partially covered the skeleton.

The Battle of Towton saw the Lancastrian Henry VI fight the Yorkist Edward IV on the 29th of March 1461. Although casualty estimates vary widely, Towton is generally considered to have been one of the largest and deadliest battles to have ever taken place in Britain.

Previously, skeletal remains, seemingly relating to a mass grave linked to the battle, were uncovered in 1996. Notably, the battle also saw the use of early handguns, with fragments of the firearms being discovered in 2010.

Project director, Tim Sutherland, said:

‘On Wednesday afternoon we’d thought we found a location of a grave because the soil was different to the surrounding soil and we investigated down a little bit and found a human femur.

‘It’s very rare that you can find an archaeological event from such a closely dated part of history.’

KNOW MORE

Yorkmix: Skeleton linked to bloody battle found in Towton

BBC: Skeleton found at War of the Roses battle site

Towton Battlefield Society: Website

Exciting news! We are also launching a YouTube channel, hosted by professional archaeologist Giselle Király.

Our first video focuses on a fascinating archaeological dig site in York that uncovered an impressive 82 skeletons, proving to be a gladiator graveyard! One of these skeletons in particular had been bitten by a lion.

You can watch Giselle break down this peculiar discovery here:

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If history teaches us anything, it’s that, while there is always change in the world, some things remain reassuringly constant. We’re making some changes here at A Whole Lot of History, but the core of the newsletter - revealing and reacting to the latest archaeological discoveries - will be the same. We’ll tell you more in tomorrow’s edition, which will land in your inboxes at a new, later time.

More to follow, and thanks, as always, for your support!

Dr Tom

Photo: Shannon Lewis-Simpson

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The discovery by a metal detectorist of a stamp used to press decoration into metal sheets of the type used to decorate the Sutton Hoo helmet may demonstrate that the famous early 7th-century helmet was manufactured in England and not Scandinavia.

The copper-alloy stamp found by Stephen Newbury likely dates to the end of the 6th or the beginning of the 7th century, and was almost certainly used to create foil panels on elite military equipment, as seen at Sutton Hoo.

The stamp, the only example found to date in Britain, and the panels it would have made are close to those on the Sutton Hoo helmet found in the Mound 1 ship burial, which is dated to the AD 620s.

Previously, it was thought that the helmet was most likely an import from Scandinavia.

The unique stamp, which was found near Lynsted in Kent, has now been officially recognised as Treasure.

Dr Andrew Richardson, Finds Liaison Officer for Kent County Council and the Portable Antiquities Scheme, said:

‘This small but remarkable find provides important evidence that helmets like the Sutton Hoo example could have been made in Kent, highlighting the skill and connections of early medieval craftworkers in the county.’

Canterbury’s Beaney House of Art and Knowledge hopes to display the find.

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Kent County Council: Kent find suggests Sutton Hoo-type helmets could have been made in England

Portable Antiquities Scheme: Record ID: KENT-23D64B - EARLY MEDIEVAL die stamp

BBC: Metal detectorist’s find may unlock hidden history

Water Find! Roman Mosaic of River God Unearthed

Archaeologists digging at the ancient city of Aspendos in Antalya, Türkiye, have unearthed a spectacular Roman-era mosaic of Eurymedon, the local river god.

Dating to the early 3rd century AD, the so-called ‘Young Eurymedon’ mosaic was discovered between the city’s acropolis and the theatre. The large artwork seems to have been built to decorate a pool.

The depiction features the god with a crown of river reeds and carrying more reeds in his hands. Eurymedon props himself on an amphora from which water pours in front of a river teeming with fish, symbolising the importance of the city’s river.

The subject would have symbolised and personified the Eurymedon river, a vital amenity and a direct link to the Mediterranean Sea.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said:

‘At the centre of the mosaic discovered on Theatre Street is a depiction of ‘Young Eurymedon’, symbolising the Eurymedon River that gave life to the city.

‘Enriched with reeds, an amphora, and fish figures, this composition reflects the symbolic representation of water, fertility, and life.

‘The work, notable for its colour transitions created with small tesserae, its richness of detail, and high-quality craftsmanship, is also of particular importance as it is one of the rarest depictions of a river god in mosaic art.’

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T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı: BAKAN ERSOY’DAN ASPENDOS MÜJDESİ (web translation available)

In a New Light: Early Illuminated Manuscript Bible’s Secrets Revealed

A scorched 5th-century AD copy of the Book of Genesis, one of the world’s oldest surviving illuminated Bibles, badly damaged in an 18th-century library fire, can now be read in greater detail than in living memory, thanks to new imaging techniques.

Held at the British Library, the 18 surviving burnt and shrunk fragments of the Greek vellum manuscript, named the Cotton Genesis after the owner of the library devastated by fire in 1731, were viewed under different wavelengths of light - such as ultraviolet and infrared - in a process known as multispectral imaging.

The British Library said that the results of the scans allowed the fragments ‘to be read for the first time in hundreds of years’, noting that ‘pages whose text was completely illegible underwent the most striking transformation’.

One particular fragment, f. 38r, which preserved parts of the end of Genesis 22, had text that was impossible to read under normal conditions. Thanks to the application of ultraviolet light, however, the text was confirmed to be from Genesis 22:22-23:1:

ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΔΕ Η ΖΩΗ ΣΑΡΡΑΣ ΕΚΑΤ[ΟΝ] ΕΙΚΟΣΙ ΕΠΤΑ. ETH ΖΩΗΣ ΣΑΡΡΑ[Σ]

And Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years. The years of the life of Sarah…

Latin additions to the Greek text have also been seen in a new light, with later medieval inscriptions discovered by Prof. Herbert Kessler on another fragment, f. 18r, shown under ultraviolet light to read ‘Dixit D[omi]n[u]s ad Abra[m]’ (‘God said to Abraham’).

As the British Library noted, the medieval Latin additions can tell us much about the object biography of the Cotton Genesis on its journey to the Cotton Library:

‘Such inscriptions were not previously known to modern scholarship. Based on the shapes of their letters, they can be dated and located with surprising precision. Some of them have been identified with 12th– and 13th–century Northern Italian hands, and some date to the 15th and 16th centuries.

‘This means that the trajectory of travel of the Cotton Genesis across Europe, only hypothetically suggested before, as well as its relation to famous artworks such as the mosaics of San Marco in Venice, can now be identified with greater clarity.’

The multispectral images of the manuscript can be viewed here.

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British Library: Rescued from the flames: the Cotton Genesis restored to life | Cotton MS Otho B VI

Roman-Era Greek-Egyptian ‘Curse Tablet’ Found Under Dutch Square

A Roman-era Greek-Egyptian inscribed lead tablet that includes ‘magical’ curses has been discovered in the Dutch city of Heerlen, formerly part of the Roman province of Germania Inferior.

The find is an example of a ‘curse tablet’, the name given to small, often lead, sheets or tablets known as defixiones or katadesmoi in Latin and Greek respectively. They were inscribed with requests to divine or demonic entities to harm or gain revenge on an individual’s enemies or rivals, and were popular across the ancient world.

The Heerlen curse tablet measures 9.3 x 4.8 cm and was found in a pit under the square in front of the town hall. At the time of its burial in the 2nd century, Heerlen was a military foundation known as Coriovallum.

Notably, the curse text is not, as might be expected for the northern regions of the Roman Empire, in Latin, but Greek, and the tablet as a whole is conceived in an Egyptian style.

Moreover, the tablet contains three magic symbols (Characteres) that, according to the University of Heidelberg’s Dr Rodney Ast, were probably designed to communicate the message to the supernatural.

Associated with the magic symbols are the names of two men with Latin names and two women with Greek names, who are described in the Greek text as fellow slaves.

Dr Ast suggests that the ‘tablet served either as a curse against these four slaves, or as a curse in their name against an unnamed person’, with colleague Dr Julia Lougovaya adding:

‘It cannot be ruled out that one of the two women was the author of the inscription and had brought the supposed ability to communicate with divine powers through such curses with her from Roman Egypt’.

Magical invocations as seen in the Heerlen find were particularly important in multicultural and multilingual Roman-era Egypt, with Heidelberg’s Prof. Dr Joachim Quack noting:

‘In the early centuries A.D., Near Eastern, Egyptian, Jewish, and sometimes even Christian traditions increasingly merged and spread throughout the entire Roman Empire of that time – a development that the discovery from Heerlen impressively underscores’.

The tablet is to go on display at Heerlen Museum.

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University of Heidelberg: “Magical” Artifact: Heidelberg Researchers Decipher Ancient Curse Tablet

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A Wessex Archaeology project led by Phil Harding has identified what may be a 5000-year-old ‘prototype’ for the solar alignment later seen at Stonehenge.

The Bulford site, which has been radiocarbon dated to c. 3,000 BC, indicates a pair of timber posts aligned with the summer and winter solstices. It predates the Stonehenge megalith standing-stone monuments, which are located 5 km away.

As Wessex Archaeology note:

‘The discovery reveals evidence for the earliest known alignment with the solstice in the Stonehenge landscape, showing that ancient people were using this feat of astronomical engineering to celebrate the solstice here at least 500 years before the alignment of the stones at Stonehenge.’

The Bulford alignment would have been constructed at the time the first earthworks were built at nearby Stonehenge. It is thought that the site would have been a focus for large-scale ritual gatherings and associated communal feasting at the solstices.

In total, 48 pits were discovered at Bulford, with their fill dated to c. 2,950 BC. Their contents, ceramics, worked flint, charcoal, and animal bone, suggest communal gathering and feasting over short periods of time, as might be expected from solstice events.

One particularly notable find from the pits was a disc-shaped flint knife, which, the archaeologists suggest, may have been deliberately deposited ‘as a symbolic reference to the sun’.

The pair of timber posts at Bulford were situated 120 metres from each other, positioned to line up with the rising and setting sun at the summer and winter solstices respectively. The alignment of the surviving post holes with the sun was modelled by Dr Fabio Silva, with the reconstruction suggesting accuracy within one degree.

Dr Silva noted:

‘This discovery helps us understand Stonehenge not as a singular creation, but as part of a much longer conversation between people, the land, and the sky. The alignment shows that communities were already engaging with both the summer and winter solstices in the Stonehenge landscape, centuries before the sarsen stones were raised. Rather than marking the beginning of a story, Stonehenge now more clearly appears to have emerged from traditions and practices with much deeper roots in this landscape.’

Although more simple than later constructions as seen today at Stonehenge, the monument, which was excavated as part of the MoD Army Basing Programme, would have fulfilled a similar role in the ritual and seasonal landscape. It is also thought possible that the first phase at Stonehenge might have been similar to that uncovered at Bulford.

Dr Phil Harding of Wessex Archaeology said:

‘In a few days’ time, Stonehenge will be filled with people celebrating midsummer solstice. But what few will realise is that 5,000 years ago on a nearby hillside overlooking modern day Bulford, people were doing the exact same thing – revering and celebrating the sunrise on midsummer’s day. The sun was incredibly important to these prehistoric communities, and they could plot and record its midsummer rising to a high degree of accuracy.

‘This discovery is probably one of the greatest finds of my career and what makes it so important is just how early it is. Up till now, our knowledge of this ancient feat of astronomy was based on Stonehenge and other monuments of a similar period, but what we’ve discovered at Bulford is 500 years earlier than the famous stones we know so well. It makes me incredibly proud to be an archaeologist.’

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Wessex Archaeology: Discovery led by Phil Harding reveals 5,000-year-old ‘prototype’ for Stonehenge solar alignment

BBC: Simpler, older version of Stonehenge found three miles from famous site

‘Extraordinary’ Roman Chariot Ring

A Roman gold ring with an inset gem carved with an image of the divine Victory on a chariot, seemingly buried in a period of major unrest in Roman Britannia, is to go on display.

With deposition in the hoard thought to date to AD 297, the heavy ring, which weighs nearly 50 grams, was found near Ilminster in South Somerset as part of a hoard that included the Roman coins used to date the find.

The Roman province of Britannia had been violently recaptured for the empire by the western Caesar Constantius Chlorus in AD 296 after a decade in which two breakaway ‘emperors’ had ruled Britain and parts of Gaul independently. It appears likely that the hoard of which the ring was a part was buried in response to Chlorus’ invasion and its aftermath.

The ring’s carved gemstone, known as an intaglio, depicts the winged goddess Victory driving a two-horse chariot, carrying the reins in one hand and a whip in the other.

Known as the ‘Ilminster Ring’, the find, which was originally discovered by metal detectorist Kevin Minto in 2018, has now been acquired by the South West Heritage Trust (SWHT) for display at The Museum of Somerset.

SWHT’s Senior Curator Amal Khreisheh said:

‘The Ilminster Ring is both large and heavy, with elaborate goldwork and a beautifully executed intaglio. While other examples are known, these elements combine to create a spectacular ring that is only paralleled by continental discoveries.

‘Its discovery sheds light on how South Somerset’s Roman inhabitants navigated a period of unrest from 286–296. It is likely the ring was buried shortly after, in 297, as part of a hoard including coins, lead and pottery objects’.

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South West Heritage Trust: Ilminster Ring

‘Untouched’ and ‘Exceptional’ C7th BC Etruscan Tomb Discovered

A hitherto untouched Etruscan burial mound dating to the 7th century BC has been identified and opened by archaeologists in Barbarano Romano, Lazio, located around 50 km from Rome.

The rock-cut mound, which was sealed by a large slab, preserves an intact burial containing multiple exceptionally well preserved grave goods.

The chamber tomb’s finds include ceramic containers associated with eating and drinking at funerary feasts, and high-status vessels known to contain imported oils and cosmetics.

Initial investigations suggest that the tomb contained two individuals, one of whom was positioned next to a spearhead.

It is the second intact Etruscan chamber tomb to have been discovered over the last year.

The archaeological authorities for the region, known as the Soprintendenza, said:

‘The necropolis of San Giuliano represents one of the richest funerary landscapes in southern Etruria. Research by Baylor University is yielding exceptionally valuable data, a unique context that opens new perspectives on Etruscan society’.

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Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria Meridionale: Facebook

Comune di Barbarano Romano: Facebook

Viking-Age Islamic Silver Coin Found in Scotland

A Viking-Age silver coin from Central Asia found in southwest Scotland, lost or hoarded by an individual connected to Viking long-distance trade and economic networks, has gone on display at The Whithorn Trust’s museum in Galloway.

The coin, known as a dirham, is a fragment of the original, and was found in Chapelyard, Galloway, by metal detectorist David Bartholomew. Subsequent identification was undertaken by Dr Carl Savage of the Treasure Trove Unit based at the National Museum of Scotland.

The dirham was minted on behalf of the Abbasid Caliphate, possibly in Baghdad (Madinat al-Salam), in the period AD 754-833. To date, all Viking-Age dirhams found in Scotland emanate from the Samanid Emirate, making it a unique example. The cut fragment, constituting about ¼ of the original coin, weighs 0.53 grams.

A fragment of this small size may have been a makeweight, added to a scale pan to balance the often cut or ‘hacked’ (generally silver, hence ‘hacksilver’) currency against the bullion weights on the opposite side of the balance. Those who used such bullion or ‘metal-weight’ currencies were, whether of Scandinavian origin or not, part of a Viking currency system that connected communities and traders from eastern Europe to the North Atlantic.

Dirhams appear to have reached eastern Europe and the Viking-Age Scandinavian world in their millions, providing those operating within Viking trade and monetary networks with much of the silver used, in bullion form, as cash and also as raw material for melting down into jewellery and indigenous Scandinavian coinage from possibly as early as the late 8th century to the mid 10th century AD.

It is thought that much of the dirham silver that reached the Viking world was payment for commodities sold by (largely or partially) Scandinavian groups to eastern European peoples like the Volga River Bulgars and to the Islamic world, with the bulk of those trade commodities considered to have been slaves and animal pelts, augmented by other goods like Baltic amber.

Ultimately, it is almost certain that the dirham fragment from Chapelyard would have reached Galloway via these silver payment based trade networks, with a possible source being either the armed Viking force known as the ‘Great Heathen Army’, or local groups connected to the Great Army economically and/or socially.

The Chapelyard find forms part of a new display at Whithorn that also includes part of the Viking-Age Talnotrie Hoard, found only 15 km from Chapelyard. On the importance of these finds and their interpretation, Dr Adrián Maldonado, Project Curator, NMS, told AWLOH:

‘This incredible find sheds new light on southwest Scotland before it became known as Galloway, and it is helping us understand material from the National Museum’s collections.

‘The Talnotrie Hoard from Kirkcudbrightshire dates to c AD 875 and was discovered in 1912, and includes two very fragmentary silver dirhams alongside Anglo-Saxon and Carolingian coins. This hoard has been overlooked for a long time, as it does not fit neatly into hoards of ‘viking’ type, exemplified now by the silver arm-rings in the Galloway Hoard, dated c AD 900.

‘Thanks to new work in England, we now know that Talnotrie’s mixture of local and foreign coins is no longer quite so odd, but is instead emblematic of finds associated with the Viking Great Army in the late ninth century. To find another dirham, which also pre-dates the tenth century, just 15km away suggests that southern Scotland is part of a larger story of trade and exchange spanning Europe and Asia in the Viking Age.

‘I am thrilled that the first display of this significant find is at the Whithorn Story museum, along with a selection of finds from the Talnotrie Hoard, which have been temporarily loaned from NMS for this occasion. It is a story of how responsible metal detecting is helping us fill in the gaps in the historical record.’

Dr Carl Savage of the Treasure Trove Unit, NMS, told AWLOH:

‘The dirham was a fun and challenging find to research, and has been an appreciated opportunity to contribute to the wider story of Scotland’s Early Medieval economies and the connections within Galloway. I look forward to seeing it on display.’

The Chapelyard dirham is on loan to Whithorn from the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright.

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Treasure Trove Unit Report: Drs Carl Savage and Janel Fontaine

Glenkens Gazette: The pilgrim route through Chapelyard - David Bartholomew

The Whithorn Trust

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Analysis of a Viking hoard has revealed the importance of silver derived from melted-down Islamic coins in the minting of the earliest Scandinavian coinages.

The hoard was discovered near Ribe - Viking-Age Scandinavia’s first town - and is now the subject of a new study in Archaeometry, The Damhus Hoard: New Insights Into Some of the Earliest Viking Silver Coinage.

The 266 coins in the hoard, described as ‘some of the first Viking silver pennies’, were minted in the early 9th century in Ribe, a key Danish market centre in the very earliest Viking long-distance trade networks. It is likely the hoard was deposited between AD 830 and 850.

The study’s analysis of the metal content of part of the hoard revealed that the Viking pennies, mostly of the ‘Wodan/monster’ type minted from c. 820 until the middle of the 9th century, contained a mixture of melted-down pennies from European sources and dirham coin silver, which may have arrived in Scandinavia already transformed into arm-rings and ingots, originally minted in the Islamic world, potentially as far away as Central Asia.

Crucially, the presence of the eastern dirham silver demonstrates that, according to the study, ‘aside from recycling existing Western silver in circulation, Eastern Islamic silver was being used in Denmark on a major scale from as early as the 820/30s’.

The use of silver from the Islamic world in some of the earliest coins produced by Viking-Age Scandinavians shows the economic importance of long-distance trade with the east from the beginning of the Viking Age.

Moreover, proof that major influxes of silver from Islamic lands were reaching southern Scandinavia as early as the 820s also indicates that dirham silver, and the trade it represented, was crucial to income and related numismatic development in the region before dirhams became significant elements of Viking hoards from c. 850.

In addition, the study shows that the volumes of silver from both eastern and (early 9th-century Frankish and Anglo-Saxon) western sources were sufficient from an early stage of the Viking Age to allow for the minting of hundreds of thousands of Scandinavian coins that were then used - alongside fragmented silver bullion known as hacksilver - as cash across the Viking world and beyond.

As AWLOH notes, the reasons for the eastern and western silver influxes would have been varied and are essentially impossible to prove archaeologically. We can, however, speculate that classic Viking raiding or pay-offs might explain some or much of the western coins, with commodities trade through the Russian and Ukrainian river systems explaining the presence of the dirham silver. Notably, it appears as if much of the eastern trade may have centred on Viking slave trading, with additional commodities including northern European furs and pelts and Baltic amber.

As the study concludes: ‘the use of Islamic silver for the analysed Damhus hoard coins demonstrates Scandinavia’s early connections to long-distance eastern riverine trade networks across Eurasia: even western areas of southern Scandinavia received wealth from trade with the Islamic lands’.

Speaking about the coins and the importance of such studies more generally, lead author Dr Thomas Birch of Nationalmuseet and Aarhus University told AWLOH:

‘The results from this study are exciting because we conservatively estimate these coins to have been minted in their 100,000s - indicating the amount of silver being used is significant.

‘We are working on mixing models to estimate more precisely the influence of Islamic silver being mixed into the coinage, but fair to say, it is major.

‘This shows how metal-detecting finds, combined with solid research, can provide us new insights about the Viking Age - they were trading long-distance with far away lands, at a time when many would consider them to be ruthless raiders.

‘Archaeometallurgy is fascinating because we can learn so much about ancient metalworking technologies and their sources’.

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Peer-Reviewed Paper:

Thomas Birch, Helle Horsnæs, Rasmus Andreasen, Claus Feveile, Stephen Merkel, Jane Kershaw, Guillaume Sarah, Rory Naismith, Jens Christian Moesgaard:

Birch, T., H. Horsnæs, R. Andreasen, et al. 2026. “The Damhus Hoard: New Insights Into Some of the Earliest Viking Silver Coinage.” Archaeometry 1–15. (Open Access)

AWLOH would like to thank Dr Thomas Birch for all his kind help!

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Work to rebuild a collapsed drystone farm wall has uncovered a Roman inscription thought to have originally formed part of Hadrian’s Wall.

The inscribed stone tablet, discovered in the foundations of the relatively modern wall by waller Jonny Lloyd on Sewingshields Farm in Northumberland, appears to reference a unit of the Roman army.

Reuse of Roman materials, or spolia, in later structures, a phenomenon known as spoliation, was commonplace in the area around Hadrian’s Wall, which became, in effect, an enormous and long-lived quarry for subsequent generations of farmers and wallers. This can also be seen in the Sewingshields farmhouse, which incorporates stones from the Roman wall.

Based on similar finds from elsewhere on Hadrian’s Wall, initial interpretation suggests that the recently discovered Sewingshields tablet is a well-known type of marker carved by units of the Roman army to indicate the part(s) of Hadrian’s Wall on which they laboured.

The Latin text may read:

VEXLAT

LEG II

AUGUST

This suggests the tablet was effectively a maker’s mark carved by a detachment (vexillation) of the legion known as Legio II Augusta - the Second Augustan Legion - to celebrate their completion of a stretch of Hadrian’s Wall.

Archaeologists from English Heritage and Northumberland National Park will undertake further studies of the new discovery, including the production of scanned 3D models.

The farmers, Jamie and Vicky Murray, hope that, after recording and study, they can put the inscription on display at Sewingshields Shed, a self-service kiosk and shelter near Milecastle 35 that serves people visiting and walking the Hadrian’s Wall footpath.

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Sewingshields Farm: Facebook

Thank you to Jamie Murray for his correspondence with Tom and AWLOH.

Glass Act: Early High-Status Roman Burial Found in Britain

Recent archaeological evaluation work by Oxford Archaeology at an undisclosed location in Britain has revealed a high-status Roman burial.

Finds in the cremation burial include a notably large amphora, reused as a grave-good vessel after an initial life as a storage container for wine, oil, or sauces, and a large collection of what appear to be high-quality ceramic tableware.

An impressive collection of blown-glass containers known as unguentaria, commonly used to contain expensive cosmetics and perfumes, were also found, pointing to the elite status Ceramic grave goods of an individual who was likely buried between AD 25 and 50.

The dating of the burial either side of the emperor Claudius’ successful invasion of parts of southern Britain in AD 43 suggests that it belongs to one of the very earliest Roman settlers, or even a ‘Romanised’ Briton who wished to be buried in the Roman style, either before or after the initial Roman settlement.

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Oxford Archaeology: Facebook

‘Unique’ Romano-British Brooch To Go On Display

A Romano-British brooch that fused Roman and British artistic influences is to go on display in November 2026 at the National Museum of Scotland.

Known as the Pathhead brooch on account of its discovery in 2022 near Pathhead in Midlothian, Scotland, the brooch features curved metalwork and striking red and yellow chevron or zig-zag enamel decoration.

It seems likely the metallic part of the 6 cm-long trumpet-headed bronze brooch was originally plated with silver-like tin, presumably to provide an even more attractive contrast with the strong primary colours of the enamelled panel.

Although discovered in what is now central Scotland, the brooch, which was valued enough to be repaired at one point, was probably made within the Roman province of Britannia at a site in today’s north of England.

Notably, the craftworker(s) responsible for its creation seem to have taken artistic inspiration from their native environment, but consciously combined it with Roman brooch styles. As National Museums Scotland note: ‘This illustrates one of the ways communities adapted to the Roman conquest, creating objects that kept old habits alive in a changing world.’

It is thought the brooch might have come to be in Scotland as the result of a process such as Roman-to-Briton gift-giving diplomacy, with the area around the findspot known for being inhabited by a group or groups who interacted with the Roman province. Indeed, the Late Roman period silver hoard found at Traprain Law hillfort in East Lothian speaks to major, long-term diplomatic relations between local Votadini people and the Roman state.

Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator of Prehistory and Roman Archaeology at National Museums Scotland said:

‘The Pathhead brooch is a miniature masterpiece of craftworking and the details are exquisite. Fancy Roman pieces like this were unusual even at the time and were used to show off in local society. Whoever wore it would have been out to impress, and I’m sure visitors will be dazzled by it when they see it up close in Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire.’

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National Museums Scotland: Unique Roman brooch discovered in Scotland to go on display for the first time | Dr Fraser Hunter, NMS Facebook video

History Hit: (£) The Traprain Treasure - with Tristan Hughes and Dr Fraser Hunter

Eau My Goodness! Ancient Port Found Under Toulon Naval Base

Archaeologists in France have unearthed an Iron Age and Roman port of trade underneath Toulon Naval Base in advance of a new aircraft carrier project.

The site, a former island now connected to modern Toulon (Roman Telo Martius), was active in trade from the 2nd century BC until the early 3rd century AD. Finds that attest to this activity include large quantities of amphorae and other terracotta ceramics.

The earliest evidence for trade, much of which appears to have been with Roman southern Italy, dates to before the Roman conquest, when the region was at least nominally under the control of Marseille, which was founded as Massalia in c. 600 BC by Greek colonists.

Roman-era finds include more examples of high-quality tableware, including fragments of marbled terra sigillata (‘Samian’) bowls, likely manufactured in the major Gallo-Roman ceramic production centre of La Graufesenque, situated c. 250 km (160 miles) to the north of Toulon, between c. AD 40 and 80.

The associated structures appear to have been a mix of domestic buildings and those associated with trade and the storage of cargo.

Inrap, France’s National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research, said:

‘Understanding the island’s evolution after the founding of Telo Martius [Toulon] is also an objective of ongoing research: the continued presence of this settlement within the perimeter of the Roman port city of Toulon raises many questions, as does its eventual abandonment.’

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Inrap: Les fouilles archéologiques sur la base navale de Toulon: premiers résultats (web translation available) | YouTube: Archaeological excavations at the Toulon naval base: initial results (English subtitle option)

These gems caught the AWLOH eye!

HistoryHit.com

(£) Rise of Augustus

Join historians Adrian Goldsworthy, Tristan Hughes, Dr Simon Elliott and Dr Hannah Cornwell as they explore how Augustus became Rome's first Emperor. They cover Julius Caesar's civil war and assassination, Augustus' ruthless takeover, and his battle with Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

The Ancients YouTube

This Is Spartacus! Tristan Hughes and Ben Kane

In 73 BC, a gladiator escaped slavery and launched a rebellion that shook the Roman Republic to its core. His name was Spartacus, and his uprising became one of the greatest threats Rome had ever faced from within.

Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to explore the dramatic story of Spartacus and his slave revolt that swept across Italy.

Book

Those Who Are About to Die - Gladiators and the Roman Mind, by Harry Sidebottom

Harry Sidebottom takes readers on a thrilling journey through a day in the life of the most iconic figure of the ancient world: the Roman gladiator.

Exhibition

Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire

14th November 2026 until 28th April 2027

National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh

Too often, views of Roman Britain stop at Hadrian's Wall. As the exhibition will explore, the Empire extended much further north, up to Scotland's central belt and deep into the north-east. This had lasting effects on Scotland’s people and history.

Emperor Gaius, a.k.a. Caligula.

🥾 Caligula means something like ‘Master Little Boots’, a nickname given to him as a child due to his wearing of kid-sized Roman armour and ‘caligae’ sandal/boots.

Marble bust found in Rome of Caligula wearing cuirass armour.

🏛 Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

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A 5,000-year-old spearhead has been found at the Pålsbufjord lake in Buskerud, eastern Norway.

Dating to around 3000 BC, the Neolithic spearhead is made of slate and was likely used for hunting in an area known for evidence of prehistoric moose hunts along the summer and winter moose migration routes that ran through local valleys.

The investigations at the lakeside were made possible due to the low water levels that exist before the annual snow-melt inundation.

Pålsbufjord is well known for prehistoric finds, with around 30 Stone Age sites found in the area. While most stone artefacts are flint, slate was also used, as with the newly discovered spearhead.

Buskerud County Council archaeologist Vanja Tørhaug said:

‘We have knowledge about moose hunting in prehistoric times from the area by Pålsbufjorden, where excavations have been made of both Stone Age sites and hunting pits [...] A significant part of the prehistoric activity that has taken place in the area has been linked to moose hunting’.

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Buskerud fylkeskommune: Fant 5 000 år gammel spydspiss da vannet sank (web translation available)

Spectacular Multiperiod Finds in Egypt

A marble head of Aphrodite is among new finds from the Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman periods at the site of Ihnasya al-Madina in the city of Beni Suef, Egypt.

The site has also produced a cartouche noting the birth and coronation names of King Senusret III carved onto a reused stone block, and a second cartouche with the name of the god Osiris-Naref, who was one of the central deities worshipped in the ancient city.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, who reported the finds, notes the significance of the Senusret III cartouche in particular, suggesting that the discovery confirms the royally endorsed sacred status of the site in the Middle Kingdom period.

Known as Heracleopolis Magna in the Classical period, the new finds from the multiperiod city include a Ptolemaic-era Doric temple, ceramic moulds for Roman coins, and an extension to a Roman basilica that was, ultimately, converted into a church.

Speaking about the Doric temple, Prof. Mohamed Abdel-Badi, Head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that preliminary studies showed that parts of it were reused in the 6th century AD as foundations and flooring for the large columns of the basilica, three of which remain in their original locations.

Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that the discovery of the extension demonstrated both the functional and architectural development of the basilica, which had originally been used in the Ptolemaic period as a public building for administrative and commercial functions.

Dr Sami Dardiri, Head of the Central Administration of Antiquities of Middle Egypt, said that the marble head of Aphrodite, viewed in conjunction with other statue remains and the evidence of economic activity seen in the Roman clay coin moulds, spoke to the continuing wealth and prominence of the city in the Classical era. AWLOH notes that the coin moulds would not have produced official coinage, struck at mints with metal coin dies, but may represent the phenomenon of ‘currency of necessity’, potentially officially tolerated stopgap local measures used to fill breaks in the supply of official coins.

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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities: Facebook (web translation available)

Pile On: Roman Bridge Found in the Netherlands

A wooden structure that may have been a Roman bridge has been found at the River Meuse in West Maas en Waal, Netherlands.

The oak timbers, which have been dated to the 4th century AD, are thought to have been foundation piles from a Late Roman river crossing or riverside amenity at a site that has also produced Roman ceramics.

The posts are large, with the longest measuring 11.5 metres, likely originally extending to a height of more than 13 metres. Dendrochronological analysis of the wood suggests the tree from which they was made was cut down in AD 363.

While the bridge interpretation may be the most probable initial hypothesis, the structure may also have been a landing site for boats, such as a jetty.

That bridge piles are the most likely explanation derives from their position relative to the ancient course of the river, the monumental length of the timbers, and parallel finds from known Roman bridges in the region.

Adding to the river crossing hypothesis is the placing of the structure at the narrowest point of the Roman-era Meuse, a location near a Roman road at a strategic route for local travel.

With work continuing, archaeologists hope to find further traces of the structure in the future.

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Provincie Gelderland: Houten palen uit 4e eeuw mogelijk Romeinse brug (web translation available)

Chop, Chop! Axe-Marked Bronze Age Timber Found in Yorkshire

Archaeologists excavating at Skipsea in Yorkshire have discovered a Bronze Age timber that has preserved the marks of the axe used to fell the tree.

The profile preserved in the wood suggests the axe was of the ‘socketed’ type whereby the wooden shaft was inserted into the bronze axe head, with the head also including a loop that allowed a cord to be attached to the shaft for extra stability.

The University of York’s Dr Jim Leary said:

‘The marks of the socketed bronze axe are clearly visible, and the thud of the axe is almost audible. Used - we think - as a post, perhaps for a trackway.’

Leary notes that the preservation of the cut marks is at a level where the team are hopeful that the axe head can be reconstructed.

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Royal Archaeological Institute: Dr Jim Leary & Dr Elaine Jamieson - Life on the lake: The prehistory and history of Skipsea, Holderness

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge: A Guide to British Prehistoric Axes

Wealthy Iron Age Woman’s Grave Found in Denmark

Archaeologists from Museum Vestsjælland in Denmark have unearthed the grave of a wealthy woman who was buried in Høm around 1,800 years ago.

The woman was accompanied by a range of grave goods, which included an ornate brooch, a bone comb, two ceramic vessels, and several decorated glass beads.

The brooch is of a high-status type known as a tutulus fibula, which is composed of a circular disc that is often decorated with patterning, gilding, or silvering, with a central protrusion.

The delicate burial was ‘block lifted’, which is the technique of extracting the entire find in a large block of earth to allow pre-excavation scanning - in this case, X-rays - followed by even more careful ‘micro-excavation’ of the individual finds under controlled laboratory conditions.

The museum is now awaiting the results of the X-rays, which are hoped to reveal the total number of grave goods and provide an indication of their condition, before proceeding with the micro-excavation.

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Museum Vestsjælland: Startling find in field – female grave discovered | Facebook

These gems caught the AWLOH eye!

HistoryHit.com

Inside the Wolf’s Lair: Hitler’s Hidden Nazi Headquarters

Luke Tomes joins WW2 and Third Reich expert Jonny Whitlam to explore the remains of the Wolf’s Lair complex today, imagining how decisions of such immense consequence were made in this remote, heavily fortified forest, and how close history came to taking a very different turn.

During World War Two, Hitler spent most of his time in his secret bunker, making it the perfect location for a group of German officers to attempt to assassinate him. The failed Hitler assassination attempt happened on July 20 1944, in the plot known as ‘Operation Valkyrie’. A bomb was detonated during a military briefing inside the complex, but Hitler survived with only minor injuries, allowing Hitler’s Nazi regime to carry on.

Film (£) | Article: Inside the Wolf’s Lair: The Hidden Fortress Where Hitler Doomed the Third Reich - Amy Irvine

Omaha: 24 Hours in Normandy

Conflict analyst Professor Michael Livingston steps onto the sands of France, scales the coastal bluffs and historic villages, to explore the first 24 hours on Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Moving away from the abstract calculations of high command, he meticulously dissects the first critical 24 hours of the landings to reveal how a morning that began in utter catastrophe ultimately transformed the course of the Second World War.

Film (£) | Article: Omaha: 24 Hours in Normandy – The Longest Day Unearthed - Amy Irvine

Book

This Little World - A New History of Tudor and Stuart Britain, by Nandini Das

The 16th and 17th centuries forged a powerful image of England – Shakespeare’s ‘scepter’d isle’, proud and apart, defined by royal spectacle and myth. But beneath this familiar narrative of ruffs and gowns, kings and queens, lies a more complex and connected reality.

England at this time was far from insular. Travelling in and out of the country were Venetian glassmakers with English wives, African innkeepers and Native American envoys. There were people like the Flemish artist Levina Teerlinc, probably the only painter to be employed by four English monarchs. There was William Adams, a Kentish navigator who became Japan’s first English samurai. And there was Elizabeth Key, daughter of an enslaved mother in the colony in Virginia, who battled in the courts for herself and her son.

Exhibition

Rock Art: Archaeology and Community

Kilmartin Museum, Scotland

Step into one of Scotland’s most remarkable prehistoric landscapes with this new special exhibition exploring the rock art of Kilmartin Glen. Rock Art: Archaeology and Community brings together recent discoveries from archaeological excavations at Carnasserie Farm, revealing how these ancient carvings were made - and what they may have meant to the people who created them over 4,000 years ago.

Eisenhower Gives D-Day Order

On this day in 1944, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, gave the order for the commencement of D-Day.

Emperor Gaius, better known as Caligula. Note the surviving elements of polychrome decoration, notably the eyelashes and pupils.

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An extraordinary hoard of three prehistoric gold arm-rings has been found near Carlisle.

The almost pristine rings, known as torcs, which all have distinctive fluted or flared terminal ends, were found on farmland near Harker, just to the north of Carlisle, by Alan Daniels and Andy Crammond, as part of a metal detecting rally.

Initial assessment indicates that the three torcs of differing sizes were part of a planned deposition, and were not casual losses. From this, a likely reason for their burial was ritual. Current thinking is that the hoard dates to the Bronze Age, albeit noting that torc use continued into the subsequent Iron Age.

The finds have been reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme under the Treasure Act.

Speaking exclusively to AWLOH, Alan Daniels said:

‘It was a very surreal moment when Andy showed me the first torc, almost like it was a prank. We were both speechless. When we uncovered the second torc, we looked at each other and just burst out laughing. It was an incredible day and one we’ll both never forget.’

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The rally was organised by Lothian Relics Metal Detecting, led by Lothian Relic’s Gary Robertson, in liaison with Allan Harty from North Carlisle Against Pylons and Substation, and with landowner permission, including that of the findspot owned by farmer Richard Forbes. AWLOH thanks Allan, Gary, and Alan for their help with this story.

Discover Carlisle | Cumbria Guide | Lothian Relics Metal Detecting Digs and Rallies

Cumbria Crack: ‘The find of 100 lifetimes’ Three Bronze Age torcs found near Carlisle

News & Star: Rare Bronze Age gold torcs unearthed near Carlisle

The Ayrshire Detectorist: YouTube

‘Hugely Significant’ Iron Age Hoard of Silver Coins and Mini Swords, Spears & Shields

Corinium Museum has acquired a unique Iron Age hoard containing over 160 silver coins and a set of remarkable miniature votive model shields, spearheads, and swords from what appears to be a major ritual site dating back over 2,000 years.

Deposited in the late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD, many of the silver coins in the Duntisbourne Hoard include a motif of a horse with three tails, typical of the local Dobunni people, who lived in a region encompassing Gloucestershire and northern Somerset.

Perhaps most notable, however, is the symbolic copper-alloy and iron miniature weaponry, which became a popular form of votive offering in Britain from around 150 BC until the first century AD.

On the circumstances around the burial, Corinium Museum notes that:

‘The coins and votive objects were found mainly in a post-hole pit, originally dug for a roundhouse building post, suggesting deliberate deposition, probably in a bag or bundle.’

The site is currently being investigated by archaeologists led by RAU’s Prof. Mark Horton, with the initial discovery made in 2021 by metal detectorist Kevin Houghton, who reported the find to the PAS. Houghton told the BBC:

‘It was just another of those days with another walk and another field, and now we have Iron Age coins coming out of the ground [...] It’s so good to say I’ve found something spectacular.’

Emma Stuart, Director of Corinium Museum, said:

‘Our Iron Age displays are of huge significance. The Iron Age oppidum, or fortified settlement, at nearby Bagendon shows clear evidence of local coin minting.

‘It is our responsibility to conserve this assemblage, after which the Duntisbourne hoard will become a focal point of the Iron Age gallery, celebrating the skill and craftsmanship of Iron Age artisans.

‘The discovery of the unique miniature votive shields and spearheads deepens our understanding of the ritual practices of the period and helps us connect more closely with the past.’

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Cotswold District Council: Unburied treasure: Iron Age coin hoard coming to Cirencester’s Corinium Museum

Corinium Museum: Iron Age Coin Hoard Fundraiser

BBC: Museum buys Iron Age hoard found by detectorist | Interview with Prof. Mark Horton and Emma Stuart (BBC Gloucestershire Facebook)

Hundreds of Possible Wine Amphorae Found in 5th-4th Century BC Shipwreck

More than 300 ceramic amphorae, possibly used to transport Greek wine across the Mediterranean, have been discovered in the wreck of a ship that sank in the 5th or 4th century BC off the coast of Reggio Calabria.

The discovery, originally made in 2023, is helping archaeologists reconstruct the maritime trade networks of the ancient Mediterranean, particularly as they regard the production of the pottery amphorae storage containers and the distribution of wine along the coasts of the Magna Graecia Greek colonies in Italy.

Currently, the site is being surveyed photogrammetrically in order to map each of the individual vessels and the wider context of the shipwreck. These studies, which include selective excavation and recovery of samples, are allowing the researchers to understand more fully the size of the site and assess how the cargo was loaded on the ship.

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Soprintendenza ABAP per la città di Reggio Calabria e Vibo (Facebook)

Devon’s Largest-Ever Roman Silver Coin Hoard

The biggest Roman silver coin hoard ever found in Devon has been unearthed by metal detectorists.

Recently declared a Treasure find, the discovery in South Hams of 97 silver and six copper alloy coins was made by Michael Eakers and Brian Dixon in 2025.

The silver coins, thought to be deposited as a hoard in c. AD 205, consist of 96 denarii and one drachm, with the copper alloy (bronze) coin element reported as four sestertii and two other as-yet-unconfirmed types.

The earliest coin or coins date to 32-31 BC, and were issued by Mark Antony. The latest coins were minted between c. AD 198 and 211, during the joint reign of Septimius Severus and his co-ruler and son, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, known popularly as Caracalla.

The rarest coin is the drachm, minted by Antoninus Pius in Caesarea Mazaca, situated in today’s Türkiye.

PAS Finds Liaison Officer for Devon and Cornwall, Dickon Perryman, told the Crediton Courier that:

‘This is likely to be the largest hoard of Roman silver coinage known from Devon in recent times’.

Co-finder Eakers added:

‘At the time, a Roman soldier was paid one denarius per day [...] With nearly 100 silver coins in the hoard, the find represents several months’ salary, so I think it was stashed and, for whatever reason, never retrieved.’

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Totnes Times: Largest silver Roman coin hoard found in Devon declared as treasure

Crediton Courier: Largest silver Roman coin hoard found in Devon declared as treasure

BBC: Roman silver coin hoard found in field

These gems caught the AWLOH eye!

HISTORY HIT

Historian Answers Google’s Most Popular Questions About The Napoleonic Wars

Marilyn Monroe: A Life in Pictures (Born 100 years ago on this day in 1926, Norma Jeane Mortenson - better known as Marilyn Monroe - would go on to redefine modern stardom.)

Dan Snow’s History Hit

The Great Fire of London

The Ancients

Spartacus

Not Just the Tudors

True Crime: Medici Murder at the Louvre

After Dark

Who tried to kill Queen Victoria?

American History Hit

How ‘New Amsterdam’ Became ‘New York’

Book

‘Blitz: When World War Two Came Home’ - by John Nichol

Drawing on diaries, official records and eyewitness testimony, the bestselling author of ‘Spitfire’ and ‘The Unknown Warrior’ delivers a moving and gripping exploration of the effects of the Second World War on British civilians, from mass casualty events to uncontrolled fires.

Exhibition

The Great Exhibition Road Festival (6–7 June)

With over 100,000 exhibits and six million visitors, the Great Exhibition of 1851 was the most attended public exhibition in London’s history. This year, its 175th anniversary is being marked at the annual free Great Exhibition Road Festival in South Kensington. Hosted alongside the Natural History Museum and Science Museum, this special edition features talks, workshops, and installations exploring the Great Exhibition’s complex history and its impact on science, the arts and communities today

The Coronation of Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England on 1 June 1533, at Westminster Abbey, in a lavish, high-stakes political spectacle.

The highly publicised event was used by Henry VIII to legitimise their controversial marriage following England’s monumental break with Rome.

Henry had Anne crowned with the St Edward’s Crown - usually reserved for reigning monarchs. This symbolic act was intended to secure the divine status of the new queen and her unborn child, whom Henry desperately prayed would be his long-awaited male heir. Instead, the visibly pregnant Anne bore the future Queen Elizabeth I. It marked the definitive peak of her power; just three years later, she would be executed for treason.

1 June 1967 marked the official release of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in the UK. However, it was actually rush-released a few days early in the UK on 26 May 1967 to meet high demand. It officially hit stores in America on 2 June 1967.

The iconic cover, designed by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, features the band in vibrant military uniforms standing in front of a collage of famous historical figures and celebrities. The album revolutionised popular music by pioneering the concept album format, elevating studio recording into an art form, and serving as the definitive soundtrack to the ‘Summer of Love’.

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