Britarch

The JiscMail Britarch forum closed on the 3rd April 2023. As closure approached without any replacment materialising, this webpage was created by Mike Haseler together with the forum. However things got strange: not only did the CBA shut down the old Britarch discussion forum, but posts informing users about new site(s) were blocked. That led to ...

Two Forums

Britarch (this site)
groups.io (as shown below)

'Wonderful' Roman terracotta head found during dig (Northumberland)

A rare terracotta Roman head has been unearthed during excavations by volunteers and archaeologists at a fort in Northumberland.

Rinske de Kok and Hilda Gribbin made the striking find while digging at Magna Roman Fort's northern defences.

Measuring 78 mm (3 ins) by 67 mm (2.6ins), the remnant depicts an unknown but regal-looking female figure with a centrally parted, four-strand plaited hairstyle - with some experts suggesting it could be a goddess.

Linsay Allason-Jones, a roman artefact specialist, said the find appeared to be "a practice piece made by an inexpert hand" which was likely made at the fort, near Haltwhistle.

She said while terracotta face pots are common in Roman Britain, free-standing heads are rare, and recalled a second, more accomplished terracotta head found at the Magna site in the 19th century.

Posted on 7 February 2026 | 12:33 pm

Trepanned skull of Viking-era man found in mass grave (Wandlebury, Cambridge)

The skeleton of a young 6ft 5in-tall (1.9m) Viking-era man who had undergone trepanation has been found in a mass grave.

A hole had been bored in his skull while he was alive. It had signs of healing before his remains were flung into a burial pit with nine other men, some dismembered.

Bone expert Dr Trish Biers suspects he had suffered from a pituitary gland tumour "causing headaches that the trepanning may have been an attempt to alleviate".

The grisly discoveries were found during a University of Cambridge training dig just outside the city last year and will feature on BBC Two's Digging for Britain.

Posted on 4 February 2026 | 8:51 am

Chalk giant attracts £330,000 donations in 60 days

The National Trust has said it has raised £330,000 in 60 days to buy land surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant.

The target was set in December to help fund the £2m purchase of 138 hectares (341 acres) around the ancient naked figure in Dorset.

The trust said gifts of up to £32,000 had been received from countries across the world, including Australia and Japan.

Posted on 3 February 2026 | 4:23 pm

Cylchlythyr Ionawr | Heneb | January newsletter

A message from the CEO

As we welcome a new year, I want to extend my warm thanks to all our supporters whose enthusiasm and commitment continue to energise Heneb’s work across Wales.

Over the past twelve months, we have celebrated a series of remarkable archaeological successes that highlight both the depth of our heritage and the dedication of those who help to share it.

Our community excavations once again demonstrated the power of local participation, uncovering new insights and revealing artefacts that shed light on daily life in Wales across the centuries. You will see that Heneb archaeologists feature in the new series of BBC’s Digging for Britain which is currently airing.

I was especially proud of the strides we’ve made in digital work in recent months. Before Christmas, during an event to celebrate Intangible Heritage at St Fagans National Museum of History, we presented a showcase of photogrammetry work including a buildings survey of Eglwys Saint Collen, Llangollen. It really is remarkable work, and it garnered huge interest. There will be many more opportunities like this in the coming 12 months.

In 2026, we look forward to another year of discovery and celebration of Wales’ extraordinary archaeological heritage.

Thank you for your continued support. It is vital.

Cofion cynnes,

Richard Nicholls, CEO

Wales Week London @ Burlington House
02/03/2026, 17:30 - 20:30

Join us to celebrate a year of archaeology, with special focus on the first Medieval Quay ever discovered in Wales.

This event is suitable for all, everyone is welcome and access is free!

Find out more…