BBC History - UK (2022-01)

(EriveltonMoraes) #1
VISIT

Helping hands


More than 1 5 0 years ago, the British Red
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Museum of Kindness
British Red Cross Museum, London / Open now /
Booking required / redcross.org.uk

WEEKLY TV & RADIO
Visit historyextra.com for
weekly updates on upcoming
television and radio programmes

9J[FQGUDigging for Britain so
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I can’t quite believe I’ve been making
Digging for Britain since 2010. But I do
have a handy reminder of just how long I’ve
been doing this series, as when we set out to
film the first series I brought my tiny baby
along with me – and she’s just started
secondary school! I think archaeology has
enduring appeal because it’s such a fantas-
tic way of engaging with the past – it’s
physical and tangible.
And Digging for Britain captures the
excitement of archaeology. The digs are
real, we see those authentic moments of
discovery, and there’s also a huge range
of different sites and eras.

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It’s been a phenomenal year. The discover-
ies at St Mary’s, Stoke Mandeville, for
example, have been mind-blowing. Deep
underneath a Norman church, the archae-
ologists found Roman remains, including
some stunning stone statues.

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With large cemetery excavations, we can
apply osteological and palaeopathological

excavations might show us how a wide

through time. But small, targeted excava-

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What’s really exciting is that there are
always new techniques and methods
coming along. Geophysics is now standard
practice, before an excavation is started.

Drones have made aerial photography of
sites much easier, as well as being used to
spot potential new sites. And on big
commercial sites, the whole process of
recording is now digitised, making it much
easier to keep track of evolving discoveries.
Post-excavation techniques are also
always advancing. We’re now at the point
with ancient DNA where entire genomes
can be sequenced, for instance, and a new
development in radiocarbon dating now
allows mortar to be dated.

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I’ve done research on some of the finds
we’ve filmed, notably the infant bones from
Yewden Roman Villa in the first series,
where I noticed cut-marks on the bones
that no one had seen before.

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Not just one moment, but the whole first
series, because I did it with my baby
daughter and husband coming along with
me. That was a really special time.

Digging for Britain returns to
BBC Two in January

“The show captures the excitement


of archaeology – we see those


authentic moments of discovery”


The anatomist and anthropologist ALICE ROBERTS
(left) looks back on more than a decade of presenting the
BBC’s flagship archaeology series Digging For Britain,
and reveals what surprises the latest shows have in store

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HISTORY ON THE BOX


Alice Roberts in
Digging for Britain.
Finds this season
include Roman
remains in Stoke
Mandeville

These model vehicles were made by children in
Angola, mainly out of food aid tins they had
received from the Red Cross
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