Archaeology Festival of Discovery at Earth Trust

£5.00 – £40.00
Book Tickets

Bring the past to life and get hands-on with history at this weekend festival showcasing the latest discoveries from the heart of ancient Oxfordshire.

Featuring a pop-up exhibition, lively talks, and hands-on workshops, this festival brings the past to life – and gives you the chance to get hands on with it too!

From life and death in a Roman villa to weird and wonderful everyday objects, what will YOU discover?

Delve into history and explore the hidden history of Wittenham Clumps, where DigVentures uncovered a previously unknown Roman villa and a vast Iron Age settlement. From the contents of a prehistoric pantry to the arrival of the first pet dogs in Britain, the results have provided an unprecedented insight into ancient life in Oxfordshire.

Join us and you’ll get to hear from our expert speakers, spark creativity in an ancient pottery class, or even enjoy a rare opportunity to get hands-on and learn to examine ancient evidence for yourself in a fun and practical workshop with our experts.

Free Pop-Up Exhibition

See the artefacts on display and meet the team behind the discoveries. The exhibition is free to visit in the Earth Trust Visitor Centre 09:30 - 17:30 throughout the festival weekend.

From Roman kitchen utensils to Iron Age coins, this pop-up display is your chance to see some of the 10,000 objects that we uncovered at Earth Trust. Featuring interactive elements and a chance to meet archaeologists throughout the day, it’s fun for anyone who is curious about ancient life in Oxfordshire.

Talks and Workshops

Immerse yourself in history, and enjoy a rare opportunity to get hands-on with ancient artefacts in a fun and practical session with our experts.

Day 1 - Saturday 17 February 2024

Discover the history of Wittenham Clumps with today's themes of bones and burials, and crafts and creativity.

Chris Casswell speaking at DigNation

WORKSHOP | How To Study Human Remains (09:30 or 13:30)

09:30 -11:00, or 13:30-15:00

What do our bones say about us? Our bones can reveal remarkable details about where we grew up, what we ate, our health, the lifestyle we lead, and more.

In this hands-on workshop with osteoarchaeologists Malin Holst and Jordi Ruiz Ventura, you’ll learn how to examine ancient human remains, take a closer look at some of the burials from Earth Trust, and understand what future archaeologists might be able to say about you – just by looking at your bones.

TALK | An Archaeologist's Eye View of Wittenham Clumps (11:00-12:00)

11:00-12:00

Panel discussion with DigVentures

How has Oxfordshire changed over the last 2,000 years? And what secrets have archaeologists found buried at the foot of Wittenham Clumps? From Iron Age ceremonies to inside a Roman villa, from early British blacksmiths to Roman artisans, this talk will take you on a whistle-stop tour of the latest archaeological discoveries at Earth Trust to provide a fascinating glimpse of a buried world and reveal how everything from houses to landscapes have changed over millennia. Plus Q&A.

Content advisory: This talk features images of human remains, and discussions of death and burial

WORKSHOP | Prehistoric Pottery and Drawing Class (12:00 or 16:00)

12:00-13:30 or 16:00-17:30

Take a little piece of the past home with you! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn about Iron Age and Roman pottery, while making your own prehistoric jar inspired by real-life examples uncovered at Earth Trust. We’ll also show you the tricks that archaeologists use for drawing them too – so that you can create your own illustrations – with no previous artistic experience required.

TALK | If Ancestors Could Talk: Life and death at a Roman Villa (15:00-16:00)

(15:00-16:00)

Malin Holst and Jordi Ruiz Ventura (York Osteoarchaeology)

When archaeologists discovered 40 Roman burials alongside a Roman villa at Earth Trust, it quickly became clear that the story of who lived here and what they endured had more twists and turns than you might expect. While many had lived to an ripe old age, some had been beheaded, and others had succumbed to a malnutrition mysterious disease. Where did they come from? What did they live through? And why did they die? From diet, health, migration, and cultural practices to how they were viewed by their community, this talk will share some of the surprising life stories that have been revealed from the tell-tale signs left in these bones. Plus Q&A.

Content advisory: This talk features images of human remains, and discussions of death and burial

Day 2 - Sunday 18 February 2024

Discover the history of Wittenham Clumps with today's themes of amazing animals and ancient artefacts.

WORKSHOP | Pet or Prey: How To Identify Ancient Animals (09:30 or 12:00)

09:30-11:00, or 12:00-13:30

How can you identify different animals from their bones? Or whether it was food, a pet, or part of a ritual?

In this hands-on workshop with zooarchaeologist Hannah Russ, you’ll learn how to tell different species apart, take a closer look at some of the remains uncovered at Earth Trust, and spot the clues that can tell us whether they were wild, farmed, kept as a pet, or whether their bones had been used for something else entirely…

TALK | Everyday Things: Weird and Wonderful Ancient Objects (11:00-12:00)

What do the objects we use every day say about us? And how do archaeologists unlock hidden meanings from ancient artefacts?

From everyday cooking utensils and huge jars stuffed with produce from an ocean away, to delicate jewellery and tiny weapons designed to bring down a horse, this talk will look at the weird, wonderful, and very useful everyday objects unearthed at Earth Trust, and what they can tell us about the Iron Age and Roman people who once owned them. Plus Q&A.

WORKSHOP | Hands-on with Ancient Roman Artefacts (13:30 or 16:00)

13:30-15:00, or 16:00-17:30

Sometimes people say you can almost feel the past, and in this workshop, you can really can!

Specialist David Griffiths will take you through a collection of Roman artefacts, showing you how to handle them, identify what they are, and use them to piece together a story from the past.

TALK | Amazing Ancient Animals (15:00-16:00)

Archaeology isn’t just about past people – it’s about ancient animals too! From wild beasts and hunting dogs to farmyard animals and the arrival of the first pet dogs, this talk will reveal how animals and not just humans have shaped the history of Wittenham Clumps.

Plus Q&A.

Our Speakers & Workshop Leaders

HANNAH RUSS
Hannah is a well-known Zooarchaeologist who doesn’t just examine ancient animal remains - she also writes the textbooks on how to do it! Plus, she’s one of the regular expert presenters for Channel 4’s popular TV show The Great British Dig. As well as examining the animal remains from Earth Trust, she has worked on many high-profile sites across Europe and the Middle East, including Lindisfarne, the Newport Medieval Ship, and five UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Through the analysis of bones, teeth and shells recovered from archaeological sites, Hannah can reveal what people ate, their uses of different animals, and the types of environments they occupied in the past.

MALIN HOLST
Malin is an Osteoarchaeologist who examines the human remains uncovered during archaeological digs. Through her work, she reveals the hidden life stories of past populations by searching for the tell-tale signs that are left in our bones. As well as examining the burials from Earth Trust, she has studied the remains from many high-profile sites such as Sutton Hoo, the Raunds Area Project, and the Battle of Towton mass grave. She is a Senior Lecturer in Osteoarchaeology at the University of York, where her research focuses on demography, palaeopathology, and funerary practices in Britain. Malin also undertakes the commercial osteological analysis of human remains excavated across England and Wales as part of her company, York Osteoarchaeology.

JORDI RUIZ VENTURA
Jordi is a Bioarchaeologist who has worked on numerous skeletal assemblages from Spain and Britain, from all periods. He has analysed skeletons from medieval mass graves of individuals who died from disease as well as massacres. Jordi also investigates what people ate in the past by using chemical analysis of human bones and teeth.

Jordi works for York Osteoarchaeology as an osteologist and is also undertaking a PhD at the University of York, where he analyses the health of children in the Anglo-Saxon period.

DAVID GRIFFITHS
David is a Roman pottery specialist who examines the ceramics uncovered during archaeological digs. Through his work, he can reveal details about how old sites were, their trading networks, function, who occupied them, for how long, and what they were doing. As well as examining the pottery from Earth Trust, David has studied the remains from world-famous sites including Pompeii, Vicus, and Vagnari Roman Imperial Estate. His research has covered everything from the use of artificial light in Roman households and, ceramics from the Surgeon’s House in Pompeii, to the relationships between Britons and Romans at Scotch Corner.

Location

Earth Trust, Little Wittenham, Abingdon, Didcot, UK

Earth Trust, Little Wittenham, Abingdon, Didcot, UK

Additional info

Are the talks suitable for children?

Children are absolutely welcome to attend the specialist speak talks, however, due to the nature of the discoveries (human remains) parental guidance is advised.

Are the workshops suitable for children?

The delicate material we’re handling and level of information being taught is designed for adults, and is not suitable for children.

However, young adults and teenagers aged 14+ are welcome to join a workshop if accompanied by an adult (parent or guardian) who also has a ticket.

Is there parking for the event?

Yes – Earth Trust Centre has a free car park with disabled spaces and alternative event parking areas will be signposted.

Can I bring a pet dog?

No – this is an indoor event and pet dogs are not permitted.

Is this event outdoors?

No – the event activties will all be taking place at indoors spaces.

However, if you’d like to take a walk up to Wittenham Clumps during your visit, please be prepared for muddy terrain (outdoor shoes are advised for this!)

How do I book?

All of the talks and workshops are available to book separately so that you can tailor your visit for your particular interests across the weekend. There is no discount for multiple bookings.