Bournemouth University Archaeology and Anthropology

Follow us for news, events and research updates from the world of #archaeology and #anthropology at Bournemouth University Also pies

⚠️ Open Access report alert ⚠️ The Mortar Wreck: a 13th century ship wrecked off Studland Bay in #Dorset, carrying a cargo of Purbeck stone Including some rather stunning decorated grave slabs! www.cambridge.org/core/journal... Investigated by @bournemouthuni.bsky.social #Marine #Archaeology

Drawing of people climbing out of similar late C13th gravestones in the Last Judgement image of the Hereford Mappa.

At the end of a hectic (and stormy) week it's good to settle down with some Iron Age themed beer at the Big Dig Brewhouse Winterborne Kingston #Dorset Cheers 🍻

📢 New podcast alert 📢 Miles Russell of #BournemouthUniversity talks to Tristan Hughes of #HistoryHit for #TheAncients Podcast about: Caratacus: Great King of Britain A largely forgotten Iron Age hero Watch / listen here youtu.be/xfPEIovkm_o?... or wherever you get your poscasts #Archaeology 🏺

⚠️ Open Access report alert ⚠️ The Mortar Wreck: a 13th century ship wrecked off Studland Bay in #Dorset, carrying a cargo of Purbeck stone Including some rather stunning decorated grave slabs! www.cambridge.org/core/journal... Investigated by @bournemouthuni.bsky.social #Marine #Archaeology

An interesting and important article for a range of reasons - if you're interested in Purbeck marble, medieval shipping, medieval Dorset, or simply the mechanics of marine archaeology, this Open Access (i.e., free to read) piece is worth checking out. #Skystorians

All of these institutions (and maybe a few more?!) will be at #UAD26 to answer your questions about studying archaeology at university - see you there in just a week's time?! Book your FREE tickets here: www.ticketsource.com/university-a... and enjoy exclusive talks, tours and a careers panel!

The Romans were blamed for massacring these Iron Age warriors. But did they actually murder themselves? www.historyextra.com/period/iron-...

We've spent many hours with experts and professionals creating our guides on the threats to our heritage. They all focus on niche areas of our heritage world, giving great advice and signposting. They're all free to access, use and share, please see: davidbexhill.wixsite.com/sussexheritage

Maritime #archaeology fieldtrip to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Looking at the change in ships and life at sea between the Mary Rose 🏵️ Victory ⛵ and Warrior 🚢. Also saying hi to Hatch the ship's dog, dressing up and playing with long bows 😄👍 @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social

From 25 July, visitors to Avebury Stone Circle will be able to bring the cultural heritage of the World Heritage site to life, thanks to a project involving BU. Read more about it here - ow.ly/4xZW50WkRUB

The Roman Fortlet/Signal Station above the Valley of Stones, Dorset. Recently cleared of bracken. Situated on Black Down, it has line of site to Durnovaria and north-west to the known Roman fort on Waddon Hill. #RomanSiteSaturday #Archaeology #ValleyofStones

A Montelupo Olive oil jar found in multiple pieces on the wreck site of #HMSInvincible (which sank in 1758) being reconstructed in the Bournemouth University #maritime laboratory Olive oil formed part of 18th c Royal Navy rations as it was thought to last longer than butter #Archaeology

Same pit, different day?

Maritime #archaeology fieldtrip to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Looking at the change in ships and life at sea between the Mary Rose 🏵️ Victory ⛵ and Warrior 🚢. Also saying hi to Hatch the ship's dog, dressing up and playing with long bows 😄👍 @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social

Find out more about some of our favourite finds here: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/hi... We’d love to hear what finds you might have seen on display at National Trust properties, and which are your favourites! Let us know in the comments.

Some of the best archaeological finds are the smallest, simplest and most personal Late Iron Age decorated bone weaving / personal grooming combs like this are among our favourites 😀 Found in Wookey Hole Caves #Somerset and now in Wells and Mendip Museum 📷 August 2026 #FindsFriday

A Montelupo Olive oil jar found in multiple pieces on the wreck site of #HMSInvincible (which sank in 1758) being reconstructed in the Bournemouth University #maritime laboratory Olive oil formed part of 18th c Royal Navy rations as it was thought to last longer than butter #Archaeology

HART volunteers are also involved in a wide range of other activities including geophysical and earthwork surveys, research, excavation and leading engagement with visitors through displays, open days and guided walks, to name a few.

Same pit, different day?

Last week we shared a post on archaeological archives, but did you know there’s a whole online catalogue you can explore? National Trust Collections provides opportunities to search the over 1.1 million artefacts in our care, whether by property, category, or date. Perfect for #FindsFriday!

“Authoritative, informative and brilliantly thought-provoking. An essential and insightful examination of the history, folklore, archaeology and geography of Tintagel.” — Miles Russell, Bournemouth University, UK Start listening today: bit.ly/4x4FJwr

Thinking back to February when a team from @bumaritime.bsky.social and @nattrustarch.bsky.social excavated and lifted a piece of a 17th cargo vessel (the Fame of Hoorn) from the sand of Studland Bay #Dorset With children's play shovels 👍 #FindsFriday #Maritime #Archaeology

Dancing the stone Research by Fiona Colbert @bournemouthuni.bsky.social on the Bronze Age so-called *dancing stones* using timelapse photography "No instructions, no context, just bodies and feet" 💃🕺 Featured in this month's British Archaeology magazine #KeepDancing #Archaeology

A curious Celtic conundrum for #HillfortsWednesday A male mustachioed head said to have been found at Maiden Castle hillfort in #Dorset Is it Iron Age? 🤔 Part of the Rodney Legg collection 📷 © Trustees of the British Museum 2013.8017.106 Date unknown, importance unclear, investigation ongoing

Thinking back to February when a team from @bumaritime.bsky.social and @nattrustarch.bsky.social excavated and lifted a piece of a 17th cargo vessel (the Fame of Hoorn) from the sand of Studland Bay #Dorset With children's play shovels 👍 #FindsFriday #Maritime #Archaeology

Terrific to welcome #ProfMichaelDooley Dorset Lord Lieutenant to our HQ in #Poole where we work in partnership with @buarchanth.bsky.social @bournemouthuni.bsky.social clearing on #maritimescience

Another great find from the sea Heather and Liv from our maritime unit discovered this grindstone during a circle search near the 13th century Mortar Ship Wreck Such stones were rotated to sharpen tools and are known from the 9th century Could this be contemporary with the wreck? #FindsFriday

Dancing the stone Research by Fiona Colbert @bournemouthuni.bsky.social on the Bronze Age so-called *dancing stones* using timelapse photography "No instructions, no context, just bodies and feet" 💃🕺 Featured in this month's British Archaeology magazine #KeepDancing #Archaeology

For the #Stonehenge area, there is new imagery on Google Earth from August this year showing lots of #archaeology. Pits for missing stones at #Stonehenge plus the barrows just to the SW. Read this thread for more examples ... 1/8

Huge congratulations to two of our students, Niamh and Liv, on reaching some fantastic milestones while diving on the medieval Mortar Wreck 🥳 Niamh 50 dives Liv 75 dives Exploring history and experiencing the past from a whole new perspective 🏺⚓️ #ArchaeologicalDiving @bumaritime.bsky.social

An excellent day spent celebrating the life, work and legacy of Ivan Donald Margary, unsung hero of 20th century archaeology, history and heritage at the @cbasoutheast.bsky.social and #SussexArchaeologyandHistory conference

Another great find from the sea Heather and Liv from our maritime unit discovered this grindstone during a circle search near the 13th century Mortar Ship Wreck Such stones were rotated to sharpen tools and are known from the 9th century Could this be contemporary with the wreck? #FindsFriday

Huge congratulations to two of our students, Niamh and Liv, on reaching some fantastic milestones while diving on the medieval Mortar Wreck 🥳 Niamh 50 dives Liv 75 dives Exploring history and experiencing the past from a whole new perspective 🏺⚓️ #ArchaeologicalDiving @bumaritime.bsky.social

And now onto Maiden Castle as @durotrigesdig.bsky.social takes the new archaeology intake round the ramparts of Dorset's mighty Iron Age hillfort (with added Roman temple)

Is #amphitheatrethursday a thing? Anyway, here's the great Maumbury Rings at Dorchester which we're visiting today Top notch #Roman Archaeology

Early #HillfortsWednesday 😊

A Late Iron Age, Black Burnished Ware pottery tankard 📷 Sept 2026 Found as a grave accessory at Wynford Eagle and now in Dorset Museum It would have originally held just over 4 pints - cheers 🍻 #FindsFriday #FridayFeeling

And now onto Maiden Castle as @durotrigesdig.bsky.social takes the new archaeology intake round the ramparts of Dorset's mighty Iron Age hillfort (with added Roman temple)

Is #amphitheatrethursday a thing? Anyway, here's the great Maumbury Rings at Dorchester which we're visiting today Top notch #Roman Archaeology

Fun fun fun In the Shade shade shade 🤣

Out and about at Dorchester's Roman Town House with the incoming first years @buarchanth.bsky.social, lovely day for a great talk by @durotrigesdig.bsky.social!

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/news/2026-09...

Visiting the *Treasure Lost and Found* exhibition @dorsetmuseum.bsky.social and great to be welcomed by two women of the Durotriges 👋 #IronAge #Dorset #archaeology

Christening my #durotriges big dig tshirt by invading Roman Territory on the first day of my fortnight dig at Vindolanda the weather is just right not too hot not too cold. Morning tour complete digging begins after lunch!

Brilliant work going on here in #Dorset thanks to #NaturalEngland & @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social 👏👏 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

When something you've excavated becomes a set of souvenirs in the gift shop 🤩 The Langton Herring Iron Age copper alloy mirror at Dorset Museum as postcard, fridge magnet and keyring Reader, we bought them all 😆👍 #archaeology #prehistory

Meanwhile in our spare time at our #Poole HQ we are putting back together some #HMSInvincible1758 olive oil jars @buarchanth.bsky.social @bournemouthuni.bsky.social

A good time to re-share my piece revealing how a matrifocal Iron Age was not restricted to aDNA science since 2024, but was suspected first by 19thc. ancient historians and subsequently by French and then British archaeologists since the late 20th century: theconversation.com/ancient-dna-...

An excellent new archaeo-historical (or is that historico-archaeological?) podcast to get obsessed by 😊 👇👇👇👇