News
Secular and Religious History Through Time
Last December Eric Parry Architects hosted a seminar on collaborative work between archaeologists and architects featuring. Joe Brooks gave a talk with Jessica Bryan from MOLA called ‘Secular and Religious History Through Time’, on the history and archaeology of 50 & 120 Fenchurch Street. . PCA’s 2015 excavations at 116-120 Fenchurch Street revealed a complex…
Read MoreBehind the scenes at the Tower of London!
Our team had the privilege of visiting the Byward Tower to admire these fabulous medieval wall paintings. On the right, Archangel St Michael holds scales tipped by mischievous little demons, while Mary and John the Baptist stand to the left of what was once a dramatic Crucifixion scene. Centuries later, a Tudor fireplace – complete with a…
Read MoreHappy Lunar New Year!
This Chinese fire-breathing lion from Bermondsey Square is a very rare find! Dating to the 18th-century, the stoneware figurine’s design includes a spiral-patterned mane, green and honey-yellow glazes, and a hollow body, thought to hold incense. When lit, smoke emerges from its mouth to transform it into a fire-breathing lion. Possibly made in Fujian or Guangdong,…
Read MoreCoins of Cunobelin
For this week’s #FindsFriday we have two fantastic coins of Cunobelin, dating to around AD 8-41. The gold coin is a Cunobelinus Wild type quarter stater, depicting an ear of corn on one side and a horse on the other. Gold’s resistance to corrosion has helped preserve it, despite 2,000 years underground. The bronze coin…
Read MoreA Painted Dog’s Baculum
Former PCA employee Ellen Green has made the press with her PhD research on a bone assemblage found during 2015 excavations at a significant PCA site in Ewell, Surrey. Ellen has identified a remarkable Roman artefact: a 2,000-year-old dog’s penis bone (baculum) painted with red ochre. Ellen said “This is the only example I could…
Read MoreA Bird’s Eye View of Medbourne
This drone footage provides a stunning glimpse of millennia of evolving land use in Leicestershire. Iron Age and Romano-British features revealed during investigations in Medbourne included ditches, gullies, pits, and post structures, highlighting the long-term agricultural use of the land into the early medieval period. These features suggest activity on the settlement’s outskirts, either just…
Read MoreUnearthing Excitement at St Thomas More School
Last week, PCA had the pleasure of visiting St Thomas More Catholic First School to share the wonders of archaeology with their enthusiastic Year 3 students. Our archaeologist, Gareth Morgan, gave an engaging talk about the world of archaeology. The highlight of the day was a hands-on session, where the students explored a variety of…
Read MoreNewgate Street at COLAS
Kathy Davidson will speaking to The City of London Archaeological Society on Friday 15 November about PCA’s recent work at Newgate Street. This is a hybrid lecture – you can attend in person at St Olave’s Church, 8 Hart Street, London EC3R 7NB, or online through Zoom, you will receive the login information for the…
Read MoreNeolithic Frustration?
This week’s #FindsFriday is an unfinished Neolithic axe from Suffolk, known as a preform. There’s an issue with its butt end (the top part) which meant that, despite being nearly complete, it couldn’t be finished. Fascinatingly, the face in the right-hand image shows around three undeveloped points of percussion from being struck hard. It’s tempting…
Read MoreJOIN CBA LONDON AT THE AUTUMN LONDON ARCHAEOLOGICAL FORUM
There’s a great lineup at the LAF this autumn – with presentations on topics ranging from the Ice Age to the Georgian period. And the winner of the prestigious London Archaeological Prize – the ‘publication prize’ – for works published in 2022/2023 will also be announced. When: Monday, November 18 from 6-7:30pm GMT Where: UCL…
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