In: excavation
Food or foe? Exploring unusual plant foods along the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme
August 12, 2019Archaeobotanical remains, from prehistory to the post-medieval period have been uncovered along the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme. We know that cereal crops such as wheat and barley were staple plant-based foods at ancient settlements and sites along the route, and we uncovered the earliest physical evidence of the…
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Ask the Expert: Anglo-Saxon textile making on A14C2H
July 3, 2019Across the scheme we’ve uncovered items which relate to Anglo-Saxon clothing and textile production, sometimes in small amounts, and sometimes in larger, more concentrated amounts. In this blog, MOLA Headland finds expert Lyn Blackmore comments on the evidence we have so far… Q: To make clothes, Anglo-Saxons would first have…
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Rare Roman coin depicting ill-fated emperor Laelianus identified on A14C2H
May 20, 2019In the last #A14Archaeology blog, we looked at Iron Age coins in Cambridgeshire and found out from our numismatist, Julian Bowsher, about the significance of one particular Iron Age coin discovered along the route. In this blog, we’re taking a closer look at a rare coin with a more dramatic tale…
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Ask the Expert: Iron Age coins in Cambridgeshire
April 17, 2019The study of coins, and currency more generally speaking, is known as numismatics. In archaeology, numismatics can help us to ascertain precise dates and find out who occupied or passed through a particular site. They can also tell us about trade networks, belief systems and leadership. In this blog, find…
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Evidence of cremation in the archaeological record
April 11, 2019In this blog, we look at cremation urns, what they are, and what they mean for archaeologists. Our excavations along the route of the new A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme have led us to uncover fascinating stories about Cambridgeshire’s past populations and the discovery of human remains plays a…
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Ask the Expert: Senior Archaeologist
March 6, 2019This week, Emma Jeffery, Senior Archaeologist at MOLA Headland will be talking about the amazing archaeology of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme at Current Archaeology Live. In this blog, we find out more about her role on the Highways England scheme and what happens next. What has your…
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How are x-rays helping archaeologists identify finds from A14C2H?
February 21, 2019X-rays are a non-destructive way of exploring metal archaeological finds in more detail. They allow our finds specialists to reveal the true form of heavily corroded items and get a glimpse of the very fabric of an object, meaning they can better understand how it was made, its condition and…
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Earliest physical evidence of beer making process in Britain discovered on the A14C2H improvement scheme
January 30, 2019Our archaeobotanist, Lara Gonzalez Carretero, has uncovered what is believed to be the earliest physical evidence for beer-making in the UK, dating back more than 2000 years to the Iron Age, on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme. Evidence of early Iron Age porridge and bread-making has also been…
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Why do archaeologists get excited by named burials?
January 24, 2019Archaeological excavation at St James’s Piccadilly burial ground in Euston for HS2 is well underway and we are uncovering a large number of burials with surviving name plates. These plates allow us to identify the induvial buried. With over 40,000 burials expected to be excavated and roughly ten percent of…
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Meet the MOLA Headland trainees uncovering new careers in archaeology on HS2
January 17, 2019HS2’s archaeology programme is Europe’s biggest dig and is providing fascinating insights into the everyday lives of the people and communities who made modern Britain. It is also a great opportunity to bring fresh talent into the sector and upskill local people. In Birmingham, we’re working with partners: Laing O’Rourke…
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