Old Ox hillfort, Oxton

The visit takes place on Saturday 29th June, meeting 10.30am at the Green Dragon pub at Oxton and costs £12.50pp. We will visit Old Ox in the morning and talk about its location, earthworks and purpose before heading to The Bridge Inn, Oxton for lunch (or bring your own).

In the afternoon we will be visiting Fox Wood hillfort at Calverton and investigating the surviving earthworks and discussing the recent archaeology fieldwork. The day will finish with a visit to Southwell to hear about the latest fieldwork on the potential hillfort site at the Burgage (Burgage Earthworks project) where we will discuss our ongoing research.

To book a place please conatct matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk

Research continues in the final stages of the Early Bolsover Project (funded by Derbyshire County Council as part of the Limestone Journeys project), with test pit excavations ongoing. The latest interesting discovery was a Prehistoric ‘thumbnail’ scraper found in a Bolsover garden within the earthwork defences. Other artefacts found in garden sites include Late Saxon and Medieval pottery, decorated pieces of clay pipe bowls and a small piece of a decorated tile. An archaeology report and presentation for the public are planned for the Autumn.

A new book on dowsing and archaeology has just been published by Jack Golds of Albion Castle. Jack is a good friend of us here at MBArchaeology, and has dowsed for archaeological remains with us on many occasions.

Learn to dowse: A voyage into your sixth sense is out now priced £12.99, but can be bought for the reduced price of £10 through MBArchaeology. It is also available as part of a Dowsing starter pack which also includes a set of dowsing rods and a pendulum, again at a reduced rate of £20 (RRP £24.99).

To purchase a copy, send your details to matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk

The new Historical Honey website has now been launched, for which MBArchaeology is a contributor. First up is an article looking at the end of Time Team, and poses the question ‘what next’?

Read the article at http://www.historicalhoney.com/?p=483

Next week sees the final research take place for a new book on prehistoric religion. MBArchaeology will be visiting sites in North Wales including Lyn Carrig Bach (above left) and Bryn Celli Ddu (above right) as part of the research for The Migration of Souls: Ritual and Religion in Prehistory.

The book will trace the evidence for the foundations of early religion and ritual practice from the Upper Palaeolithic through to the Iron Age in Europe. Key themes focus on early art in the form of cave paintings and portable art, the burying of human dead, the importance of the animal kingdom, the introduction of farming, monument building and the importance of the sun, moon and other astrological alignments, culminating with the adoption of water-based religious belief in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages.

MBArchaeology will be working with the Derbyshire-based charity First Taste to deliver training sessions for carers based around using archaeology as a medium for social learning with the elderly in three resident care homes.

Training sessions will be delivered in 2013 at Staveley, Matlock and Swadlincote and will explore how archaeology can be used to stimulate shared learning and increase participation for current and future residents.

We can’t wait to get involved in what will be an exciting and rewarding project and look forward to working with the care centre staff!

“First Taste is the name of a charity that promotes arts educational and stimulative activities for frail older people in nursing and residential care homes and day care centres principally, but not exclusively, in the Derbyshire Dales”. http://www.firsttastecharity.co.uk/

To coincide with the Chesterfield Area Walking Festival (11-19 May) MBArchaeology is running three archaeology walks in Derbyshire.

Join us to find out about the history and heritage of this fascinating part of Derbyshire.

For more information or to book a place please contact matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk

Sunday 12^th May – Archaeology in the Landscape

A full-day guided walk that investigates the archaeology of the Limestone Journeys region between Langwith and Elmton in North-east Derbyshire. Discover the history of this fascinating landscape from Ice Age caves and Bronze Age cemeteries to Roman industrial sites and deserted Medieval villages, this walk examines the latest archaeological field work and looks at why the area was so important throughout time.

(5 miles, easy-going terrain, 10.00am – 3.30pm, option of pub lunch)

Cost: £10

Provider: MBArchaeology

To book: matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk / 07599 421816

Thursday 16^th May – Archaeology of the Hardwick Estate        

A three-hour guided walk that looks at the archaeology of the Hardwick Estate from Prehistory to the present day. It uses the latest archaeological fieldwork to examine the early Medieval village, the construction of the halls, the old Duck Decoy and the World War Two Military Camp.

(3 miles, easy-going terrain, some uphill, option of pub lunch, 10am – 1pm)

Cost: £6

Provider: MBArchaeology

To book: matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk / 07599 421816

Saturday 18^th May – Hidden Heritage in the Peak  

A full-day guided walk that investigates the history and archaeology of the Tansley area. Find out about local prehistoric sites, the Romans in Matlock, the industrial mills at Lumsdale and the history of Riber Castle as we explore the landscape of this fascinating area.

(5 miles, moderate terrain, some uphill parts, 10am-3pm)

Cost: £10

Provider: MBArchaeology

To book: matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk / 07599 421816

MBArchaeology is still looking for a volunteer or two to help out on projects and support other volunteers and Learners helping them get the most out of their experience. If you have a basic level of knowledge in archaeology and archaeological fieldwork methods and are interested in working with us, please contact matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk

Full details are availble on request.

The new season of MBA Walks starts on Saturday 23rd March with a full day field visit to the historic town of Newark-on-Trent.

Join us to investigate the Anglo-Saxon defensive settlement and cremation cemetery site, the Medieval castle, St. Mary’s Church with its Danse Macabre imagery and Civil War damage, the heritage conservation area of Millgate and the Civil War earthworks of Queen’s Sconce.

The full-day visit costs £12.50pp and runs from 10.30am-4pm.

To book your place contact matt@mbarchaeology.co.uk

Next date: Sunday 12th May, Archaeology in the Landscape

For full details of all the MBA Walks for 2013 follow the link: http://www.mbarchaeology.co.uk/mba-walks/