Trade Unionists “Dig for Knowledge” at Historic Roman Site

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When thinking about archaeology, a few famous examples spring to mind – Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 for instance.

Or maybe Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr’s discovery of the Ark of the Covenant, and subsequent retrieval of the Holy Grail (okay, so perhaps that one isn”t strictly true). Well now you can add a group of trade unionists with no formal archaeological qualifications to that list of intrepid explorers!

An Educational Excavation

English Heritage, Unionlearn (the Trade Union Congress” [TUC’s] learning and skills project), professionals” union Prospect, History Matters and Reading University’s archaeology department have all teamed up on the 29th of July for a dig at the Iron Age and Roman settlement of Calleva Atrebatum, at Silchester in Hampshire.

The day consisted of expert tours, talks, demonstrations and the chance to sift through excavated material, looking for evidence of roman eating habits. A “Roman Blacksmith” also held demonstrations throughout the day. Educational sessions included practical demonstrations, environmental archaeology, photographing archaeology and. a tour of the Silchester Town Life project.

Speaking ahead of the event, Unionlearn’s regional Manager for the South and East, Barry Francis, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for union members to learn about archaeology and have lots of fun. It shows the variety of skills and educational experiences that can be opened up to people from all walks of life through union learning…”

Watch this space for news of the trade unionists” imminent discovery of Atlantis”¦

Joel Goldman

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