The chance of participating in an archaeological dig has been a long-time dream, though I had never considered it a real possibility. I grabbed the opportunity when I read the invitation from the Caistor Roman Project in an East Anglia Bylines ‘Something for the Weekend’ article last month.
The Caistor Roman Project
The Caistor Roman Project was set up in 2009 to encourage community involvement in archaeological discovery and research around the newly discovered Roman town of Venta Icenorum. The project group consists of volunteer archaeologists who have a wealth of fieldwork experience and who love to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with anyone interested to learn about the past.
They recently set up taster sessions for anyone over 13 years old to join their excavation team as a guest archaeologist for a day or longer. No prior experience was required. All you needed was a trowel (if you had one, otherwise they’d loan you one), a kneeling pad (which proved essential) and your lunch. I jumped at the chance.
The 2024 summer excavation focused on an area around the original layout of Venta Icenorum. First established around AD70, Venta Icenorum became East Anglia’s largest Roman town. The team’s objective was to further explore the 2023 investigation trench where they had found evidence of Late Iron Age and Early Roman occupation.
The site is in the grounds of Brasted’s Caistor Hall Hotel at Caistor St Edmund – just south of Norwich. The hotel’s new owners have been very supportive of the dig and kindly allowed volunteers who were camping to use specially allocated showers and toilet facilities.
Getting down to it
Our day started at 9am with a brief introduction and background to the project – all delivered with a cup of tea and slice of cake. The volunteers were then given the choice of ‘sifting’ or ‘’trowelling’.
After the tea break, there were two sessions to choose from. One was a show and tell, which introduced the group to some of the finds, followed by a discussion on what they were, the likely uses, origins, and clues about how to work that out. The other was a presentation on stratigraphy, which examines layers of earth, and the pits and trenches within, to date and explain objects found there, followed by a practical exercise to date groups of objects. I chose the second option, which was fascinating, and the task – a collaborative group discussion of the different objects was informative and fun.
I spent the afternoon on my knees trowelling and scraping an area that could have been the extension of a floor which had already been excavated. Luckily, I had my kneeling pad. It was hard work but rewarding, and again, conversation with other volunteers sharing the task distracted from what might have been a tedious job.
Shared discoveries and finds
During the day, the archaeologists examined and logged the pieces of pottery, glass, chippings, etc, that had emerged while we sifted and troweled. The more interesting pieces were taken round the volunteers to show and explain the findings.
The day before, one of the student volunteers had found a necklace near to the spot where, during the previous year’s excavation, a brooch had been found. The two pieces had clearly been carefully placed there but the archaeologists had no explanation for a possible reason. The excitement and pride on the young student’s face as her colleagues told me about her find was a joy. The whole group celebrated her discovery. And this collective response was delightful. All the volunteers seemed to take great pleasure in sharing the excitement of uncovering pieces of life from the past.
Reflections of the day
During the morning, while we sieved and examined the soil, we chatted about our lives, why we were there that day, and for example, whether the piece of flint just uncovered was of any significance. Being a collector of interesting looking stones, I probably spent too much time admiring wonderful shaped flint. But I did find pieces of glass and bits of pottery. My sieving companion uncovered an old Roman coin with a recognisable Roman general’s head on one side.
Throughout the day, there was a wonderful calm sense of camaraderie – a sense of sharing something significant. We were looking at remnants from people’s lives. People who had lived hundreds of years ago, and yet, they were the same human beings as we ourselves are – with the same needs, emotions, desires. Each with their own stories to tell about who they were, their priorities and fears, creations, and everyday lives. And their need to leave decorative objects, pictures and writings as evidence of their existence.
There’s something very humbling and at the same time, unifying, to share these days of discovery. Somehow, it feels a very intimate and personal experience. And all the time, taking pleasure from chatting to people I might never have met otherwise. People who shared a similar interest, and passion even, for discovery.
Why were other volunteers there?
I asked some of the other ‘amateur archaeologists’ about their reasons for volunteering. Curiously, none actually said they were there because they were interested in learning about the past, although that was probably implicit in the response, “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” Or, “I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was a child!”
Actually, the most common responses were, “for social reasons,” “because I grew up near here and have always been interested to know more about it.” And of course, most of the students were doing it as a compulsory part of their archaeology degree, though not all the students were from Norfolk.
The rewards of volunteering
I was interested that so many people expressed their interest in being part of a social activity as their reason for volunteering. While my reason was to experience the feeling of being part of an enthusiastic and informed group uncovering clues about the past, I underestimated the importance of the group element. This sense of sharing an experience, discovering something new with a community of people, all fascinated to learn about the lives of people past and present, was particularly special.
And the strongest drawcard for repeating the experience is the seamless way in which experts interacted with amateurs, sharing their knowledge and skills. What better way to try something you have never done before than by volunteering with a group where you can meet new people, get a real taste of what something different is all about, and all the time, learning from experts in their field.
Who knows where such a journey can lead you?
Click here to learn more about the Caistor Roman Village. And if you decide to do the historical circular route around the village, why not relax afterwards with a drink on the Caistor Hall Hotel terrace with its magnificent view of the countryside, and contemplate what life must have been like in Venta Icenorum all those years ago.
If you are interested in joining the next taster session, use the form in this link.
