Doing Archaeology

If you are interested in getting involved in practical archaeology there are plenty of opportunities in the Nottingham area. Commercial archaeological organisations often run fieldwork projects for volunteers and provide appropriate training.  In Nottinghamshire we are particularly fortunate to have Mercian Archaeology, a Community Interest Company, set up specifically to serve the public by providing training and opportunities in archaeology.  Their training projects are particularly focused on the archaeology of Sherwood Forest.

You can discover more about Mercian Archaeology here.

Trent & Peak Archaeology, based in Chilwell, also often run community led archaeological projects, read more here.

Further afield, University of  Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS; they found Richard III in a car park in Leicester) also provide opportunities for volunteers.  More details here.

Class 1: Introduction

The slides for Class 1, An Introduction to the East Midlands, can be downloaded from here.

Welcome to An Archaeology of the East Midlands

There are many things that are unique and special about the East Midlands region; its varied topography from the uplands of the Peak District to the Trent Valley and its hugely varied archaeology, from Ice Age hunters to the birth of industry.  This class aims to provide students with an introduction to the archaeology of the East Midlands from the end of the last Ice Age to the modern Era. Focusing particularly on the archaeology of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, classes will explore some of the concepts of archaeological study of the past, give students a broad appreciation of the region’s past and introduce practical skills in archaeological research.  

Taught on behalf of the WEA and running over nine weeks from the 28th January 2015 this class takes place at the Community Room, Tesco Extra, Swiney Way, Toton, Nottingham, between 7.30pm and 9pm.