Yes - YOU can have a go!

Lots of people tell us that their favourite TV programme was Time Team on Channel 4 and how when they watched it they were always fascinated.

They marvel at how the archaeologists know where to dig, at what they find and how they can interpret a few stones, a shadow in the earth or a tiny pot shard as something from the Norman period, the Roman period  or even dare we say it the Bronze Age.  

This is exactly where Time Team members began their journey a few years ago when we embarked on a tailor-made 'learn some archaeology' course.  After a couple of hours we had learnt some new terminology, had started to excavate and ....were were finding things. By tea time we all had big smiles on our faces.

In this soil we can actually make out some Ice Age vegetation...

One team had found the water table and remnants of the ice age; another had found a mixture of pottery shards with a spread of dates  from the 1940’s to Romano-British; a third team was in a former midden with a real mixture of indescribable but later identified items including glass manufactured in Rosedale, on the North Yorkshire Moors; and finally the last team found amongst other things 'pea grit' as they struck our native bedrock of  magnesian limestone. However, on their way to it they found a Monk Fryston Brewery bottle neck identified because it still had the embossed stopper in it!

You can join too!

 
One thing we all had in common was a great sense of discovery and happy smiles on our faces particularly as we enjoyed answering questions in the pub later from fascinated on-lookers.

Last Summer in response to lots of people telling us they have always longed to Have a Go  we organised 6  Have a go days attended by 85 people, whose age ranged from 6 to 75+. Most were local residents but some came from as far afield as Grimsby and Skipton; we know everyone enjoyed themselves and think everyone found something’ archaeological’

In addition 10 groups of youngsters visited the dig and all had a go. They discovered lots of things including a sherd from a high status medieval wine jug and a very special Victorian brick which illustrated how Victorian industrialisation impacted on our village.
This Year you will be able to Have a go at our Big Village Dig on Saturday and Sunday 2nd and 3rd July
Training will be given and experienced excavators will be on hand to help and guide you discover what is just below the surface in your garden.
See the Big Village Dig page for more details

Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. We recommend you do not delay.

Register NOW to reserve your FREE place

Further reading:

Finding Fryston
Monk Fryston Excavations

Want to get involved?

Whether you are an experienced enthusiast or a beginner that has never done it before we would like to invite you to come along and take part in
Our Big Village Dig
in July

Big Village Dig