Volunteers help to investigate Heslington East's past
Posted on 22 September 2008
A team of 20 volunteers started a Community Dig at Heslington East on Monday 22 September, under the supervision of Cath Neal, of the University’s Department of Archaeology.
The next fortnight will give the volunteers a great opportunity for hands−on experience of excavating what is a fascinating site
Cath Neal
Over the next fortnight the group will excavate the south of the site of a late Roman masonry building whose remains were unearthed by archaeologists earlier this year. The dig is close to where a 1,500 year–old skeleton was recently discovered.
The volunteers are local people, students on Higher York adult education courses, and members of the Greater York Community Archaeology Project run by Jon Kenny, of York Archaeological Trust.
The community dig is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at involving the local community in the archaeological investigations at the site. The University is developing plans for more community archaeology and education visits once the current investigations are complete.
Cath Neal said: "It’s always been our intention to involve the community as much as possible in the archaeology of Heslington East. The next fortnight will give the volunteers a great opportunity for hands−on experience of excavating what is a fascinating site."
ENDS