This page has been printed from the Archaeology Travel website at www.archaeology-travel.com.
One of my earliest memories starting out as a first year archaeology student at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg is of rooms and corridors piled high with small wooden boxes, many of which were heavily laden with so-called acheulean handaxes. They just seemed to be everywhere; there were even a few knocking about in the students’ coffee, I mean study, room. These distinctive stone tools were named after an archaeological site in … Continue reading
A guest post by Vera Marie Badertscher. I could not help but think about this old gag when I read the new reprint of D. H. Lawrence’s Etruscan Places: Travels through Forgotten Italy. “And what does this ink blot remind you of?” asked the psychologist. “Sex.” “Hmmm, and this one?” “Sex.” And so it went, until the psychologist said, “You certainly think about sex a lot.” And the patient replied, “Who? Me? You’re the one … Continue reading
The in situ archaeology of Paris may very well be restricted to the Roman and more recent Medieval periods; the Roman baths beneath the Hôtel de Cluny, said to be one of the most outstanding examples of Medieval civic architecture, immediately spring to mind. But, Paris stands above all other European cities in one respect that makes the French capital an archaeo-phile’s dream destination all year round. Long after most of the archaeological sites have … Continue reading
Last week and just in time for this weekend’s Journées du Patrimoine (heritage days) the French Minister of Culture and Communication, Frédéric Mitterrand, announced a new label for historic houses in France, Maisons des Illustres – quite literally, houses of the illustrious. The houses that have been awarded this new badge of honour were not only singled for their historical value but also because of who lived in them; in fact the historical significance of … Continue reading
September is Scottish Archaeology Month; a programme of free talks, tours, exhibitions, workshops and hands-on activities that promotes the archaeological heritage of Scotland. This year marks the tenth anniversary of this nationwide programme of events, launched at the beginning of September in Newhailes, Musselburgh. To coincide with Scottish Archaeology Month, we will be publishing the Scotland section of Archaeology Travel. Archaeology Scotland Scottish Archaeology Month is coordinated by
Studying archaeology in South Africa not surprisingly focusses on the archaeology of Africa, more particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Classical archaeology simply did not feature in my undergraduate degree course. So when I moved from South Africa to England I knew very little about Britain or Europe’s Roman past. Through the research of a few archaeologists and/or classicists working on the Roman period, Mary Beard and Sarah Scott immediately spring to mind, I became quite interested in … Continue reading
Every year towards the end of June representatives of 21 States that have signed up to the World Heritage Convention gather to evaluate proposals for new additions to the list of World Heritage Sites. The 35th session of the World Heritage Committee has just taken place in Paris, and a total of 25 new sites were inscribed onto the World Heritage List, of these three are sites of natural importance, 21 are of cultural significance … Continue reading
Today the France section of Archaeology Travel is live, and just in time for anyone travelling to France this summer. If you have a combined passion for archaeology, France and travel, we have put together just the resource you need. We do not claim to have all the archaeology sites and museums in France listed on our website, but we certainly have the best, and a good range in the different regions of France and … Continue reading
As far as archaeological attractions go, the pyramids of ancient Egypt must surely rank amongst the most iconic of them all, along with sites such as Pompeii in Italy and Stonehenge in England. Iconic sites usually achieve their status because of their mystical capital. And as mythological baggage goes, the pyramids have more than their fair share. These spectacular examples of ancient architecture are imbued with more mystery and intrigue than any other archaeological site. … Continue reading
As of today, 1 April 2011, the South Downs National Park becomes Britain’s newest and fifteenth national park. At just over six hundred square miles, the park stretches from the ancient, cathedral city of Winchester, with its Iron Age Hill Fort, in the west to the seaside, market town of Lewes in the east. The park provides the setting for the South Downs Way, a national trail for hikers, cyclists and horse riders alike. Not … Continue reading
