Scattered throughout Europe are a handful of archaeological sites that over the years have revealed some remarkable fossilised fragments of Europe's earliest hominin ancestors. While the date and identity of these remains are constantly being reconsidered, they nonetheless provide important clues about the origins of humanity in Europe. Some of these sites are open to the public. > Read more

Hill Forts are artificially fortified or defended settlements located on hilltops constructed during the Iron Age; some are, however, thought to have originated in the Bronze Age. They are found throughout Europe, and vary greatly in type and density. Some of the larger Hill Forts became more like cities than simple fortresses. During the expansion of the Roman Empire many hill forts were assimilated by the Romans. > Read more

Every now and then an ancient hoard of some kind is found in Britain, usually as a result of someone sweeping a field with a metal detector. The museums in the Irish and British Isles have some spectacular examples of Iron Age hoards, whether hoards of coins or other valuable objects kept for safe keeping or votive hoards. > Read more

Shortly after invading Britain in 42 AD, the Romans were already pushing into the area we now call Wales. By 78 AD the conquest of Wales was complete, and Roman rule would last for about 350 years until the fall of the Roman Empire. The archaeology of the Romans in Wales clearly shows that their impact on native communities was not the same across the region. > Read more

Amphitheatres were built by the Romans throughout their Empire, and today some 230 are known about from Wales in the west, to Syria in the east, Scotland in the north, and Libya in the south. Built to impress, they are a defining feature of what would have been a wealthy Roman city or town. A number of well preserved examples are now still used to stage various spectator events. > Read more

Some of the most evocative Medieval ruins in the British Isles are those of abbeys long since abandoned, usually sometime between 1536 and 1541 when Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of Catholic Monasteries in England, Ireland and Wales. Some abbeys no longer function as a monastery but are nonetheless still in use today, perhaps the most well known being Westminster Abbey in London. > Read more

The Welsh Marches contain highest concentration of motte-and-bailey castles in both England and Wales. This is not that surprising given that the border, known as the Marches, has long been a source of contention between the two nations. From Wat's Dyke to Offa's Dyke and the many later Medieval castles, this self guided tour explores political history of this borderland. > Read more

No other ancient civilisation has held the attention of the West as much as ancient Egypt. Europe’s fascination with Egypt is almost as old as antiquity itself, and dates back to the ancient Greeks and Alexander’s conquering of Egypt. For centuries now Egyptian artefacts have been sold to private collectors and museums. Consequently, today there are numerous collections of Egyptian antiquities all over Europe. > Read more