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Public archaeolgy in action (and me – my curiosity only just survived)

For most people in this area, those that don’t yet know about the marvels and wonders of the Prescot Street website, the white hoardings around the site could hide all manner of things… The rumblings and grindings and arrival and departure of plant give the impression that something huge and impressive is under construction behind the white boards, all to be revealed at a later date… Some local residents that grew up in the area, or those that study or work close by, can perhaps remember the previous incarnations of the site as housing, bomb-damaged site or car park.

But what about the archaeology? Would anyone consider that?

And doesn’t it make them curious? What else is going on?

Using information boards is one of the principal methods of communicating the past to the general public. The content of this type of communicative text is hugely significant – for most observers, this will be the only information they recieve about the history and archaeology of the Prescot Street site. A website is all well and good (very good I think), but your average internet attention span is low – and not everyone has internet access. So for all local residents, office workers, passers by, lorry drivers, rear view mirrorites, hotel visitors, lost folk looking for Tower Hill Tube Station, church goers, drinkers, curry aficionados and school-drop parents I give you….

The Prescot Street Dig information boards.

Design by Paula Carvalho

Text and images created by Guy and myself.

With the kind support of Grange Hotels

Feel free to drop by and have a nosy.

archaeologists, 43 Photos

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Cremation burial (1051) being excavated by Paula Paula's cremation (1051) ready for its geo-photo Close up of Paula's cremation (1051) Lukasz at work David sampling a possible cremation Site shot west south west Another soak-away.  What fun. Context (1095) if you were interested. The site office ?20th Century post medieval walls - part of South Tenter Street The side of my head Inhumation (1083) with the head resting on a tile Inhumation (1083) (1083) Second big quarry pit (1064) Ashley working on (1083) Tom's poorly preserved Roman burial with only long bones present Gary's inhumation waiting to be geo-photographed Votive deposit (1083) with flagon and black burnished platter Liz's inhumation (1006) Lukasz's inhumation (1032) with pot at feet David's cremation (1087) see journal for further details Paula's cremation (1051) David's cremation (1087) Ɓukasz excavating Roman skeleton (1032) View over the quarry Emptied pits Evaluation Trench Cleaning Cleaning Looking North East Ashley with Linear Looking South West Quarry edge & Soakaway Working Shot Working Shot South West Corner Zone 1 General View North West Corner Gary and Fergal at work Georgian brick vaulted cellars Foundations of Victorian Building Foundations of Victorian terrace house Georgian Cellar