Community Archaeology

We are co-ordinating an exciting new community archaeology partnership across Yorkshire called Time Travellers.

It involves North Yorkshire County Records Office, Scarborough Museums and Galleries, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council Cultural Services and York Museums Trust.

Each has its own community archaeology project.

Trades and skills

York Museums Trust is working with modern experts, from hairdressers to butchers, to learn about how historic objects were made and used in the past.

Click on the menu to the left to find out more about our projects so far....

Mapping the past

Primary school children are investigating their heritage with North Yorkshire County Records Office, in partnership with Kevin Cale of Community Archaeology Ltd.

They are examining their local landscape, local archaeological finds and records from the archives, such as maps and photos, to learn more about where they live.

The photograph above shows children from Masham CE Primary School examining a human skeleton from York. Picture courtesy of North Yorkshire County Council.

Castleford Romans

Castleford residents are examining their town’s Roman past, in the project run by Wakefield Metropolitan District Council Cultural Services.

The town was a major fort and river crossing on the Lincoln to York road in Roman times and residents will be taking part in a variety of hands-on sessions to find out more about their heritage.

The project ties in with Wakefield District's winter 2007-8 Romans exhibition.

Practical prehistory

Scarborough residents are concentrating on their nationally-important prehistoric collections.

Through practical activities like building, cooking or making tools and jewellery, they have examined how people lived in the distant past.

These workshops led up to a big celebration at the Prehistory Fair, held at the Spa complex and on Scarborough beach.

Renaissance Yorkshire

All these projects are being funded by Renaissance Yorkshire, a partnership of museums, libraries and archives services in Yorkshire.

More information

Find out more about Time Travellers by contacting Dave Evans on 01904 687666 or email david.evans@ymt.org.uk