Digging for Britain: Leicestershire & Rutland archaeology projects to feature on BBC 

Projects led by Leicester archaeologists have been showcased on the new series of BBC Two’s primetime TV series Digging for Britain.

Two projects conducted by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) in Leicestershire and Rutland feature in the latest series, presented by Professor Alice Roberts.

The discovery of a unique Iron Age shield made from bark will feature in the third episode of the BBC Two series which is scheduled to air on Sunday 15th January.

The shield is thought to be more than two thousand years old and measures 670mm x 370mm.

It was found south of Leicester on the Everards Meadows site in 2015, as part of routine investigations on the site by ULAS archaeologists on behalf of the local family business Everards of Leicestershire.

The shield has been carefully constructed with wooden laths to stiffen the structure, a wooden edging rim, and a beautiful woven boss to protect the wooden handle.

The outside of the shield has been painted and scored in red chequerboard decoration.

Radiocarbon dating has revealed that the shield was made in the Middle Iron Age, between 395 and 255 BC.

Experimental work to try to replicate the shield in 2018 showed that similar shields could be quickly made using products sourced from mixed woodland with a simple tool kit.  

The resulting replicas showed that initial thoughts that a bark shield would be too fragile for use in battle were wrong and showed that the shield could stand up to heavy impacts from blades and arrows.

A bark shield, although not as strong as a solid wood or metal shield, is much lighter, allowing for speed and movement.

More information about the Iron Age shield can be found here.

The fifth episode in the series, airing on Sunday 29th January, will include a special report on the internationally famous Rutland Roman Villa. 

The villa featured prominently in the last Digging for Britain series when a unique mosaic featuring scenes from the Trojan War cycle and including the mythological hero Achilles was discovered in Rutland farmland.

The 11m by 7m mosaic is the centrepiece of a newly discovered Roman villa complex comprising a range of buildings including a domestic focus, aisled barns, circular structures and what is thought to have been a bath house.

The mosaic is unique in the UK, and one of only a handful from across Europe, to show Achilles’ battle with Hector at the conclusion of the Trojan War.

This year’s work was carried out by archaeologists from the University of Leicester and Historic England, working in partnership to gain a fuller understanding of the villa so that its story can be told from as informed a perspective as possible.

The excavations looked beyond the mosaic to investigate other buildings on the villa site and learn more about the lifestyles of those who lived there. 

More information about the Rutland Roman Villa can be found here.

As well as a team of professional archaeologists from ULAS and Historic England, the excavation provided training in excavation skills for University of Leicester archaeology students and over 100 volunteers from the local archaeological community.

John Thomas is Deputy Director of ULAS and also managed the Rutland dig. He said: “We are delighted to once again showcase the archaeology of Leicestershire and Rutland on national television. 

“It really highlights the fact that our region has an awful lot to offer from our rich heritage in this part of the country. 

“Through the work that ULAS do in the two counties, the results really shine a positive spotlight on the region that can often also contribute on the national and international stages. 

“These two projects illustrate very nicely the amount of new information that can be revealed from careful study of whole settlements, or even single objects – they each have their own stories to tell if the right questions are asked.”

University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) is an award-winning commercial archaeological unit that undertakes contracts across the UK.

The team features experts from several different archaeological fields and works closely with academic staff from the University’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History.

Leicester Archaeology students have the opportunity to gain valuable practical and professional experience with ULAS specialists during their studies.

All episodes of the latest series of Digging for Britain are available on BBC iPlayer.