Archaeology students from University of Leicester to star in new Time Team episode

Archaeologists from University of Leicester have joined forces with the much-loved popular archaeology programme Time Team to produce a new episode dedicated to the excavation of a Roman villa in the Leicestershire countryside. 

This episode will air on Time Team’s YouTube channel on Saturday April 5th at 7pm.

The episode goes behind the scenes at one of the University’s archaeological fieldschools. The 2-week dig in May 2024 was run as a fieldschool for first-year students from the University’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History. For most, it was their first taste of an actual archaeological dig, with the added excitement of becoming media stars!  

The site in Leicestershire revealed evidence of late Iron Age occupation as well as a substantial Roman villa, likely built in the second century CE. These results are providing valuable new insights into the rural landscape of Roman Britain.

Using candid mobile phone footage taken by regular Time Team contributor Dr Philippa Walton, the episode adopts a ‘Dig Diary’ approach. It documents every step of the project, from initial geophysical survey, through the excavation and recording of archaeological remains, to careful examination of pottery, wall plaster and tiny fragments of ancient plants. Not only does it show how archaeologists collect and analyse information to understand the past, but it also highlights the range of skills students develop in their quest to become archaeologists.

Alongside staff from the School of Archaeology, Ancient History and Museum Studies, the project was supervised by experienced professional archaeologists from University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), who trained the students in the core skills needed for archaeological excavation. Meanwhile, Time Team provided expertise in geophysical survey and site interpretation. 

Dr John Gater of Time Team and Director of SUMO GeoSurveys, said: "Once again it was great fun working with everyone from the University of Leicester. We've collaborated on many projects over the years - most famously doing geophysics in the car park where King Richard III was found and then detecting some amazing GPR results from the Rutland Villa site with its extraordinary mosaic. At this fieldschool site it was exciting to see the students developing not only archaeological but also media skills; making archaeology accessible to all is one of the key aims of Time Team."

Dr Philippa Walton, Lecturer in Roman Archaeology at the University of Leicester, said: “This episode gives us a glimpse into the fantastic training opportunities available to Archaeology students at the University of Leicester. Our first-years enjoyed excavating and researching an important Roman villa site in the Leicestershire countryside. It was a real privilege for them to be able to talk about it to Time Team’s worldwide audience and who knows, we may even have some budding TV presenters amongst their number!”

Isabel Higham, University of Leicester Archaeology student said: “It was great getting out in the field and applying everything we’d learned in the classroom. Being able to showcase the Roman archaeology with Time Team was a massive bonus. Our episode will hopefully give anyone thinking about studying archaeology at university a better idea of what’s involved and they’ll also learn something about Roman Leicestershire along the way!”

John Thomas, Deputy Director of ULAS, said: “We have a unique blend of learning at our fieldschools, where students get hands-on excavation experience, working alongside professional archaeologists and academics to give then the best possible training and hopefully encourage them to be the archaeologists of the future. Having such a breadth of training helps with employability prospects too, and we have the proof that is working, as over half of the current ULAS team are alumni of the university.”