AOC Archaeology Group

10/06/2026

Check out the new Iron Age VR experience at the Whithorn Trust if you are in the area!

03/06/2026

At AOC, social value sits at the heart of how we work as a core part of how we deliver meaningful, lasting impact through our projects.

Our Social Value ethos is built around four key pillars: Communities, Skills, Wellbeing, and Futures. Each one reflects our commitment to ensuring that archaeology creates benefits beyond the trench: supporting people, places, and pathways into the profession.

As part of our Futures pillar, we are delighted to support new apprenticeship opportunities in archaeology, working in partnership with CIfA and Cirencester College.

Apprenticeships play an important role in opening up accessible, practical routes into the sector, helping to build confidence, develop professional skills, and support the next generation of archaeologists.

Further details are available via GOV.UK:

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/VAC2000034323

GOV.UK - The best place to find government services and information.

29/05/2026

And just like that, the Ashburton Park project has come to a close.

Over the past two weeks, through rain, sunshine, and some truly spectacular heat, hundreds of participants have joined us in the heart of Croydon to explore the archaeology, stories and shared heritage of Ashburton Park. Children, families, community members, volunteers, local partners and AOC staff have worked side by side, learning together, asking questions, uncovering evidence, and thinking about what the past can mean for communities today.

Across the project, participants took part in excavation, finds processing, drawing, recording and creative interpretation. We were joined by specialist colleagues delivering workshops in zooarchaeology, archaeological illustration and geophysical survey, alongside drone recording, site tours, hands-on finds work, and plenty of lively conversations about what we were finding and why it mattered.

We found… foundations, sketches, stories, possible interpretations, unexpected moments of performance, and children confidently declaring 1997 coins to be ancient artefacts. Thank you, kids — we will treasure that one.

One of the great joys of the project has been seeing how many different forms of interpretation emerged: from careful archaeological recording, to drawings, community reflections, imaginative responses, alternative site narratives, and even blues singing as a way of thinking through place and memory. That is exactly why public archaeology matters. It opens up space for people to encounter the past in ways that are thoughtful, creative, personal and shared.

A huge thank you to everyone who made the project possible: our AOC Archaeology team, Croydon Council colleagues, the The National Lottery, volunteers, specialist contributors, local schools, families, community participants, our wonderful cafe/building staff and everyone who brought such generosity, curiosity and positivity to the site.

This is what archaeology does: bring people together, strengthen local pride, inspire new questions, and help communities see familiar places in new ways.

27/05/2026

Another gorgeous day at in as we finish our last few days of Digging Together, generously funded by the The National Lottery.

So many unexpected visitors arriving for site tours, finds handling, bone talk, mapping progression chats and… digging!

We don’t know what our final two days will reveal, but if experience serves correctly, big things on the horizon.

Gingerbread

23/05/2026

Ever wondered what more you can find out from super soggy sites?

Jack from AOC presented to the audience on the emerging evidence of deliberate selection and storage of puffballs and plants with medicinal properties by Iron Age communities. These ecofact remains have been identified on the spectacularly well preserved wetland Iron Age sites of Cults Loch, Black Loch of Myrton and Hyndford. Fascinating rare insights into puffballs being potentially used as part of a medical kit in craft working areas as well as other plant remains like willow being used for pain relief.

23/05/2026

A beautiful and sunny community archaeology project in the heart of Croydon, generously funded by

23/05/2026

AOC colleagues are at today to find out more about some really exciting recent research taking place across Scotland with a session celebrating work in the south west and updates on the regional research framework. Come and visit our stall if you want to purchase any of the AOC monographs including recently published Black Loch, at great price! (Cash only) See you there.

19/05/2026

Uncovering the Tweed has finished up the investigations at Fairnilee moated enclosure today. The trench across the ditch confirmed it was surrounded by a substantial cut ditch with some sealed deposits at the base relating to early infilling events. When it went out of use regular flooding events from the nearby Tweed have silted up the lower portion with later redeposited material relating to more recent agricultural improvements filling in the rest. The surface of the building on the enclosed platform was rich in burnt bone and wood charcoal sampled by our participants so we hope to be able to date the activity on the site more closely. Final recording was undertaken by local volunteers including young people from Borders Additional Needs Group who undertook the GPS survey of the excavated areas. Stay posted for more updates from our post-excavation programme in coming months. This project was funded by Historic Environment Scotland, National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland and the Fallago Environment Fund.

15/05/2026

It was brilliant to be in Whithorn this week to officially launch the new exhibition of artefacts from the Black Loch of Myrton, on display at the Whithorn Trust. After 13 years of excavation and analysis work, we’re delighted to be able to share the results through the final publication of the excavations, available to download for free via Sidestone Press, alongside the exhibition and interactive VR experience at Whithorn Timescape. Check out some of the highlights from Black Loch on the In Situ page, here. https://insitu.org.uk/2026/05/12/black-loch/

It was great to see so many of the volunteers who took part in the project over the years at the launch and to reflect on the many outreach activities that came out of the work at Black Loch over the years, including the full scale roundhouse reconstruction, and the brilliant DigTV, where local school pupils documented the progress of the excavations via their own TV channel! Thanks to for hosting, and we look forward to what’s next!