Swallowtail Archaeology : Dr Rachel Swallow FSA, FHistS

09/06/2026

Smashing in-person symposium day event with in about - Saturday, 20 June. Looking forward to taking part in this very much - along with Stewart Ainsworth, Will Wyeth, Ethan Harvey, & Mike Graham. With thanks to Win Scutt and Gary Ashby, for organising this important event.

Join English Heritage for a landmark day of discovery as we celebrate a new era of interpretation at Chester Castle.

31/05/2026

31/05/2026

I loved visiting this Row! Very special!

31/05/2026

Yesterday evening, I had the privilege of accessing private land with the landowner for a magical field visit for some lost and I am currently undertaking. Nature was certainly keeping an eye on me…!

24/05/2026

A recent visit to the brought the unexpected pleasure of discovering its fascinating Egyptian archaeological collection, including two evocative Middle Kingdom ‘soul houses’ on display. Dating from around 2055–1650 BCE, these pottery offering trays were placed within tombs to provide nourishment and comfort for the deceased’s ka, or soul, in the afterlife. Their open courtyards carried sculpted food offerings, while the structures themselves may have symbolised both a chapel and a dwelling place for the dead.

Centre stage within the collection is the Shebmut Mummy Case, a 3,000-year-old cartonnage case. Hieroglyphs on the beautifully decorated surface reveal that it was created for a young temple worker named Shebmut, who held the title of ‘Singer in the Interior of Amun’ at the temple of the god Amun.

The case was acquired in 1874 by Marianne Brocklehurst and her life partner, Mary Booth. Brocklehurst, the wealthy daughter of Macclesfield’s first MP and a major silk manufacturer, brought the case back to Cheshire after it was smuggled out of Egypt. Shebmut’s mummified body, however, was left behind. Brocklehurst’s diary claims that they buried the body by the river bank, although her contemporary, Amelia Edwards, later suggested it may instead have been thrown into the Nile.

Encounters like this are a reminder that smaller museums can hold extraordinary stories, often in the most unexpected places.

23/05/2026

Thanks for sharing this, Internet Archaeology. / through , , and is something I’ve been advocating and working with for some time. 👏

23/05/2026

We’re incredibly proud to share that Time Team has been shortlisted for two Broadcast Digital Awards 2026. 🎉

They are:
Best Specialist Channel
&
Best Digital Support for a Strand, Channel or Genre

Over the past few years, Time Team has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined - from new digs and documentaries to podcasts, live streams, masterclasses, volunteering opportunities, and a global online community passionate about archaeology.

To see that recognised by the Broadcast Digital Awards is a huge moment for the whole team. 💙

Most importantly, thank you to all of you who continue to watch, listen, support and take part in what we do. You’ve helped make this possible.
Fingers crossed! 🤞

22/05/2026

My connection to Castlerigg Stone Circle near Keswick commenced as a child, when visitors to it were rare, and the silence, sound, and beauty of its contextual landscape impressed me unreservedly, rather than merely the monument itself. As my deep love of, and fascination with, prehistoric archaeology grew immeasurably in early adulthood, I could no longer see prehistoric monuments as divorced from their siting within the wider landscape.

Little did I know then, following a career in business in the City of London, that landscape history would become the foundation of my second career in research, dissemination, and teaching. It was also the seed that opened my intuition, rather than any formal education, into our ancestors’ use and blending of all the senses, and particularly sound, with the landscape.

For decades now, I have explored through sensing place, to the extent that I am not only a Reiki Master, but also now training in ancient sound practices. Through that immersion, I continue to deepen my understanding and appreciation of the historic environment.

20/05/2026

Back from an amazing Spring Meeting trip to Halifax and environs with the , with expert-led tours and visits to sites usually kept ‘behind-the-scenes’. I was enthralled by all the venues visited, and I’m still processing it all.

I struggle to identify a single highlight - the whole weekend was truly magical - but the prehistoric rock art at the Panorama Stones in Ilkley is currently firing my memory and imagination. I’ve always had a deep and long fascination with prehistoric archaeology, more so than castles (but don’t tell anyone…!)

The Panorama Stones, located in St. Margaret’s Gardens, situated directly opposite St Margaret’s Parish Church, have wonderful ancient carvings that feature prominent cup and ring marks, concentric circles, and peculiar ladder-shaped grooves etched into massive sandstone boulders. Carved around 2500–1500 BCE (Late Neolithic to early Bronze Age), their exact original purpose remains a mystery, though theories suggest territorial markers, astronomical maps, or ritual symbols.

What do you think they were for?

19/05/2026

🎥 Exciting news from Park in the Past!

ITV Wales’ Coast and Country spent the day with us this week, filming our Roman fort reconstruction, exploring our Iron Age heritage and learning more about the ambitious plans shaping the Park’s future.

👉 Read the full story here: https://parkinthepast.org.uk/itv-wales-showcases-our-parks-ambitious-heritage-projects/