The Silchester Field School 2014 season
Report on Bursary Applicants supported by the Roman Society
The Silchester Field School campsite in 2014
The summer of 2014 saw an historic event: the completion of an 18-year campaign of
excavations within Insula IX of Silchester Roman Town, as part of the Silchester Field School.
Throughout its 18 seasons, the Silchester Field School has trained more than 3000 people of
all ages and backgrounds in fieldwork techniques, our undergraduates have spent over 2
million hours working on the site, and the Roman Society has helped introduce more than
100 young people to field archaeology through the provision of bursaries at the Field School.
Life Skills
It’s not all about using a trowel!
During the summer of 2014, the Roman ‘Town Life’ project hosted nearly 200 participants,
each and every week. For many people this was their first introduction to practical
archaeology and for many it will be the beginning of a lifelong passion. The excavation
teaches the basics of field archaeology, the core skills of our profession, but additionally it
provides the more generic and transferable skills such as team work and communication.
Living and working together on an excavation is an ideal way to build up life skills.
Being a Bursary Student
In 2014 the Roman Society gave 13 young people the opportunity to spend 1 or 2 weeks at
the excavation by awarding fieldwork bursaries. During their first week of attendance, each
participant attended a number of introductory talks on site: the archaeology, the finds,
Science @ Silchester, planning, surveying, writing context cards, geoarchaeology,
photography, working with visitors etc. But by 2pm on their first day on site all new
participants were already in the excavation trench with their archaeological supervisor,
putting trowel to soil. It is a steep learning curve – but definitely the best way to learn. At
the end of their time at Silchester, all participants will have a first class grounding in
archaeological fieldwork techniques which will allow them to take part in any other
excavation in the future.
Lesson #1: Bursary students learn to trowel
Lesson #2: Bursary students learn to Plan
Lesson #3: Bursary students learn flotation
Open Days
Each season we have 2 major Open Days on the excavation; up to 1000 people attend these
events. Our bursary students have always enjoyed getting involved, and explaining to
members of the public the intricacies of their own archaeological areas.
Explaining Science@Silchester
A Silchester Open Day can attract up to 1000 visitors
Open Day costumes: Living and Working together!
Studying Archaeology
Of the 13 young people supported by Roman Society bursaries in 2014, the majority were
from local Reading schools and colleges, and the remainder were from as far afield as
Somerset and Essex. All of these young people are intending to study Archaeology or
Classics at university, and a number of them will be joining the new University of Reading
Archaeology Field School in Wiltshire, in the summer of 2015.
The excitement of discovery! What is it?
Invaluable
The Roman Society bursaries have been invaluable for giving so many young people the
opportunity to attend the Silchester Field School. Without this financial help, many of these
youngsters would have been unable to spend this time working and living alongside
university students, helping to make decisions about their future career paths.
Receiving instruction (Fancy Dress optional)
The Silchester Field School is very grateful to the Roman Society for its support over the past
few years. Without its help we would have been unable to offer so many young people the
opportunity to take part in the research and training excavation at Silchester Roman Town.
Out of this academic year’s intake for Archaeology at the University of Reading, 3 students
were recipients of a Roman Society bursary, and chose to study Archaeology at Reading. In
addition, 4 of the 2014 Bursary students have applied to attend the Archaeology Field
School in Wiltshire this summer; their experience at Silchester has set them on a course for
life!
The end of an era
With grateful thanks,
Amanda Clarke & Mike Fulford, Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, 21st
May 2015
And it’s goodbye from us!