Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Digging for Britain

Digging for Britain is a British television documentary series that explores archaeological excavations and discoveries across the United Kingdom, presented by Professor Alice Roberts and first broadcast on BBC Four on 19 August 2010.^[1] The programme follows a year of British archaeology, linking results from various digs and investigations throughout the country to highlight significant finds and ongoing research.^[2] Early series feature four episodes each, with organization by historical periods such as the Romans, Prehistory, Anglo-Saxons, and Tudors, while later series are structured geographically, covering regions like the North, South, East, and West of Britain, and feature six episodes each.^[3] Produced by Rare TV for the BBC, initially broadcast on BBC Four and moving to BBC Two from series 9 (2022), the show emphasizes both professional excavations and community archaeology, showcasing artefacts, sites, and scientific analyses that reveal Britain's ancient past.^[4] By 2025, Digging for Britain has reached its twelfth series, continuing to bring the latest archaeological insights to a wide audience through engaging narratives and expert commentary.^[2]

Overview

Concept and Premise

Digging for Britain is a British television documentary series that serves as an annual overview of archaeological excavations and research across the United Kingdom, emphasizing discoveries from both newly identified sites and ongoing investigations at well-established locations.^[5]^[6] Launched in 2010 on BBC Four, the series was created to highlight contemporary archaeological work by professionals and amateurs, responding to heightened public fascination with Britain's heritage following high-profile discoveries such as the Staffordshire Hoard.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[1] The core premise centers on compiling findings from a single calendar year into a unified narrative that connects diverse digs nationwide, illustrating the multifaceted layers of Britain's past spanning prehistory to the modern period.^[6]^[7] Early series organized content chronologically, sequencing discoveries by historical periods from ancient origins to later eras, while subsequent seasons adopted a regional structure, segmenting episodes by geographic areas including the North, South, East, and West.^[1]^[10]^[11] Professor Alice Roberts presents the series, linking the featured excavations to broader themes in British history.^[5]

Format and Presentation

Digging for Britain episodes typically run for 59 minutes each, allowing in-depth exploration of multiple archaeological sites within a structured narrative framework.^[12] The series generally consists of 3 to 6 episodes per season, providing a comprehensive annual roundup of significant discoveries across Britain.^[2] This format enables the program to connect disparate excavations into a cohesive story, blending on-site visits with expert interviews to convey the excitement and methodologies of contemporary archaeology.^[7] The narrative style emphasizes accessibility for general audiences, combining footage from active digs, laboratory analyses of artifacts, and historical reconstructions to elucidate findings.^[13] Visual presentation incorporates animations and 3D models to visualize excavation processes and ancient environments, alongside time-lapse footage that captures the progression of digs.^[14] These elements, such as animated reconstructions of sites like Burghead, help illustrate complex historical contexts without overwhelming viewers.^[14] Scientific techniques, including radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis, are explained in layperson terms— for instance, detailing how DNA sampling from ancient remains reveals migration patterns or how radiocarbon methods date organic materials—to demystify archaeological science.^[15]^[13] Over time, the series has evolved in its organizational approach to better engage viewers with Britain's diverse archaeological landscape. The first two series (2010–2011) were structured around historical periods, such as prehistoric, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval eras, focusing each episode on a specific timeframe.^[8] From Series 3 onward (2015–present), the format shifted to a regional focus, dividing episodes by geographic areas like North, South, East, and West Britain, often incorporating thematic specials to highlight cross-regional themes.^[11]^[16] This change allows for a more spatially grounded narrative, showcasing how local digs contribute to national historical understanding while maintaining the core premise of an annual archaeology roundup.^[5]

Production

Development and Producers

Digging for Britain premiered on BBC Two on 19 August 2010, marking the start of an annual series dedicated to showcasing significant archaeological discoveries across the United Kingdom.^[17] The programme was commissioned by the BBC to highlight contemporary archaeology and engage public interest in the field's ongoing contributions to understanding British history.^[5] The series was developed by producers at 360 Production, a Northern Ireland-based independent television company, with the initial concept focusing on aggregating and presenting the most notable national archaeological finds from each year in a structured, thematic format.^[18] This approach aimed to connect disparate excavations into a cohesive narrative, emphasizing regional and chronological themes to broaden accessibility.^[5] Funding primarily came from the BBC, supporting the production as a flagship educational series, while co-productions with entities like Northern Ireland Screen provided additional resources for specific series, such as Series 4, which received £30,000 in development funding.^[19] Over time, the format evolved from a one-off commission into a recurring annual production, reflecting sustained BBC investment in archaeology programming.^[5] Key milestones include a hiatus after Series 2 in 2011 until Series 3 in 2015.^[3] From Series 9 in 2022, the series expanded to six episodes per season, allowing for more comprehensive coverage of regional discoveries compared to the four-episode structure of earlier series.^[20] In 2019, 360 Production merged with Screencut and rebranded as Rare TV, continuing to produce the series under this new entity.^[18]

Filming and Post-Production

The filming process for Digging for Britain involves the production crew traveling to active archaeological excavation sites throughout the United Kingdom, coordinating closely with teams from universities, museums, and community groups to capture ongoing discoveries. These visits are scheduled to align with the seasonal nature of fieldwork, primarily during the summer months when digs are most active, ensuring footage reflects real-time progress rather than staged recreations. For instance, in 2010, the crew joined the Bamburgh Research Project during its second week of excavations to film interactions with site director Dr. Sarah Groves and the team.^[21] Similarly, filming at the Mesolithic campsite at Rubha in 2022 highlighted collaborative efforts, with crew members recording troweling, wet sieving, and discussions on site history to engage broader audiences.^[22] Technical methods emphasize portability and precision to minimize disruption at sensitive sites. High-definition cameras capture detailed close-ups of artifacts and stratigraphy, while on-site analysis allows for immediate expert commentary. Starting with Series 9 in 2022, archaeologists receive diary cameras to self-document breakthroughs as they occur, providing raw, authentic footage that the crew later integrates during visits by presenter Alice Roberts and specialists. This approach enhances the immediacy of the narrative, with examples including Orkney Islands excavations where diary footage revealed unexpected features.^[23]^[4] Post-production occurs at Rare TV's facilities, where raw footage from multiple sites is edited into regional episodes over a typical 6-9 month timeline, aligning summer shoots with January airings to cover the prior year's highlights. Editing incorporates expert voiceovers for context and CGI for site reconstructions, such as the 3D model of Coleshill Manor in Series 10 to visualize a 1642 Civil War skirmish. From Series 9 onward, digital tools like laser scanning have been featured for virtual modeling of artifacts, such as an Elizabethan shipwreck in a quarry, supporting enhanced visualizations without extensive on-site intrusion.^[24]^[25]^[26] Challenges include weather variability affecting outdoor shoots and the need for ethical protocols at protected sites, particularly those involving human remains, where filming adheres to guidelines from bodies like the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology to ensure respectful handling. The production also collaborates with the Portable Antiquities Scheme to verify and report non-treasure finds featured in episodes, promoting public awareness of legal recording requirements. Rare TV oversees these elements under the broader commissioning from the BBC.^[27]^[28]

Personnel

Presenter: Alice Roberts

Professor Alice Roberts is an osteoarchaeologist, anatomist, and broadcaster who holds the position of Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham since 2012.^[29] She began her career in medicine, earning a BSc and MB BCh from Cardiff University, and worked as a junior doctor with intentions of becoming a surgeon before shifting focus to anatomy and osteoarchaeology.^[30] This transition led her to lecture in clinical anatomy at the University of Bristol while pursuing a PhD, and her research now centers on evolutionary anatomy, osteoarchaeology, and palaeopathology.^[29] Roberts' academic path reflects a deep interest in human origins and ancient diseases, blending medical expertise with archaeological inquiry.^[31] As the sole presenter of Digging for Britain since its debut in 2010, Roberts has been central to the series, investigating and narrating the latest archaeological discoveries from sites across the United Kingdom.^[31] She bridges academic rigor with accessible public engagement by visiting excavations, conducting interviews with leading archaeologists, and providing scientific context to the findings, often appearing on-site to demonstrate techniques and emphasize their significance.^[5] Her presence in nearly every episode underscores the show's commitment to expert-led storytelling, making complex osteoarchaeological and historical insights relatable to a broad audience.^[32] The series has notably elevated Roberts' public profile, building on her earlier BBC work such as the 2009 documentary The Incredible Human Journey, which directly inspired her bestselling book of the same title published in 2010.^[33] Her enthusiastic and approachable presenting style has become a defining element of Digging for Britain's tone, fostering widespread interest in archaeology.^[32] As of 2025, Roberts continues to present the show—now in its twelfth season—while balancing her academic responsibilities at the University of Birmingham and authoring popular science books, including recent titles like Crypt.^[31]

Featured Archaeologists

The featured archaeologists in Digging for Britain are recurring specialists who provide expert commentary, ensuring continuity across series by drawing on their fieldwork experience to interpret discoveries. These contributors offer on-site analysis during excavations, lab-based interpretations of artifacts, and broader historical context to connect individual finds to larger narratives.^[34]^[35] Matt Williams, a Roman archaeology expert formerly with Time Team, co-presented series 3 (2015) and 4 (2016), delivering detailed assessments of Roman fortifications and settlements, such as those along Hadrian's Wall.^[35]^[36] Raksha Dave, a landscape archaeologist and broadcaster, joined as a reporter in series 7 (2018), examining Iron Age villages and Roman bath houses through environmental and spatial analysis.^[37]^[38] Naoíse Mac Sweeney, a classical archaeologist and professor at the University of Vienna, featured in series 8 (2019), contributing post-excavation insights on ancient structures and WWII-era artifacts to reveal technological and cultural developments.^[34]^[39] Onyeka Nubia, a historian specializing in diverse and underrepresented histories, has served as a reporter from series 9 (2022) onward, investigating Anglo-Saxon texts and medieval textiles to highlight multicultural influences in British pasts.^[12]^[40] Cat Jarman, an archaeologist focused on Viking Age sites and forensic methods, appears in series 9 (2022) and later, analyzing Scandinavian burials and artifacts to debate migration and identity.^[41]^[42]^[43] Stuart Prior, a medieval archaeologist and experimental practitioner at the University of Bristol, has been a recurring expert since earlier series, acting as a resident expert in series 11 (2024) and 12 (2025), leading community digs and recreating ancient pottery techniques for interpretive demonstrations.^[12]^[10]^[44] John-Henry Phillips, a Romani archaeologist and filmmaker, hosted segments in series 12 (2025), exploring 20th-century Traveller sites to provide context on modern heritage and community narratives.^[10]^[45] These experts enhance the program's credibility by conducting live fieldwork demonstrations, such as experimental recreations, and engaging in on-camera debates about the cultural and scientific significance of discoveries, often collaborating with presenter Alice Roberts at key sites like Viking graveyards or Roman towns.^[43]^[12] From series 7 (2018) onward, the inclusion of experts like Dave, Nubia, Jarman, and Phillips reflects a broader representation of diverse voices in archaeology, emphasizing underrepresented perspectives in historical interpretation.^[38]^[46]

Reception

Critical Reviews

Digging for Britain has been praised by critics for its accessible presentation of archaeological science, making complex historical discoveries approachable for general audiences. The series holds an IMDb rating of 8.2 out of 10 from over 10,000 user ratings as of 2025, reflecting broad appreciation for its educational depth without sensationalism.^[7] Critics have highlighted presenter Alice Roberts' engaging delivery as a key strength, with The Guardian noting in 2010 that she effectively "makes archaeology sexy" through her expertise and enthusiasm, particularly in episodes exploring multicultural aspects of Britain's Dark Ages.^[47] The show's non-sensationalized approach to finds, such as Roman coin hoards and Anglo-Saxon burials, has earned consistent acclaim for bringing attention to underrepresented sites and human stories behind the artifacts.^[48] Early series faced some criticism for pacing issues tied to the chronological format, with reviewers occasionally finding the steady progression through eras demanding patience amid detailed excavations.^[48] The regional shift in Series 3 (2015), dividing coverage across England, Scotland, and Wales, was welcomed for providing broader geographical representation and highlighting diverse sites like Viking burials and Pictish metalwork.^[49] Overall, the series is regarded as a benchmark for archaeology television, with critics like those in the Daily Mail describing it as a "gripping" exploration that evokes emotions across centuries through fragmented finds.^[50]

Viewership and Awards

Digging for Britain has achieved steady viewership across its run, particularly on BBC channels. The debut series in 2010 averaged around 2.5 million viewers per episode on BBC Two, with specific episodes drawing between 2.21 million and 2.75 million.^[51]^[52]^[53] On BBC Four, the programme reached a peak audience of 900,000 viewers in 2019, securing the channel's second-highest non-sport rating of the year.^[54] Episodes on BBC Two have consistently attracted 1 to 2 million viewers, exemplified by the 1.9 million for the series return in 2023.^[55] The 12th series in 2025, bolstered by streaming options.^[56] Notable peaks include the East episode of Series 6 in 2017, which contributed to the season's high engagement and subsequent recognition.^[57] The series received the Council for British Archaeology Archaeological Achievement Award in 2017 for the East episode of Series 6.^[57] Digging for Britain airs primarily on BBC Two and BBC Four in the UK, with international distribution on Acorn TV and Sky History.^[58]^[59] Episodes are available for streaming on BBC iPlayer. The programme's broadcasts have correlated with heightened public interest in archaeology, including greater reporting of finds through the Portable Antiquities Scheme, as the series frequently features such discoveries to promote voluntary recording.^[43]

Episodes

Series 1 (2010)

The first series of Digging for Britain consisted of four episodes broadcast on BBC Two from 19 August to 9 September 2010.^[17] It established the programme's core format by presenting a chronological survey of significant archaeological discoveries from the preceding year, spanning the Palaeolithic era to the Tudor period, while underscoring the vital role of amateur archaeologists and metal detectorists in unearthing many of these artefacts. The series highlighted how such contributions, often made by non-professionals, have transformed understanding of Britain's past, with finds submitted to the Portable Antiquities Scheme playing a central part.^[60] Episode 1, titled "The Romans" and aired on 19 August 2010, examined key Roman-period discoveries, including a hoard of over 52,000 silver coins found by metal detectorists in a Somerset field, dating to the late 3rd century AD and suggesting economic activity or ritual deposition.^[60] The episode also covered the excavation at Hambleden Roman villa in Buckinghamshire, where 97 infant skeletons were uncovered beneath a bath house floor, pointing to possible infanticide linked to a brothel, based on associated artefacts like brooches and coins.^[60] Another featured find was a 4th-century burial in York of a man laid atop a layer of butchered animals, interpreted as a ritual sacrifice.^[60] Episode 2, "Prehistory", broadcast on 26 August 2010, delved into ancient human activity, spotlighting over 70 flint tools and flakes from Happisburgh on the Norfolk coast, dated to around 800,000–900,000 years ago through stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental analysis, which extended evidence of hominin occupation in northern Europe by over 200,000 years.^[61] The programme further explored a Bronze Age burial site in Devon containing human remains and grave goods indicative of mourning rituals, alongside artefacts from the nearby Salcombe shipwreck—one of Britain's oldest known, dated to circa 1300–1100 BC—which yielded gold torcs and other jewellery, evidencing international bronze trade networks.^[62]^[63] Episode 3, "The Anglo-Saxons", aired on 2 September 2010, focused on early medieval finds, prominently featuring the Staffordshire Hoard, discovered in July 2009 by metal detectorist Terry Herbert in a Staffordshire field; this assemblage of over 3,500 gold and silver items, primarily military fittings like sword pommels and helmet crests, totals more than 5 kilograms of gold and is valued at £3.285 million, offering unprecedented insights into 7th–8th century Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship and warfare.^[64] The episode also discussed Anglo-Saxon burials at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, where skeletal analysis revealed interpersonal violence—such as weapon trauma—alongside evidence of care, like treated injuries, in high-status individuals from the 7th–8th centuries AD.^[65] The final episode, "The Tudors", transmitted on 9 September 2010, addressed later medieval and early modern sites, including excavations at historic locations like the foundations of the Theatre at Shoreditch in London, tied to Elizabethan drama, and other Tudor-era structures.^[66] Overall, Series 1 set a template for subsequent instalments by blending fieldwork footage, expert interviews, and laboratory analysis to contextualize finds within broader historical narratives, fostering public engagement with archaeology.^[8]

Series 2 (2011)

The second series of Digging for Britain consisted of four episodes, broadcast on BBC Two from 9 to 30 September 2011. It built upon the period-based structure of the first series, organizing archaeological discoveries chronologically to explore Britain's past from the Stone Age through to the Roman era, while emphasizing social history themes such as migration, burial practices, and cultural interactions.^[67] Key highlights included investigations into Viking influences in the "Invaders" episode (16 September), which examined Norse control in northeast England around York and featured a fresh analysis of the Lewis Chessmen, 12th-century walrus ivory pieces that illuminate medieval trade networks across Scandinavia and Britain. The series also spotlighted a major Viking silver hoard discovered in Cumbria, comprising arm-rings, ingots, and coins dating to the 9th-10th centuries, offering insights into Viking economic activities and hoarding practices during raids and settlements.^[68]^[1] In the medieval context, the program delved into social aspects of disease and community care through the excavation of a leprosy hospital site in Gloucestershire, revealing skeletal remains and structures from the 12th-14th centuries that demonstrated how affected individuals were isolated yet provided for in dedicated institutions, reflecting broader societal responses to illness. Themes of trade and maritime activity were further explored in post-medieval finds, such as Tudor-era shipwreck artifacts off Sussex, including cannon, pottery, and navigational tools from a 16th-century vessel, which underscored England's expanding naval and commercial ambitions during the Elizabethan period.^[69] The series incorporated Industrial Revolution-era discoveries, notably remains of a water-powered mill in Yorkshire, where excavations uncovered machinery fragments, worker housing foundations, and tools from the late 18th century, illustrating the technological and labor shifts that transformed rural economies into industrial hubs. A unique feature was the introduction of underwater archaeology, with dives to recover submerged artifacts from coastal sites, previewing future specials focused on maritime heritage and environmental impacts on preservation. This approach deepened understandings of social history, from disease management in medieval communities to the economic drivers of trade and industrialization.^[70]

Series 3 (2015)

Series 3 of Digging for Britain marked the programme's return after a four-year hiatus since Series 2 aired in 2011, adopting a new format that divided the UK's archaeological discoveries into four regional episodes to weave a cohesive national story through geographic connections rather than chronological or thematic periods.^[1] This approach highlighted the diversity of 2014's excavations across the country, with archaeologists gathering in regional museums to discuss the significance of their finds. The season consisted of four episodes, including one special, broadcast between January and February 2015 primarily on BBC Four, with repeats on BBC Two.^[2] The production featured enhanced visuals and expert discussions to reflect advancements in archaeological techniques during the break, bringing fresh energy to the series.^[71] The episodes focused on the South, West, North, and East regions, showcasing standout discoveries that illuminated Britain's ancient past. In the South episode, excavations at an Iron Age hillfort in Dorset revealed extensive fortifications and settlement evidence associated with the Durotriges tribe, offering insights into late prehistoric social organization and defence strategies in the area.^[72] The West episode explored a Roman villa in Somerset, where mosaics, hypocaust systems, and domestic artifacts uncovered a high-status rural estate from the 3rd to 4th centuries AD, demonstrating Roman cultural influence in the southwest.^[16] Further north, the North episode delved into Pictish stones and associated artifacts from Scotland, including carved symbol stones that provided rare glimpses into the artistic and symbolic world of the Pictish people during the early medieval period, connecting them to broader Dark Ages networks.^[35] In the East, the special episode examined an early Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Oakington, Cambridgeshire, where excavations revealed over 70 burials from the 5th-7th centuries AD, highlighting burial rituals, high rates of child and infant interments, and insights into Anglo-Saxon childbirth and community life.^[73] These regional spotlights not only celebrated the year's most compelling digs but also underscored the programme's role in linking local discoveries to a unified British archaeological narrative.

Series 4 (2016)

Series 4 of Digging for Britain consisted of three episodes broadcast on BBC Four in March 2016, specifically on 10, 17, and 24 March. The series adopted a regional format, with episodes dedicated to the West, East, and North of Britain, continuing the structure introduced in Series 3 to showcase the year's most significant archaeological discoveries.^[2] This shorter run was influenced by BBC scheduling, yet it highlighted high-profile finds that captured public interest, emphasizing Roman-era archaeology across various regions.^[1] The episodes placed a heavy focus on Roman history, exploring artifacts and sites that illuminated the empire's impact on Britain. Thematic elements centered on Roman mysteries, with experts employing modern forensic techniques to analyze tragic sites, including skeletal remains and artifact contexts, to reconstruct historical narratives.^[74] Despite its brevity, the series amplified the importance of these discoveries through on-site visits and museum examinations led by presenter Alice Roberts, fostering greater appreciation for Britain's Roman heritage.^[75]

Series 5 (2016)

Series 5 of Digging for Britain consisted of three episodes broadcast on BBC Four in December 2016, presenting archaeological discoveries from 2016 excavations across western, northern, and eastern Britain. The first episode, aired on 6 December, focused on the west and highlighted a Neolithic double henge discovered near Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain, the first of its kind in the UK, which provided evidence of feasting and ritual offerings dating to around 3000 BC.^[76] Another key find in this episode was a collection of luxury imported goods, including Mediterranean amphorae and African glass, at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, shedding light on post-Roman trade networks and legends associated with King Arthur's birthplace in the 5th–7th centuries AD.^[76] The second episode, broadcast on 13 December, examined northern sites and featured the rediscovery of the original Anglo-Saxon monastery on Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland, revealing structures destroyed during the Viking raid of 793 AD and offering insights into early medieval Christian communities.^[77] It also showcased prehistoric artificial islands, or crannogs, in Loch Tay, Scotland, constructed during the Neolithic period around 4000 BC, which demonstrated advanced woodworking techniques and lake-based settlements previously unknown in Britain.^[77] These finds emphasized technological innovation in prehistoric Scotland, contrasting with the Roman military evidence elsewhere in the region. The third episode, aired on 20 December, turned to the east and included new analyses from the Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm in Cambridgeshire, a 3,000-year-old site preserved by a sudden fire and collapse into a river, yielding over 10,000 artefacts such as bronze axes, tools, and domestic items that illustrated daily life in late Bronze Age communities.^[78] This episode complemented the series' emphasis on earlier periods by exploring how such well-preserved sites provide conceptual understanding of social organization and craftsmanship before the Iron Age. Overall, the series aired shortly after Series 4 earlier in 2016, together covering a broad spectrum of 2015–2016 digs and highlighting DNA and isotopic analyses in lab segments to trace migration and diet in prehistoric and early medieval populations.^[79]

Series 6 (2017)

The sixth series of Digging for Britain returned to a four-episode format, dividing coverage into regional highlights from the west, east, and north of Britain, followed by a thematic special on Roman cavalry along Hadrian's Wall.^[80] Broadcast on BBC Four starting in late November 2017, the series aired weekly on Wednesdays at 21:00, with the premiere episode "West" on 22 November, "East" on 29 November, "North" on 6 December, and the special "The Horsemen of Hadrian's Wall" on 13 December.^[81]^[82] This structure allowed for a focused exploration of 2016's archaeological discoveries, emphasizing diverse periods from prehistory to the Roman era, while incorporating maritime archaeology to broaden the scope beyond terrestrial digs.^[83] In the "West" episode, presenter Professor Alice Roberts examined finds from Viking, Iron Age, and Neolithic contexts, including a Viking invasion camp in Watchet, Somerset, which provided evidence of the 10th-century raids led by Norse forces.^[81] Additional highlights featured rare Iron Age gold torcs discovered in Gloucestershire, offering insights into elite Celtic society, and excavations at Marden Henge in Wiltshire revealing domestic structures inside the monument, challenging previous views of henges as solely ceremonial spaces.^[1] These discoveries underscored the region's role in early medieval conflicts and prehistoric settlement patterns. The "East" episode shifted to London and Kent, showcasing the largest collection of Roman writing tablets ever found in Britain at a site near the Thames, which detailed everyday life in Roman Londinium around AD 50–100, including commercial transactions and personal correspondence.^[83] Off the Kent coast, divers recovered silver ingots from the 18th-century East India Company ship Nassau, marking the largest marine excavation since the Mary Rose and highlighting global trade networks.^[84] Further evidence from Kent suggested Iron Age resistance to Julius Caesar's invasions in 55–54 BC, through weapon scatters and fortifications. This episode's innovative blend of ancient and early modern finds earned it the Council for British Archaeology's Archaeological Achievement Award in the Media category, recognizing its role in publicizing new research.^[57] Focusing on the "North," the third episode covered Roman military artifacts from Vindolanda in Northumberland, including swords, tools, and tablets abandoned during a local British rebellion around AD 100, illustrating frontier tensions under Emperor Trajan.^[85] Excavations on Iona revealed traces of the 7th-century monastery founded by St. Columba, with structural remains confirming its early Christian significance, while a Bronze Age hoard of weapons from Lancashire pointed to ritual deposition practices.^[86] The series concluded with "The Horsemen of Hadrian's Wall," a special tracing the Roman auxiliary cavalry units through sites like Chesters Roman Fort and Ribchester, where horse gear and inscriptions highlighted their defensive role against northern tribes from the 2nd century AD.^[87] Overall, Series 6 integrated modern analytical techniques, such as 3D modeling of shipwrecks and DNA analysis of skeletal remains, to connect disparate finds across time periods, marking a shift toward inclusive historical narratives that extended into post-medieval eras. The CBA award for the East episode represented the series' first major recognition, enhancing its visibility and encouraging greater public engagement with archaeology.^[57]

Series 7 (2018)

Series 7 of Digging for Britain, presented by Professor Alice Roberts, consisted of four episodes broadcast on BBC Four starting on 28 November 2018.^[1] The series highlighted some of the most significant archaeological discoveries from 2018 across the United Kingdom, with each episode focusing on a specific region or theme, emphasizing ongoing excavations filmed by the teams themselves.^[37] This season continued the program's tradition of showcasing diverse sites, from prehistoric monuments to Roman structures, while underscoring the collaborative efforts of archaeologists, volunteers, and experts. The North episode explored finds from northern England and Scotland, including an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Lincolnshire where richly dressed women were buried with jewelry and personal items, offering insights into early medieval social status and migration patterns.^[88] Other discoveries featured Viking-age artifacts and prehistoric settlements, highlighting themes of cultural exchange and inequality in ancient communities. The West episode delved into southwestern sites, such as the largest maritime excavation since the Mary Rose—a 17th-century warship wreck off the Dorset coast yielding cannons and personal effects—and a well-preserved Roman bath house in Gloucestershire, revealing aspects of Roman daily life and engineering prowess.^[89] In the East episode, archaeologists uncovered a Neolithic monument in Norfolk comparable in age to Stonehenge, alongside excavations at the site of Britain's first tank battle from World War I near Cambrai (though focused on British contexts), and evidence of powerful Anglo-Saxon women through grave goods in community digs.^[90] These finds emphasized social narratives around power dynamics and community involvement in archaeology. The concluding Iron Age Revealed episode centered on exceptional Iron Age discoveries, notably the remarkably preserved chariot burial at Pocklington in East Yorkshire—the only known example in Britain with the chariot wheels upright and horses interred standing—excavated by MAP Archaeological Practice under director Paula Ware.^[91] This site, part of a larger square barrow cemetery, provided evidence of elite status, ritual practices, and Iron Age mobility.^[92] Throughout the series, themes of social history dominated, with finds illustrating migration, inequality, and cultural interactions from the Iron Age through the medieval period; for instance, burial goods and settlement patterns revealed disparities in wealth and status across regions.^[93] A unique aspect of Series 7 was the increased diversity among featured experts, including more women and specialists from varied backgrounds, aligning with broader efforts in archaeology to promote inclusivity and reflect the field's evolving demographics.^[90] Community-involved digs, such as those at Pocklington, further emphasized public participation in uncovering Britain's past.

Series 8 (2019)

Series 8 of Digging for Britain, presented by Professor Alice Roberts, aired on BBC Two from 20 November to 11 December 2019, comprising four episodes that highlighted the most compelling archaeological discoveries from digs conducted across Britain that year.^[94] The series maintained the regional structure established in previous seasons, with the first three episodes dedicated to the West, North, and South regions, respectively, while the fourth focused on World War II-related artifacts. This approach connected disparate excavations, revealing broader insights into Britain's past through expert analysis and on-site visits.^[2] The West episode, broadcast on 20 November, explored prehistoric and early medieval sites, including a Neanderthal and early human bone cave in Wales that yielded remains dating back tens of thousands of years, analyzed using advanced radiocarbon dating techniques.^[95] Other highlights included Beaker-period burials on Salisbury Plain and a high-status Anglo-Saxon cemetery in the Cotswolds, where fragile artifacts were examined via non-invasive scanning methods to preserve their integrity. In the North episode on 27 November, finds from Bradgate Park in Leicestershire provided evidence of the Tudor-era childhood home of Lady Jane Grey, alongside a Victorian workhouse graveyard in Northern Ireland and clues to Britain's first Roman siege, featuring the largest cache of Roman sling bullets ever found.^[96] The South episode, aired on 4 December, showcased an 8,000-year-old Mesolithic underwater settlement off the Dorset coast—discovered serendipitously through a lobster pot—along with Roman-era discoveries such as a coin hoard in Somerset, employing underwater scanning and geophysical survey technologies for detailed mapping. The concluding WWII Special on 11 December delved into 20th-century military history, examining artifacts like a crashed Fairy Barracuda aircraft off the south coast and a V-2 rocket site, with emphasis on how modern forensic dating and 3D modeling advanced the interpretation of wartime remains. Throughout the series, themes of technological innovation were prominent, including improved dating methods and digital scanning that enhanced the precision of artifact analysis without compromising site integrity. As the final pre-hiatus installment, Series 8 drew strong viewership, underscoring public interest in these annual archaeological updates.

Special (2020)

In 2020, amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns, Digging for Britain aired a four-part special titled The Greatest Discoveries, which shifted focus from new fieldwork to re-analysis of significant past archaeological sites across Britain.^[97] This non-annual format highlighted ongoing research through laboratory work, digital reconstructions, and archival materials, demonstrating the field's resilience when on-site excavations were restricted.^[98] The episodes premiered on BBC Four starting 17 March 2020, with subsequent airings on 24 March, 31 March, and 7 April, providing viewers with insights into Britain's prehistoric to medieval heritage without relying on live digs.^[99]^[100]^[101] The special emphasized thematic explorations of key periods, beginning with prehistoric Britain in the first episode, where Professor Alice Roberts revisited sites like Stonehenge in the south, updating understandings of its ceremonial uses through recent analyses of artifacts and landscape features.^[98] Subsequent episodes delved into the Iron Age, featuring re-examinations of the Pocklington chariot burial in the north and a massive coin hoard on Jersey in the west, which revealed elite rituals and economic networks via lab-based studies of preserved remains.^[99] The Roman era was covered in the third installment, incorporating virtual tours of locked museum collections in the east to discuss the founding of Londinium and northern siege warfare, drawing on digital modeling to illustrate urban development and military conflicts.^[100] A unique aspect of the special was its adaptation to pandemic constraints, incorporating archival footage of WWII-era digs in the north—such as defensive structures uncovered during wartime—and addressing climate-impacted coastal erosion in the west, where retreating shorelines exposed new artifacts for remote analysis.^[101] These segments underscored how archaeologists pivoted to behind-the-scenes lab methods and virtual access, ensuring continued public engagement with ongoing discoveries like erosion-revealed prehistoric tools and historical military sites. The series not only recapped high-impact finds but also illustrated the enduring value of interdisciplinary approaches in archaeology during periods of limited fieldwork.^[97]

Series 9 (2022)

Series 9 of Digging for Britain marked the programme's return to its traditional format following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding to six episodes that showcased archaeological discoveries from across the United Kingdom, emphasizing regional coverage and community involvement in fieldwork.^[102] Aired on BBC Two from 4 January to 13 January 2022, the series highlighted excavations conducted primarily in 2020 and 2021, when restrictions limited large-scale digs but encouraged innovative, smaller-scale community efforts, such as amateur-led surveys and diary-camera recordings by archaeologists.^[2] Presented by Professor Alice Roberts, with contributions from experts including historian Onyeka Nubia, archaeologist Cat Jarman, and others, the episodes connected finds to broader themes of resilience in British archaeology amid the pandemic, underscoring how local volunteers played a pivotal role in preserving and uncovering history.^[103] The series structure devoted each episode to a specific region, weaving together on-site excavations, laboratory analysis, and historical context to illustrate 10,000 years of human activity. In the East episode, a stunning Roman mosaic from a villa in Rutland—described as the most significant discovered in Britain in over a century—was revealed, featuring intricate depictions of mythological scenes and dating to the 3rd or 4th century AD, uncovered by a local farmer during lockdown.^[12] The North episode explored prehistoric footprints preserved in coastal sediments at Happisburgh, Norfolk, providing evidence of early human presence in Britain over 900,000 years ago, alongside medieval fortifications like a well-preserved Norman castle in Yorkshire that offered insights into 12th-century military architecture.^[104] Further episodes delved into the South's Iron Age coins representing Britain's earliest minted currency and a hoard of over 5,000 Roman coins from Somerset signaling the empire's decline; the Midlands' 180-million-year-old ichthyosaur skeleton from Rutland Water, the largest complete example found in the UK; and the West's uncovering of a previously unknown Roman town in Somerset, complete with industrial features like mining remnants that highlighted post-Roman economic shifts.^[105]^[106]^[107] A unifying theme was the programme's focus on community archaeology as a means of recovery, with episodes featuring volunteer contributions to sites like Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in Kent and Bronze Age burials in Scotland, including a rare 3,000-year-old wooden coffin unearthed beneath a golf course, which preserved organic remains due to waterlogged conditions.^[108] This approach not only democratized access to archaeology but also demonstrated how pandemic adaptations, such as remote sensing and citizen science, sustained progress in the field, culminating in a longer run that reaffirmed the series' annual commitment to highlighting Britain's buried heritage.^[103]

Series 10 (2023)

Series 10 of Digging for Britain consisted of six episodes broadcast on BBC Two in January 2023, presenting archaeological discoveries from excavations conducted throughout 2022 across the United Kingdom.^[109] Presented by Professor Alice Roberts and featuring a team of experts, the season emphasized the integration of cutting-edge scientific techniques to interpret historical narratives, marking an evolution in the series' approach to archaeology.^[110] A central theme was the impact of climate change on archaeological sites, with episodes exploring how rising sea levels and erosion are exposing or threatening ancient remains, prompting urgent preservation efforts.^[109] Genetic insights played a prominent role, particularly through ancient DNA analysis that revealed details about health, diet, and ancestry in past populations.^[111] The season also highlighted increased use of isotopic analysis to trace migration stories, examining strontium and oxygen isotopes in teeth and bones to determine individuals' childhood environments and movements across regions or continents.^[112] In the North, the series featured ancient DNA extracted from bog bodies, providing evidence of Iron Age sacrificial practices and revealing genetic links to continental European populations.^[111] These analyses offered new perspectives on ritual violence and community structures in wetland environments preserved by peat. In the South, excavations uncovered a Roman prisoner camp, where skeletal remains indicated a site used for detaining and possibly executing captives during the province's turbulent periods.^[113] Isotopic studies on these skeletons suggested diverse origins, supporting narratives of forced relocation from across the empire.^[114] The East episode delved into Viking trade routes, with finds of silver coins, ingots, and hacked jewelry illustrating extensive networks connecting Scandinavia to Anglo-Saxon markets.^[115] These artifacts, analyzed isotopically, traced metal sources to Baltic and Irish origins, underscoring the economic and cultural exchanges facilitated by Viking voyages. In the West, evidence of prehistoric floods emerged from sediment cores and artifact distributions, demonstrating how Neolithic communities responded to rising waters post-Ice Age, with climate modeling linking these events to broader Atlantic shifts.^[116] Overall, the season illustrated how environmental archaeology intersects with genetic data to contextualize human adaptation amid changing climates.^[112]

Series 11 (2024)

Series 11 of Digging for Britain, presented by Professor Alice Roberts, aired on BBC Two from January 2 to February 6, 2024, consisting of six episodes broadcast weekly at 9:00 PM.^[1] The series highlighted archaeological discoveries from 2023 excavations across the UK, with a particular emphasis on urban sites uncovered during development projects such as housing and infrastructure works.^[117] These digs often revealed layers of history beneath modern cities, tying into contemporary issues like urban expansion and the need for developer-funded archaeology to preserve the past amid new construction. A central theme was the exploration of diverse and multicultural populations through time, showcased in burials and artifacts that indicated migration, trade, and social mixing in ancient Britain.^[118] For instance, in the East, excavations at a medieval multicultural cemetery in London uncovered burials suggesting interactions between local and immigrant communities, with grave goods and skeletal analyses pointing to varied cultural practices from across Europe and beyond during the medieval period.^[119] This focus on social diversity contrasted with earlier series by integrating stories of inclusion and mobility into urban historical narratives.^[120] In the North, digs illuminated Roman urban expansion, particularly through the discovery of an imperial bathhouse in Carlisle linked to Emperor Septimius Severus, a North African ruler whose presence highlighted the empire's multicultural reach and efforts to Romanize frontier cities.^[121] The site, unearthed during urban development, revealed hypocaust systems and tiles stamped with legionary marks, evidencing large-scale infrastructure to support growing Roman settlements along Hadrian's Wall.^[119] Southern excavations featured WWII relics from top-secret sites, including remnants of underground operations at locations like Dover's Fan Bay Deep Shelter, where concrete bunkers and artifacts from the 1940s war effort were exposed during coastal development works.^[120] These finds, including ammunition casings and personal items, provided insights into the home front's defensive preparations and the everyday lives of personnel amid urban and rural fortifications. Western sites emphasized Celtic sacred landscapes, with Iron Age burials and ritual deposits at locations like a mysterious hillfort enclosure, uncovered in areas affected by housing expansions.^[119] Artifacts such as torcs and pottery suggested ceremonial practices tied to Celtic spiritual traditions, revealing how pre-Roman communities used elevated sites for communal and religious gatherings before urban overlay.^[122] Community involvement played a key role, with local volunteers and archaeologists collaborating on these development-led projects to document and interpret finds in real time.^[117]

Series 12 (2025)

Series 12 of Digging for Britain consists of six episodes broadcast on BBC Two, highlighting significant archaeological discoveries from digs conducted throughout 2024 across the United Kingdom. Presented by Professor Alice Roberts, the series explores a diverse range of finds, from prehistoric trackways to Roman-era structures and early medieval burials, emphasizing regional variations in Britain's ancient history.^[123] The episodes aired consecutively in early January 2025, beginning on 7 January, providing updates on ongoing excavations and interdisciplinary analyses such as ancient DNA studies.^[124] The first episode, titled "Saxon Gold and Buried Coins," aired on 7 January 2025 and focuses on the East of England, featuring an Anglo-Saxon burial site with exceptional grave goods, including gold artifacts, alongside Roman-period coin hoards uncovered during fieldwork.^[125] In the East, additional highlights include impaled human remains from a Roman context, suggesting ritual or punitive practices, as explored in later segments of the series.^[126] Episode 2, "Dinosaur Highway and Roman Sauna," broadcast on 8 January 2025, shifts to Central Southern England, where Middle Jurassic dinosaur trackways—dubbed a "dinosaur highway"—were discovered in a quarry near Bicester, Oxfordshire, by quarry worker Gary Johnson and analyzed by paleontologist Matthew Withers.^[124] The episode also covers a well-preserved Roman sauna complex, illustrating advanced engineering in provincial Roman Britain.^[127] The third episode, "Island Treasures," aired on 9 January 2025 and centers on Scotland's islands, particularly Orkney, where excavations at the Blomuir Neolithic chambered cairn revealed a 5,000-year-old tomb comparable in age to Egyptian pyramids, alongside Iron Age structures at The Cairns site containing sacred artifacts and evidence of feasting rituals.^[128] These finds underscore the spiritual significance of Neolithic sites in the region.^[129] Episode 4, "Roman Crime and Ancient DNA," examines the North of England, detailing Roman-era sites linked to criminal justice, such as execution burials, and breakthroughs in ancient DNA analysis from skeletal remains that reveal migration patterns and health conditions in Roman Britain.^[130] Slave-related artifacts, including evidence of transatlantic trade impacts, are contextualized through northern port discoveries, though primary connections trace to broader British involvement in the 18th-century slave economy.^[125] In the West, Episode 5, "Chariots and Slaves," aired later in the series, showcases an Iron Age chariot burial near Llantwit Major, Wales, complete with preserved wooden elements, alongside a vast Roman villa complex and artifacts tied to Devon's role in the transatlantic slave trade, including ship remnants and trade goods.^[131] This episode highlights how development-related digs, such as those on housing sites, have yielded these chariot remains and related elite burials.^[132] The final episode, "Lost Mansions and Impaled Prisoners," concludes the series by revisiting southern sites with lost medieval mansions uncovered through geophysical surveys and further details on impaled remains from Roman and post-Roman contexts, integrating 2024 updates from ongoing excavations influenced by urban housing developments.^[126] Throughout the series, themes of advanced technologies, including DNA sequencing and lidar mapping for site identification, enhance interpretations of these 2024 discoveries, though AI applications remain emerging in broader archaeological practice rather than series-specific highlights.^[133]

References

[1]
Digging for Britain - Aired Order - All Seasons - TheTVDB.com
Season 1 · S01E01 The Romans. August 19, 2010; BBC Four. Dr Alice Roberts follows an entire year of British archaeology, joining up the results of digs and ...
[2]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain - Episode guide
Series 12. View episodes. Prof Alice Roberts follows a year of British archaeology, joining up the results of digs.
[3]
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - Episode list - IMDb
Digging for Britain · S1.E1 ∙ The Romans · S1.E2 ∙ Prehistory · S1.E3 ∙ The Anglo-Saxons · S1.E4 ∙ The Tudors.
[4]
Digging S9 - Rare TV
Digging S9 features archaeologists using diary cameras, Alice Roberts, and a new team analyzing finds in a tent, revealing 10,000 years of British history.<|control11|><|separator|>
[5]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain
No readable text found in the HTML.<|control11|><|separator|>
[6]
Digging For Britain, Series 1-12 - TVF International
Series; Spanish language; French language; Short Form; 4K; Virtual Reality; Formats. SD/HD/4K. SD; HD; 4K. Duration. 30'; Short Form; 60'; Feature Length.
[7]
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - IMDb
Rating 8.2/10 (301) Dr Alice Roberts visits archaeological excavations around the UK, linking together the results of digs and investigations the length and breadth of the country.
[8]
'Digging for Britain' with Alice Roberts – New Archaeology Series on ...
Its four episodes focus onfocus on the Roman, Prehistoric, Anglo-Saxon and Tudor eras. Digging the Romans. In the first episode of the series, 'The Romans ...
[9]
Interview: Alice in Archaeologyland - Current Archaeology
Sep 24, 2010 · I also think Digging for Britain shows archaeology in its proper time frame. ... Digging for Britain first aired on BBC Two in August 2010. Post ...Missing: launched | Show results with:launched
[10]
Digging for Britain - BBC
Dec 19, 2024 · Digging For Britain showcases the best archaeology found this year in the South of the country. We travel to the Killerton estate in Devon.
[11]
Digging for Britain - BBC
In this episode, we travel through to the West of Britain, to the region's most exciting archaeological digs. Alice's archaeological journey begins West of ...
[12]
Digging for Britain, Series 9, Episode 1 - BBC Two
Digging for Britain. More. Home · Episodes · Clips. Main content. Sorry, this ... 59 minutes. Last on. Thu 3 Apr 2025 20:00. BBC Two England & HD only. More ...
[13]
Scottish prehistoric mummies made from jigsaw of body parts - BBC
Aug 22, 2011 · The results of the DNA work on the Cladh Hallan mummies will feature on the latest series of Digging For Britain on BBC Two in September.
[14]
Digging for Britain: Series 9 Episode 6 - Discovery Research Portal
Burghead animated reconstructions and footage from the film used in Digging for Britain, Series 9, Episode 6 which aired on Thursday 13th January 2022 at 8pm ...Missing: narrative presentation 3D models
[15]
Ancient Genomics lab featured on BBC's 'Digging for Britain' | News
Jan 9, 2025 · Scientists from the Crick's Ancient Genomics lab were featured on the popular television show to discuss how their work sampling ancient DNA can answer ...Missing: accessibility radiocarbon
[16]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b052775b
[17]
360 Production, Screencut join and rebrand as Rare TV - Televisual
Jan 25, 2019 · Rare TV launches with a portfolio including 360 Production's RTS Nominated BBC hit Contagion!, long-running BBC franchise Digging for Britain ...Missing: Productions | Show results with:Productions
[18]
[PDF] Screen Fund Awards 2015-16
360 Production Ltd. Digging for Britain Series 4 Youtube Channel. £30,000. The Foundation TV Productions Ltd. The Secret Life of Boys. £41,000. Dream Country ...
[19]
Digging for Britain, Series 9, Episode 6 - BBC Two
This dig throws new light on the residents of Leith as they lived through 500 years of Scotland's history. In the Digging for Britain tent, archaeologist John ...
[20]
BRP Features in BBC's Digging for Britain
Sep 2, 2010 · The BBC's Digging for Britain programme team and film crew joined the BRP in Week 2 of the 2010 season, filming with us and with Dr. Sarah ...
[21]
A day 'Digging for Britain' – that wasn't just digging!
Jul 16, 2022 · Rubha was a particularly lovely site to film because the archaeology was a Mesolithic campsite where people had gathered to make their tools (of ...Missing: production | Show results with:production
[22]
BBC's Digging For Britain to reveal extraordinary Roman mosaic in ...
Nov 25, 2021 · Digging For Britain with Professor Alice Roberts is set to return in early 2022 to BBC Two and iPlayer. Now in its 9th series, Alice is joined ...<|separator|>
[23]
Digging for Britain - Rare TV
The programme sees Professor Alice Roberts follows a year of British archaeology, joining up the results of digs and investigations throughout the country.Missing: process filming post-
[24]
BBC Digging for Britain show uncovers clues of first Civil War battle ...
Jan 22, 2023 · BBC Digging for Britain show uncovers clues of first Civil War battle in Coleshill ... A CGI reconstruction of Coleshill Manor. Around 200 ...
[25]
Digging for Britain features Elizabethan ship discovered in quarry
Jan 3, 2023 · ... season of Digging for Britain.” Using laser scanning and digital photography, archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology have recorded the ship.Missing: LiDAR | Show results with:LiDAR
[26]
[PDF] Delivering our Mission and Public Purposes - BBC
Jul 15, 2025 · House Through Time (Twenty Twenty Productions) and Digging for Britain (Rare TV). Yes. BBC Television & BBC. iPlayer. We will make about 240 ...
[27]
[PDF] The British Museum Report and accounts for the year ended 31 ...
Jun 30, 2011 · large part in the BBc2 television series Digging for Britain. an ... details of these grants are obtainable from the portable antiquities scheme ...
[28]
Professor Alice Roberts - biosciences - University of Birmingham
Alice Roberts is an anatomist, author and broadcaster. Her research interests focus on evolutionary anatomy, osteoarchaeology and palaeopathology.
[29]
Professor Alice Roberts - Prehistoric Autopsy - BBC
Professor Alice Roberts is an anatomist, physical anthropologist, broadcaster and science author. In 2012 she was appointed Professor of Public Engagement in ...Missing: osteoarchaeologist | Show results with:osteoarchaeologist
[30]
About — On Tour May 2025 - Alice Roberts
My journey began in medicine, but I transitioned from surgery to academia to teach clinical anatomy and research human origins and ancient diseases. I believe ...Missing: osteoarchaeologist | Show results with:osteoarchaeologist
[31]
Digging For Britain's Professor Alice Roberts: "I've got an addiction ...
Mar 10, 2024 · Digging For Britain's Professor Alice Roberts: "I've got an addiction for finding hill forts" ... Why she will always have one foot in the grave…Missing: inspiration gap<|control11|><|separator|>
[32]
The Incredible Human Journey: : Alice Roberts
Free delivery over $35Apr 5, 2010 · The Incredible Human Journey. Alice Roberts (Author). The Incredible ... As a lecturer in Anatomy at Bristol University, Alice Roberts is ...
[33]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 8, WWII Special
Naoíse Mac Sweeney joins the post-excavation to reveal how the find could help bring this rare aircraft back to life. Also featured, a dig in the Lake ...
[34]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 3, North
Digging for Britain. More. Home · Episodes · Clips. Main content. Sorry, this ... John Farren. Production Company, 360 Production. Broadcasts. Tue 17 Feb 2015 20 ...
[35]
Time Team's Matt Williams: Where Is He Now? | DigVentures
Dec 21, 2015 · Although a couple of years ago I started co-presenting 'Digging for Britain' with Alice Roberts. This involves several days filming in museums ...
[36]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 7, North
Uncovering incredibly preserved 2500-year-old houses, archaeologists are stepping back in time and glimpsing what life was really like in an Iron Age village.
[37]
Raksha Dave | Pitt Rivers Museum - University of Oxford
... Digging for Britain' - Series 7 for BBC 4. Raksha is currently working on future broadcasting projects and acts as an advocate and consultant for various ...
[38]
Naoíse Mac Sweeney - Better Known
Mar 26, 2023 · Naoíse Mac Sweeney is Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Vienna. She previously held posts at Cambridge and Leicester Universities.
[39]
Digging For Britain - Media Centre - BBC
Historian Onyeka Nubia investigates astonishing traces of ancient textiles which have survived for more than 1,500 years. Four years ago, a spectacular dig ...
[40]
"Digging for Britain" Roman Towns and Tudor Shipwrecks ... - IMDb
Rating 7.3/10 (17) Roman Towns and Tudor Shipwrecks: With Cat Jarman, Stuart Prior, Alice Roberts. Digs in southern England reveal a previously unknown Roman town, ...
[41]
Digging Up the Rich Viking History of Britain - Smithsonian Magazine
A massive 1,100-year-old graveyard leads to a surprising new view of the Nordic legacy in Britain ... Cat Jarman led me through a dense tangle of forest called ...
[42]
BBC Two's Digging for Britain to feature important archaeological ...
Jan 13, 2025 · BBC Two's Digging for Britain to feature important archaeological discoveries relating to industrial-scale Roman pottery production at The Moors ...
[43]
Taking ownership of our own stories is more crucial than ever
Jan 7, 2025 · The dig is organised by Romani Community Archaeology, a new community interest company led by archaeologists Stuart Eve and John Henry Phillips ...
[44]
Onyeka Nubia: Inspiring Historian and Visionary Speaker
Onyeka has been a consultant and presenter for several television programmes including the Walking Victorian Britain series (Channel 5), Digging for Britain ...
[45]
TV review: Real Crime: Yvonne Fletcher and Digging for Britain
Sep 3, 2010 · Meanwhile, Dr Alice Roberts was continuing to do her bit for making archaeology sexy in Digging for Britain (BBC2). And very good she is at it, ...
[46]
TV review: Digging for Britain and Mistresses - The Guardian
Aug 20, 2010 · It is ridiculous, preposterous even, certainly wrong, a sugary pudding of groans and cliches. And it's ever so slightly addictive. We have ...
[47]
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Digging For Britain on BBC2
Jan 14, 2025 · CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Digging For Britain on BBC2: Emotions ripple across the centuries in this gripping archaeology series.
[48]
Tuesday's best TV | Television | The Guardian
Feb 17, 2015 · Digging For Britain finds a 'Neolithic cathedral' while The Romanians Are Coming follows a group of immigrants in the UK .
[49]
Alice Roberts: 'Science needs more visible women' - The Guardian
Oct 27, 2017 · “And it's not just women; we need diversity. Not just from a ... Roberts has just finished filming another series of Digging for Britain ...
[50]
Motorway Cops win the crime ratings war - Campaign
Sep 3, 2010 · This week's Anglo Saxon episode of the archaeology documentary 'Digging for Britain' was watched by an average of 2.21 million people on BBC Two ...
[51]
TV Overnights: Football and Mistresses share the peak slot – The ...
On average, it attracted an audience of 3.6 million, and a share of 15.9%. Elsewhere, BBC Two's Digging for Britain secured 2.6 million viewers and a 10.9 ...
[52]
What's on TV tonight: Wednesday, 20 November, 2019 - The Times
... ratings (it had 2.75 million viewers in 2010, ma. ... Digging For Britain BBC Four, 9pm. Digging for ... ratings (it had 2.75 million viewers in 2010 ...
[53]
BBC4 unearths 900,000 with Digging for Britain | Ratings - Broadcast
WEDNESDAY: The archaeology programme bags BBC4's second-biggest non-sport audience of the year.
[54]
Digging For Britain uncovers 1.9m | Ratings - Broadcast
Digging For Britain uncovers 1.9m. 12 January 2023. Digging for Britain. Archeological series returned to BBC2 on Sunday ...
[55]
Digging for Britain - BBC
Jan 7, 2025 · Alice joins archaeologists digging an astonishing Anglo-Saxon cemetery in rural Kent. Every grave is filled with exceptionally well-preserved ...
[56]
Previous Winners - Council for British Archaeology
360 Production for BBC4, 'Digging for Britain Series 6 - EAST' 2. Bloomberg 'London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE' 3. Save the Wemyss Ancient Caves Society/The ...<|separator|>
[57]
Watch Digging For Britain On Acorn TV
Sep 2, 2019 · Professor Alice Roberts (Time Team) explores the most exciting archaeological finds from across Britain.<|separator|>
[58]
Digging For Britain | Sky HISTORY TV Channel
From spectacular Roman mosaic to a secret World War II bomber, Professor Alice Roberts explores the most exciting archaeological finds from across Britain.
[59]
Digging for Britain, Series 1, The Romans - BBC
Roman finds include the mystery of 97 babies murdered by the Thames, a fabulous Roman coin hoard found in Somerset and a man buried on a layer of dead animals.
[60]
First humans arrived in Britain 250,000 years earlier than thought
Jul 7, 2010 · Archaeologists digging on a Norfolk beach found stone tools that show the first humans were living in Britain much earlier than previously ...
[61]
"Digging for Britain" Prehistory (TV Episode 2010) - IMDb
Rating 7/10 (14) Back down south in Devon lies one of the oldest-known shipwrecks as well as a Bronze Age burial site.
[62]
Divers unearth an historic Bronze Age treasure trove off Devon's coast
Mar 9, 2005 · The torc is believed by the South West group to be the first gold found at a Bronze Age site. For historians such a find gives a whole new ...
[63]
Understanding the Staffordshire Hoard | Historic England
Nov 25, 2022 · The Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever discovered, was found in a field by a metal-detectorist in 2009.Missing: Digging 1
[64]
Digging for Britain, Series 1, Anglo-Saxons - BBC
Dr Alice Roberts follows a year of British archaeology. Skeletons at the royal seat of power in Bamburgh show signs of violent death but also of tenderness.Missing: Staffordshire hoard
[65]
Digging for Britain Season 1 Air Dates & Countdown - EpisoDate.com
S01E04 - The Tudors Air Date: Sep 10, 2010 13:00 - 15 years ago. Sorry, but right now we don't have any sources for this episode. Final episode of the series.
[66]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 2 - Episode guide
Digging for Britain Series 2 Episodes Episode guide · Ice and Stone · Age of Bronze and Iron · Invaders · Britannia · Related Content · Explore the BBC.
[67]
Digging for Britain, Series 2, Invaders - BBC
Invaders ... Dr Alice Roberts follows an entire year of British archaeology. There's a fresh look at the fantastic Lewis Chessmen, which are currently the subject ...
[68]
"Digging for Britain" Invaders (TV Episode 2011) - IMDb
Rating 7.8/10 (9) Invaders ... The Norse Vikings have arrived and taken control northeast Britain centered around York. Anglo-Saxon supremacy finally came after a major massacre.Missing: finds | Show results with:finds
[69]
Digging for Britain, Series 2, Age of Bronze and Iron - BBC
Dr Alice Roberts travels back to the Ages of Bronze and Iron to discover what kind of a place Britain was before the Romans invaded. With no written history, ...Missing: gold torc Devon 2010
[70]
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - Episode list - IMDb
S3.E1 ∙ East. Tue, Feb 3, 2015 · 6.7 · (7) ; S3.E2 ∙ West. Tue, Feb 10, 2015 · 7.3 · (6) ; S3.E3 ∙ North. Tue, Feb 17, 2015 · 7.3 · (6)Missing: key air dates
[71]
Pre-Roman town found during Bournemouth University dig - BBC
Jul 11, 2015 · A pre-Roman town of 150 roundhouses has been found by university students during an archaeological dig in Dorset. The discovery of the town ...
[72]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 3, West
Digging for Britain. More. Home · Episodes · Clips. Main content. Sorry, this ... 360 Production. Broadcasts. Tue 10 Feb 2015 20:00. BBC Four. Wed 11 Feb 2015 01 ...
[73]
Oakington: Life and death in the East Anglian Fens
Jun 27, 2012 · In 1926 four early Anglo-Saxon burials, one equipped with a spear, knife and shield boss, were discovered in an Oakington village field, in Cambridgeshire.
[74]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 4, West
Digging for Britain. More. Home · Episodes · Clips. Main content. Sorry, this episode is not currently available. West. Digging for Britain Series 4. Episode 1 ...
[75]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 4, East
Digging for Britain. More. Home · Episodes · Clips. Main content. Sorry, this ... 360 Production. Broadcasts. Thu 17 Mar 2016 21:00. BBC Four. Fri 18 Mar 2016 03 ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[76]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 4, North
Digging for Britain. More. Home · Episodes · Clips. Main content. Sorry, this ... 360 Production. Broadcasts. Thu 24 Mar 2016 21:00. BBC Four. Fri 25 Mar 2016 03 ...
[77]
Season 4 – Digging for Britain - Rotten Tomatoes
Episode 1 video still. Episode 1 Aired Mar 10, 2016 ; Episode 2 video still. Episode 2 Aired Mar 17, 2016 ; Episode 3 video still. Episode 3 Aired Mar 24, 2016.
[78]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0864zvq
[79]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 5, West
The teams then bring their best finds - from skeletons to treasure - back to the Digging for Britain lab, to examine them with Alice and reveal how they are ...
[80]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 5, North
The very best in British archaeology 2016. In the north, finds include evidence for the first Roman siege in Britain and Stone Age Scottish man-made islands.
[81]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 5, East
See all episodes from Digging for Britain. Clip. Battle of Barnet. Duration: 02:42. Credits. Role, Contributor. Presenter, Alice Roberts. Producer, Alex Rowson.
[82]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 5
Series 5 Digging for Britain Highlighting the best archaeological discoveries from around the country.
[83]
Digging for Britain - Unknown - Season 6 - TheTVDB.com
S06E01, West. November 22, 2017 ; S06E02, East. November 29, 2017 ; S06E03, North. December 6, 2017 ; S06E04, The Horsemen of Hadrian's Wall · December 13, 2017.
[84]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 6, West
See all episodes from Digging for Britain. Credits. Role, Contributor. Presenter, Alice Roberts. Production Company, 360 Production. Executive Producer, Emma ...
[85]
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - Episode list - IMDb
Digging for Britain ; S6.E1 ∙ West. Wed, Nov 22, 2017 · 8.1 · (18) ; S6.E2 ∙ East. Wed, Nov 29, 2017 · 7.9 · (16) ; S6.E3 ∙ North. Wed, Dec 6, 2017 · 7.9 · (15)
[86]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 6, East
See all episodes from Digging for Britain. Credits. Role, Contributor. Presenter, Alice Roberts. Production Company, 360 Production. Executive Producer, Emma ...
[87]
‎Caesar And Shipwrecks - Digging for Britain (Series 6, Episode 2 ...
Off the coast of Kent, a dive into the English Channel reveals the biggest marine excavation since the Mary Rose, an 18th-century East India Company ship packed ...
[88]
Digging for Britain: Season 6, Episode 3 | Rotten Tomatoes
Digging for Britain joins archaeologists in the North, finding Roman objects abandoned during a British rebellion, traces of the lost Iona monastery.
[89]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 6, North
See all episodes from Digging for Britain. Credits. Role, Contributor. Presenter, Alice Roberts. Production Company, 360 Production. Executive Producer, Emma ...
[90]
The Horsemen of Hadrian's Wall - Digging for Britain - Apple TV
Professor Alice Roberts reveals the forgotten story of the Roman Army's secret weapon in Britain: their cavalry. These fearsome horsemen were the key …Missing: finds | Show results with:finds
[91]
Lincolnshire Anglo-Saxon cemetery burials unearthed - BBC News
Nov 27, 2018 · Burials of richly-dressed women interred with their jewellery and personal items have been unearthed at an Anglo-Saxon cemetery.Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[92]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 7, West
Professor Alice Robert explores exciting archaeological finds from the west of Britain. Every new discovery was filmed by the archaeologists themselves, giving ...
[93]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 7, East
See all episodes from Digging for Britain. Clip. Odd Roman burials. Duration: 01:54. Credits. Role, Contributor. Reporter, Raksha Dave. Presenter, Alice Roberts.
[94]
Digging for Britain, Series 7, Iron Age Revealed - BBC
Alice Roberts follows archaeologists as they excavate Iron Age Britain's most spectacular grave – a Yorkshire chariot burial.Missing: 2011 mill
[95]
Further chariot burial discovered at Pocklington - Current Archaeology
Jan 3, 2019 · Archaeologists from MAP Archaeological Practice discovered a remarkable Iron Age chariot burial during the final stages of an excavation at Pocklington, East ...
[96]
Series 7 - Digging for Britain - BBC
Professor Alice Roberts explores 2018's most exciting archaeological finds. On iPlayer. Iron Age Revealed · All available episodes (4 total). On TV.Missing: key | Show results with:key
[97]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 8 - Episode guide
Digging for Britain Series 8 Episodes Episode guide · WWII Special. 4/4 The team follow the search for artefacts from World War II. · South. 3/4 How a lobster ...Missing: key | Show results with:key
[98]
Digging for Britain, Series 8, West - BBC Two
In the first episode, we explore this year's finds in the west of Britain. A secret location in the Cotswolds, with all the hallmarks of a high-status Anglo ...Missing: key air
[99]
Digging for Britain, Series 8, North - BBC Two
But when archaeologists excavate, they find more than they bargained for. In Northern Ireland, the graveyard of a Victorian workhouse sheds new light on one of ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[100]
Digging for Britain, The Greatest Discoveries - Episode guide - BBC
Episode 1. 1/4 Professor Alice Roberts re-examines key archaeological sites of prehistoric Britain. Related Content. Similar programmes. By genre: Factual > ...Missing: summaries | Show results with:summaries
[101]
Digging for Britain, The Greatest Discoveries, Episode 1 - BBC
Episode 1. Digging for Britain The Greatest Discoveries. Episode 1 of 4 ... Tue 17 Mar 2020 20:00. BBC Four. Wed 18 Mar 2020 01:45. BBC Four. Tue 19 Jul 2022 ...
[102]
Digging for Britain, The Greatest Discoveries, Episode 2 - BBC
Professor Alice Roberts re-examines the key archaeological sites of Iron Age Britain, from an incredible chariot burial in Yorkshire to a vast coin hoard on ...
[103]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, The Greatest Discoveries, Episode 3
Episode 3. Digging for Britain The Greatest Discoveries. Episode 3 of 4 ... Tue 31 Mar 2020 20:00. BBC Four. Wed 1 Apr 2020 02:00. BBC Four. Thu 21 Jul 2022 ...
[104]
Digging for Britain The Greatest Discoveries - Episode 4 of 4 - BBC
Episode 4. Digging for Britain The Greatest Discoveries. Episode 4 of 4 ... Tue 7 Apr 2020 20:00. BBC Four. Wed 8 Apr 2020 02:00. BBC Four. Mon 25 Jul 2022 ...
[105]
Series 9 - Digging for Britain - BBC
Alice Roberts returns with a revamped series featuring extraordinary archaeological discoveries found across the UK.
[106]
Digging for Britain, Series 9 - TVF International
Professor Alice Roberts returns with a revamp of the much loved format Digging for Britain. Every year, hundreds of archaeological digs from across the British ...
[107]
Digging for Britain: Season 9, Episode 3 - Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis The best archaeology from the north of Britain; Scotland's oldest railway; one of the best-preserved Norman castles; an extraordinary find from a ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[108]
Digging for Britain: Season 9, Episode 2 | Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis The south of England offers rich pickings, including the earliest money made in Britain and a massive haul of Roman treasure that brings to life the ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[109]
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - Episode list - IMDb
S9.E1 ∙ East. Tue, Jan 4, 2022. The discovery of a mosaic has art historians, archaeologists and Alice very excited as they slowly reveal its full beauty. ; S9.
[110]
Digging for Britain, Series 9, Episode 4 - BBC Two
Alice Roberts travels across the Midlands, looking at the best archaeology uncovered last year in the heart of England. In a Digging for Britain exclusive, we ...
[111]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 9 - Episode guide
Episode 6. 6/6 A 3,000-year-old Bronze Age wooden coffin is found buried beneath a golf course. Episode 5. 5/6 Alice reveals a new Roman town filled with ...
[112]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 10
Alice Roberts returns with a revamped series featuring extraordinary archaeological discoveries found across the UK, from a spectacular Roman mosaic to a secret ...
[113]
Digging For Britain | Series 10 Preview (BBC Two) - TV Zone
Dec 12, 2022 · Now in its 10th series, Alice is joined by a team of experts who will help to dig deeper in a bid to reveal the story behind the finds. The most ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[114]
Ice Age Camp and a Saint with Syphilis - Digging for Britain - BBC
Broadcasts · Sun 12 Feb 2023 20:00. BBC Two · Sat 18 Feb 2023 00:25. BBC Two except Wales & Wales HD · Thu 23 Mar 2023 08:00. BBC Two · Tue 30 May 2023 19:00. BBC ...
[115]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0dm80y4
[116]
Headless Romans and Anglo Saxon Gold - Digging for Britain - BBC
A gatehouse riddled with Civil War bullets, a unique Iron Age shield made from bark and Roman burials with pots where the heads should be.
[117]
A mass burial of headless Roman skeletons found in England
Jan 22, 2023 · A mass burial of headless Roman skeletons found in England ... The discovery will be featured in episode three of Digging for Britain on BBC Two.
[118]
Roman Mosaics and Ancient Weapons - Digging for Britain - BBC
Travelling east, Alice discovers a Roman barn conversion, unearths a Tudor fort and finds intricately carved 10,000-year-old weapons.
[119]
Arthur's Stone and a Georgian Mine - Digging for Britain - BBC
A spectacular monument older than Stonehenge, a 200-year-old mine and a medieval friary.
[120]
Digging for Britain, Series 11 - BBC Two
Professor Alice Roberts reveals the fascinating world hidden beneath our feet, showcasing the latest finds of dedicated archaeologists. On iPlayer. Not ...Missing: key 2024
[121]
Mysterious medieval cemetery unearthed in Wales - BBC
Jan 2, 2024 · The cemetery lies in an unremarkable field in the grounds of Fonmon Castle, close to the end of the runway at Cardiff airport. Over two summers, ...
[122]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 11 - Episode guide
3,000-Year-Old Shoes and Giant Axeheads 5/6 In the south of England, Britain's oldest shoe and Henry V's lost shipyard are unearthed.Missing: summaries | Show results with:summaries
[123]
3000-Year-Old Shoes and Giant Axeheads - Digging for Britain - BBC
Archaeology in the south of England unearths Britain's oldest shoe, the lost shipyard of one of England's greatest warrior kings and Britain's top-secret WWII ...
[124]
Digging for Britain - The Roman Emperor's Bathhouse - BBC
Dec 28, 2023 · At a newly discovered bathhouse in Carlisle, Alice uncovers possible connections to the North African Roman emperor Septimius Severus in the form of a ...Missing: urban expansion
[125]
A Norman Panic Room and a Mesolithic Fish Trap - YouTube
Jan 13, 2024 · In the west of Britain, there's a rare medieval cemetery, a ... Digging for Britain S11E03 - A Norman Panic Room and a Mesolithic Fish Trap.
[126]
Digging for Britain - Wikipedia
Digging For Britain is a British television series focused on last and current year archaeology. The series is made by 360 Production (now Rare TV) for the BBC ...
[127]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 12
Series 12 Digging for Britain Prof Alice Roberts follows a year of British archaeology, joining up the results of digs.
[128]
Season 12 – Digging for Britain - Rotten Tomatoes
Digging for Britain — Season 12 photo 2. Digging for Britain &mdash ... Release Date: Jan 7, 2025. Advertise With Us. About Tomatometer. The ...
[129]
Digging for Britain Season 12 Episodes - TV Guide
Season 12 Episode Guide · Saxon Gold and Buried Coins · Dinosaur Highway and Roman Sauna · Island Treasures · Roman Crime and Ancient DNA · Chariots and Slaves · Lost ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[130]
BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 12 - Episode guide
Digging for Britain Series 12 Episodes Episode guide · Lost Mansions and Impaled Prisoners · Chariots and Slaves · Roman Crime and Ancient DNA · Island Treasures.
[131]
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - Episode list - IMDb
Digging for Britain (TV Series 2010– ) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more ... DNA solves a medieval mystery. 7.5/10 (14) Rate. Digging for Britain (2010) ...
[132]
'Digging for Britain' episode featuring Orkney excavations online now
Jan 7, 2025 · Two Orkney excavations are covered in the new series of the BBC TV programme Digging for Britain, which is available now on iPlayer.
[133]
Digging for Britain 2025 episode 3 - HDClump
Jan 12, 2025 · Our journey begins in the Orkney Islands, where presenter Alice Roberts joins a team of archaeologists uncovering a tomb as ancient as Egypt's ...
[134]
Digging for Britain S12E4 | Roman Crime, DNA Secrets ... - YouTube
Sep 10, 2025 · ... DNA analysis in Cheshire revisits a 13th-century graveyard, unlocking secrets of the medieval past. #DiggingForBritain #RomanArchaeology ...Missing: accessibility radiocarbon dating
[135]
Digging for Britain, Series 12, Chariots and Slaves - BBC Two
See all episodes from Digging for Britain. Clip. "Votive offerings to the gods". Duration: 02:04 ... BBC Two. Wed 29 Jan 2025 02:05. BBC Two. Yesterday 20:00. BBC ...
[136]
Digging for Britain, Series 12 - TVF International
In the newest series of the BBC's flagship archaeology show, Professor Alice Roberts unearths more secrets from the fascinating world hidden beneath our feet.
[137]
Digging for Britain S12E5 | Chariots, Slaves & Sacred Sites - YouTube
Sep 13, 2025 · In Digging for Britain Season 12 Episode 5, Alice Roberts explores the fascinating archaeological finds across western Britain.Missing: style visual presentation animations 3D models