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Trowels Out - National Archaeology Days Are Here Again

Dig out your trowels and shine up your spades - it's time for National Archaeology Days again. Yes, that means you get the chance to peer into trenches, ask the experts lots of tricky questions and have a go at all sorts of dig-related fun.

Shows a photo of two girls at the Big Dig, wearing yellow plastic hard hats, digging in a sandpit with trowels and spades. Photo courtesy of the Museum of London.

Photo: get digging - who knows what you might find!

Courtesy of the Museum of London.

Archaeologists are like detectives, using clues left behind by people from the past to work out how those people would have lived. Very often those clues are rubbish - the bits and pieces that people threw away. The remains of buildings, bodies, everyday objects, even plants and animals are all useful clues too.

If you're interested in archaeology then July 17 and 18 2004 is your lucky weekend. There are hundreds of events going on, right across the country, giving you the chance to get stuck into some archaeological detective work yourself.

Photo: you couldn't just make a sandwich in Celtic times - there was no bread unless you ground the flour first!

Courtesy of the Council for British Archaeology.

 Shows a photo of a man in Celtic dress holding a millstone in place while a boy in modern dress grinds flour.

Here are details of a few of the events that took our fancy, but there are hundreds more to choose from. Check out the National Archaeology Days events list for lots, lots more.

In Scotland at the Archaeolink Prehistory Park they're being taken over by three Celtic tribes for the 'Iron Age Highland Games'. You can cheer the tribes on as they test their strength with some prehistoric challenges, and learn about their history as you go.

Shows a photo of two men dressed as Celts, fighting with swords and shields.

Photo: Celtic tribesmen battle it out - whose side are you on?

Courtesy of Archaeolink.

At Scarborough Castle you get to joust on your hobby horse at their medieval tournament. The Museum of Reading will be showing off their newly discovered Bronze Age torc, which is a neck ring, on Saturday July 17. On Sunday July 18 you'll be able to have a go at cave painting, making Iron Age pots and making your own neck ring.

The Museum of London is packing in loads of fun. Their theme is 'People of the past' so events are all about the bodies, clothes and lives of Londoners from days gone by.

Photo: who do you think this beautiful torq bracelet would have been worn by?

Courtesy of the Museum of Reading.

 Shows a photo of a golden Bronze Age torc.

In Portsmouth there's underwater archaeology at the Centre for Archaeology, while in Swindon they're showing visitors around the newly discovered Roman Baths. The baths were only discovered this summer and are going to be covered over again after this weekend, so don't miss them!

Do try and get out to some of the events, and have fun!

Shows a photo of a boy wearing a shiny Roman helmet, with a red plume on top. It's too big for him!

Photo: where did you get that hat?!

Courtesy of the Council for British Archaeology.

National Archaeology Days are organised by the Council for British Archaeology and the Young Archaeologists Club. All events take place on July 17 and 18, unless stated otherwise.