Want To Be Young Archaeologist Of The Year 2006?

Would you like a chance to do some digging around and win some fab prizes? You won't get your hands dirty though, this is a different kind of digging...

The Young Archaeologist Club (YAC) launched their annual competition last night.

The challenge for 2006 is to dig around for clues to the history of a building near where you live, so that you can tell its story. You could even choose your own home!

Raksha Dave (left) an archaeologist from Time Team is helping the YAC to launch the competition.

© YAC.

Raksha's favourite building is the Natural History Museum in London. She says:

"There are stone monkeys climbing arches and pterodactyls looking down at you!... If archaeologists of the future stumbled upon the building and all records of it were lost, their interpretation of it would be clear: this building was used to celebrate the natural world... yeah, spot on!"

© The Natural History Museum.

If you take up the challenge, you'll have to use special archaeological techniques to explore and record your findings. Don't panic though - you get lots of clues.

"We want to encourage archaeologists of the future to find stories hidden within the buildings around them." explains Nicky Milsted of the Young Archaeologists' Club.

Here's Nicky with Tim Fisher from the National Trust and some past winners... it could be you next time!

The Award is open to anyone aged 8-16 years old and there are some great prizes to be won!

There are two categories for entry: 8-12 years old and 13-16 years old.

© YAC

Recognise this lovely face? Tony Robinson, another Time Team star, is President of the YAC.

He's mad about archaeology and is really looking forward to seeing your entries.

© YAC

The building you choose to look at doesn't have to be old or stately... this is Tony's favourite. It's a bus and train station in London called Newbury Park.

© YAC.

Here's Julian Richards, another archaeologist who pops up on telly a lot and great friend of the YAC.

Julian's favourite building is Stonehenge - those giant rocks behind him. Is that a building do you reckon?

© YAC.

So - do you have a favourite building? Are you inspired?

Prizes include an archaeological weekend for you and your family, a behind-the-scenes experience at an historic building near you and lots of other goodies!

The closing date for entries is: August 31 2006

The Young Archaeologists' Club website has all the entry details.