Young Archaeologists Find Bronze Age Relics On Holiday!

Photo: Two members of the team explore remote Bodmin Moor where the finds were made. © YAC

A group of young people on a Young Archaeologist's Club holiday in Cornwall surprised experts by finding two burial mounds on the moors in Cornwall. The mounds, called Cairns, could be 2700 or more years old.

Some experts have looked at the cairns and think they could date from the Bronze Age. They'll have a better chance to work out what the children have found when the summer growth of bracken has died back.

Photo: a team member draws the mound. This is very important, archaeologists need to see what has been found, and what lies around it. © YAC

Two keen young archaeologists, Emily Gilchrist and Lewis Golding, made the discovery. The children were led by an expert archaeologist, Tony Blackman.

"Just before we stumbled on the find, one of the children even said to me - 'I wonder if we are going to find anything. Just about everything there is to be found here has already been found!"

A few minutes after that, Emily and Lewis, using the skills they'd learnt in YAC, had spotted the mounds on the horizon.

They all looked more closely and excitement mounted when Tony told them the mounds had not been found before.

Photo: YAC holidays give you a chance to get mucky and learn things too! © YAC

"Young people are sharp-eyed and open-minded - key attributes for making interesting new discoveries," said George Lambrick, Director of the Council for British Archaeology.

The Council is the most important archaeological organisation in the UK and it keeps an eye on all new sites.

"YAC gives children a hands-on experience of what archaeology is all about - and they can make a real contribution to our knowledge of the past."

There are branches of the Young Archaeologists' Club all over the UK. If you join up you might find yourself recording graveyards, excavating sites and even preparing museum exhibitions.

If you'd like to join in the fun, talk to your parent or guardian and find out more. Membership costs £7.50. Call 01904 671417 or click on this link to visit the YAC website in a new window.