YAC Awards Winners 2005 Solve Roman Archaeology Mystery

The winners of the prestigious Young Archaeologist of the Year Award have just been announced, proving that digging up the past isn't just for adults.

Emma Swanston, aged 8, from Salisbury in Wiltshire and Sarah Landless, aged 14, from Barnoldswick in Lancashire, impressed the judges with their archaeological detective skills.

Here they are receiving their certificates from Nicky Milsted from YAC and Tim Fisher of the National Trust.

Photo: © YAC

This year, entrants to the competition had to follow archaeological clues to work out the location of a mysterious site and then help to design information boards to explain it to visitors.

Emma and Sarah both worked out that the mystery location was the Branodunum Roman fort on the north coast of Norfolk.

They travelled there on November 27 2005 and were special guests when the brand new information panels were unveiled.

Photo: © YAC

Emma and Sarah met loads of top archaeologists at the unveiling, including Francis and Maisie Pryor from Time Team and people from the National Trust. (Check out the National Trust's online games, or learn more about the National Trust from Trusty the Hedgehog).

The winners also helped to choose items for a new display at Norwich Castle Museum.

Here they are with Museum Curator John Davies, looking at Roman artefacts.

Photo: © YAC

The award is organised by the Young Archaeologists' Club (YAC) and is now in its 28th year.

If you missed out this time round you can join in next year - and in the meantime there are lots of activities where you can find out about Roman history and archaeology on Show Me's Romans topic page.

YAC is a club for 8-16-year olds. They organise loads of activities across the country where you can get involved in real archaeological projects. You never know - you could unearth an amazing new discovery one day. You can find out more on the YAC website.

If you'd like to find out more about what archaeologists get up to, check out what happened when Show Me went Behind The Scenes With Time Team.

Photo: © Time Team.

There are loads of museums and heritage sites where you can see Roman artefacts and learn more about how the Romans lived. Here are just a few:

Museum of London
Roman Baths Museum, Bath
Brading Roman Villa, Isle of Wight
Fishbourne Roman Palace, Chichester, West Sussex
Bignor Roman Villa, Pulborough, West Sussex
Lullingstone Roman Villa, Kent
Verulamium Museum, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester
Chester Roman Amphitheatre, Cheshire
Segedunum Roman Fort, Baths & Museum, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear

Don't forget - we love to hear about the things you've seen and heard about in museums, so do write and tell us about them, or send us a picture! Find out how to contact us on our Get In Touch page - we're looking forward to hearing from you.