Our members working in collections access at V&A have voted unanimously for strike action because they don't have time for toilet breaks or to drink water. All V&A members have separately also voted to strike over pay and conditions. Read more in the Guardian: www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Staff at newest V&A site in London vote overwhelmingly for strike action

V&A Storehouse dispute centres on toilet and hydration breaks as employees across V&A in London also vote to strike in wider action

theguardian.com

I recently wrote a book review, on the edited volume The Early Neolithic of Northern Europe: New Approaches to Migration, Movement and Social Connection. Highly recommended! www.tandfonline.com/eprint/UGGSE...

The Early Neolithic of Northern Europe: New Approaches to Migration, Movement and Social Connection

Published in Norwegian Archaeological Review (Ahead of Print, 2026)

tandfonline.com

Please read and read again this stunning reflection on what’s happening at Exeter — and on the personal cost (for far too many and for far too long) of struggling to uphold the humanities within a system bent on grinding them down and squeezing them out. #DefendExeterUni

Lizzy Williamson@lizzywilliamson.bsky.social · last wk.

open.substack.com/pub/lizzywil...

'Strip away the grandiose language and a pattern emerges – some combination of fewer, larger modules, almost always wedges of 30 credits, an all-core or heavily prescribed first year, reduced optionality in later years, curated pathways instead of individual module choice... [cont.] 1/4

Curriculum reform is a wedge issue

With curriculum reform converging on fewer, larger modules across the sector, Jim Dickinson argues that consolidation solves institutional problems while reallocating regret onto students least able t...

wonkhe.com

Sardine sauce anyone? The wonders of fishy aDNA:

Antiquity Journal@antiquity.ac.uk · last wk.

The Romans were among the first societies to extensively exploit fish resources, salting and fermenting them in large-scale plants. Ancient DNA sheds light on the environmental impact still felt to this day. 🏺 A #FestivalOfArchaeology thread on #NatureAndArchaeology 1/12 🧵

Some very nice archaeology emerging from NoB26 - a small house with a wide entrance www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/diary-d16-20...

Dig diary - Structure Forty‑Four christened and its monumental entrance revealed - The Ness of Brodgar Project

We suspected it was there and the entrance was confirmed today. And may be much bigger than expected!

nessofbrodgar.co.uk

Are you interested in how interactive video games could inspire interest in heritage across new audiences? My student Sophie has designed a trailer for 'Ancient Kernow' - she would love you to watch it and take her short survey: youtu.be/Ilau7-52GAE

Ancient Kernow Trailer

YouTube video by Sophie J Art

youtu.be

Forget the world cup, this is the football final to watch. 20 mins to go, and history might be made... C'mon Mayo!

Aidan O’Brien@aidanobrien.bsky.social · 2w ago

All Ireland Sunday! Mayo v Kerry! Even if you don't enjoy any form of sports ball, there's an *excellent*curse at play here to entertain you all. Short thread 🧵

matthewlaw.wordpress.com/2026/07/25/a...

[An Archaeologist’s Guide to British Species] #120: Cranberry

In 2026, I am continuing to blog an A-Z compendium of human interactions with species in the British landscape. A list of references for information used in this series can be found here. An index …

matthewlaw.wordpress.com

Even the Spectator weighs in against 'the bonfire of the humanities' and proposed cuts at my uni: spectator.com/article/we-s...

We sacrifice the humanities at our peril

Another month, another of our great universities making brutal cuts. At Exeter (motto: lucem sequimur, ‘we follow the light’) over 500 members of staff have been notified their jobs are at risk in a p...

spectator.com

Rob Cowen’s evocative description of the Thornborough Henges, re-imagined by the artist Imogen Taylor in this lovely animation. Find out more in our latest episode here: pod.fo/e/44c958 @robcowen.bsky.social @johnnyflynnmusic.bsky.social

Time for another slice of OGS Crawford's doggerel. This one concerns Mortimer Wheeler and a lady. Like me, you may have questions. There are some comments at the end. [Untitled] Dear Madam, I am instructed by the British Acdemy to acknowledge your letter which I had better answer in verse. (1/6)

News travels fast...🔥☀️🛩️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Heatwave reveals lost archaeological sites across Wales

The Royal Commission of Wales said some of these known sites have not been seen clearly in decades.

bbc.co.uk

Couple of questions for the hivemind this morning. 1) Can you think of any examples of megalithic monuments in the UK that have been restored in recent times, aside from Carwynnen Quoit? 2) Has anyone published on the effectiveness of Countryside Stewardship schemes on protecting archaeology?

Thread of wonderful archive buildings:

Dr Laura Sangha@lsangha.bsky.social · 2w ago

Things are so bad I joined WhatsApp (still don't have a smartphone though, no). In amongst the serious stuff in our 'at risk' chat are some Very Lovely Things. For instance, my colleague who works on the Italian Renaissance shared this photo of the Archivio di Stato di Roma, where she currently is:

I can haz blackberries

📰 "It was a form of simple fish farming": Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Norway introduced fish into mountain lakes prior to the advent of agriculture 🐟️ 🏺 #AntiquityResearch #ArchaeologyNews via sciencenorway.no www.sciencenorway.no/stone-age-ar...

Introduced fish into mountain lakes 7,000 years ago: 'It was a form of simple fish farming'

People have always had the ability and capacity to influence and change their surroundings, says an archaeologist.

sciencenorway.no

"What do we know about a place that could help us make better decisions for nature, climate and people?" This is the question we're asking @nattrustarch.bsky.social because uniting historic landscape knowledge and nature conservation will help tackle the nature and climate crisis. 📷James Dobson

This has been a bit of time coming but so glad its now out in time for #FestivalofArchaeology. A call to #Archaeologists to help tackle the nature crisis. Share your examples of how archaeology has helped nature restoration? @nattrustarch.bsky.social www.nationaltrust.org.uk/services/med...

Press Release | Media

The National Trust, Oxford Archaeology and Knepp Castle Estate have launched the ‘Knepp Accord’, a new framework to tackle the nature and climate crisis.

nationaltrust.org.uk

Had a fantastic time at this year's #FestivalOfArchaeology @archaeologyuk.bsky.social launch at Westonbirt Arboretum, bumping into lots of familiar faces, talking about my Stonehenge book and even finding some rock art! Find events close to you: www.archaeologyuk.org/festival/fes...

We've made alternative plans to celebrate with our graduating archaeology students tomorrow, as sadly I won't be attending the ceremony. Can't really sit on a stage with those who are trying to make me and my colleagues redundant.

Great to be able to update my lectures from 'they were a goldsmith and some think a shaman or magician' to 'she was a goldsmith...' www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Ancient DNA analysis reveals Wiltshire’s Upton Lovell Shaman was a woman

Exclusive: Analysis offers ‘smoking gun evidence’ that overturns previous assumption that bronze age individual was male

theguardian.com

"You can do everything right, and someone will still find a way to get rid of you." Oof, that last line hits hard.

James Dyke@jamesgdyke.info · 3w ago

I think these people aren’t being honest,” says Michael Flexer, an English lecturer and co-chair of the Exeter UCU. “When we push on one justification [for the job losses], after a while, that folds, and they give us a different justification.” www.newstatesman.com/politics/edu...

I've seen mixed information about what this means for BSc archaeology courses - does anyone have any useful concrete information? My understanding is that B price group courses are not affected but UAUK think otherwise....?

Dr Susan Greaney@suegreaney.bsky.social · 4w ago

The cuts to high-cost subject funding will be devastating for some courses and universities. www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/r5sf44...

Our mosaic is having a final clean and the terracotta tiles consolidated (darker in this photo), before we begin lifting tomorrow:

@jessstilllife.bsky.social · 3w ago

Today I have a live feed #MosaicMonday! The wonderful SHARE Roman villa mosaic being carefully cleaned before its lifted over the next couple of days. I’m busy finds cleaning today

This was fun! A podcast where I recommend five books about Stonehenge that you must read (as well as my own, of course!). Thanks for @fivebooks.com for having me!

Five Books - Expert Book Recommendations@fivebooks.com · 3w ago

NEW: “It never gets forgotten. It’s not a site that has to be rediscovered – it’s there all the way through.” Big thank you to @suegreaney.bsky.social for recommending books on Stonehenge: fivebooks.com/best-books/s... Books by

Today is the official publication day for my new book, Sedimentary Aesthetics: Painting on Stone and the Ecology of Early Modern Art. It is out in the world, and I would like to thank @yalepress.bsky.social for all they did. I’d also like to tell you a bit about why this publication means so much.

30,000 signatures! We want to defend University of Exeter, a place of academic excellence, high-quality teaching and outstanding research #DefendExeterUni www.change.org/p/stop-redun...

Sign the Petition

Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter

change.org

Open day for the SHARE project yesterday was a huge success, despite 35 degree temps, thanks to my amazing volunteers and students. At least 400 people came to see our Roman villa, with 14 guided tours of the site. Lots would have visited the village hall to see finds and displays too.

Last open day 6th June -- torrential rain and wind 🌧️ Tomorrow's open day? 32 degrees and a lot of strong sunshine ☀️ Can't win. Wish us luck...