Deep History Detectives: Tracking artefacts on the North Norfolk Coast
Back in 2021 PAB researchers ran a Deep History Detectives weekend at Happisburgh. PAB Research Associates, Dr Claire Harris (Museum of London Archaeology) and Dr Rachel Bynoe (University of Southampton) have now secured further funding for a small-scale community project.
North Norfolk is well known for the spectacular discoveries made on the Deep History Coast – the evocative Happisburgh footprints, the awe-inspiring West Runton Mammoth, and countless stone tools.
Local collectors have recovered many thousands of artefacts and fossils along the coast. Working with these local collectors PAB researchers have developed a good understanding of the types of artefacts being recovered. Now we’d like to understand more about how the artefacts move along the coastline – how far do they move and over what timeframe? This new community project will help us to investigate these questions.
Replica artefacts (painted bright pink and labelled with project numbers) will be tracked along the coast using the CITiZAN app. To find out more about getting involved, please see links below.
Earlier research using artefacts found by collectors:
Get involved
Saturday 24 February, Wenn Evans Centre – Collector consultation and planning day with CITiZAN app training (morning and afternoon sessions, booking required)
Sunday 25 February, Wenn Evans Centre – Family Day with artefact painting and activities (drop-in)
Sunday 10 March – Replica artefacts distributed along coast
Saturday 6 July – Project update (Wenn Evans Centre) followed by a beach walk. Book here.
Ongoing – Found a pink stone? Make it known! If you’re out on the beach between Bacton and Sea Palling you may find one of the replica artefacts. They are all painted pink and labelled with project numbers e.g. DHD001. Please record the location using the CITiZAN app. Once you’ve recorded the location, please leave the replica on the beach so that we can continue to track its journey!
How to record an artefact with the CITiZAN app DHD CITiZAN App
Additional information for the Deep History Detectives project DHD_additional_info_CITiZAN_HS
About the project
Project leads: Dr Rachel Bynoe, University of Southampton and Dr Claire Harris, MOLA.
The current project builds on earlier work undertaken by Claire and Rachel and colleagues from the Pathways to Ancient Britain project. The project is supported by Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities HEIF Research and Innovation Fund 2023/24 and MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology).