Current Archaeology 357

This month we are putting the ‘art’ into ‘artefact’, showcasing a number of exciting discoveries that are as beautiful to look at as they are important to our understanding of the past.
/nOur cover story unpicks the details of the Boxford mosaic, a 1,700-year-old floor lavishly decorated with scenes from Classical legend, which has been hailed as ‘the most exciting mosaic discovery made in Britain in the last 50 years’.
/nClassical motifs also abound in the elaborately carved figureheads depicting monarchs and mythical figures that once adorned the bows of 19th-century warships. A cutting-edge conservation project has restored 14 monumental examples to their former glory – and uncovered some surprising secrets in the process.
/nTaking a more literal approach to creative endeavour, we are also celebrating the art (or science?) of archaeological illustration, exploring the line between imagination and objectivity, and how the way we present the past influences our interpretations. Our final archaeological artwork is the Bacton Altar Cloth, an exquisitely embroidered Tudor textile that for over a century has hung in a small Herefordshire church. Expert research suggests that it has a rather grander origin, however, as part of a dress once worn by Elizabeth I.
/nMoving from art to anniversaries, in this issue we also mark 200 years since the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester. The tragic events of a peaceful protest that ended in bloodshed have entered notoriety. What can archaeology tell us about the wider context of this episode, and the industrial landscape that the campaigners knew?