The time has come, dear readers, for me to bid farewell to Current Archaeology. It has been a fantastic few years working on the magazine and getting to know so many of you! I leave CA in the very capable hands of the incoming Editor, Matthew Symonds, who some of you may recognise as the Acting Editor of Current World Archaeology over the past year, and others as the co-author of the Frontiers of Knowledge: A Research Framework for Hadrian’s Wall. To learn more about Matthew, please see Interview on p. 44.
As I reflect back on my experiences here at CA, one thing that constantly comes to mind is the pleasure of hearing about great projects, by either amateurs or professionals, and most of all the opportunity to publish sites for which there will potentially be no other written reference. We would never hear about many of these projects if it was not for you ‚ our readers ‚ getting in touch to let us know. I cannot say strongly enough how important it is that this continues, now more than ever.
FEATURES/n
POWER, STATUS, AND WEALTH/n
Understanding English Castles
New research challenges traditional thought that the function of castles was mainly military, and proposes a more symbolic view.
MASSACRE AT FIN COP/n
An Iron Age hillfort at war
Excavation at a Derbyshire hillfort has uncovered unusual evidence of a violent destruction; what does it all mean?
EXCAVATING MEDIEVAL LEWES/n
From burh to strategic stronghold
Three major excavations ahead of town redevelopment have combined to reveal unique evidence about the evolution of Medieval Lewes.
AFTER THE STORM/n
New Roman remains at Cockermouth
Devastating 2009 floods wreaked havoc in Cumbria, but one archaeologist has found a Roman silver lining amongst the clouds.
NEWS/n
Early Roman timber forts found in Neath; Vindolanda gets its tablets back; Henry VIII’s portrait found in Somerset; Coins for Somerset; Torcs for Edinburgh; UK nominates 11 new World Heritage Sites; National Heritage List for England launched; Sweating at Marden; 7th-century plough coulter found in Kent.
REGULARS/n
Comment/n
The ‘1.2m rule’: Stuart Prior examines recent controversy.
Context/n
Sites, artefacts, monuments, and moments: in pictures.
Interview/n
Current Archaeology’s new Editor Matthew Symonds on why he digs the past ‚ and his plans for the future of CA.
Reviews/n
Iron Age Mirrors: a biographical approach; The Lovers of Pound Hill; The Stones of London: a history in 12 buildings; Flag Fen: life and death of a Prehistoric landscape.
Sherds/n
Chris Catling’s irreverent take on heritage issues.
Odd Socs/n
The British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia.