Digging for Britain

Date: 12 August 2010

Bournemouth University's Big Dig features in BBC mini series

Dr Miles Russell and Dr Alice Roberts at the Big Dig site. Below: BU undergraduates Kelsie Whitwood and Hannah McCaully excavating a skeleton

Staff and students who took part in Bournemouth University's Big Dig will feature in a four part BBC series, 'Digging for Britain', hosted by TV scientist Dr Alice Roberts.

The Big Dig took place in June when over 200 students, staff and volunteers descended on the site near Bere Regis to uncover settlement artefacts. It formed part of a wider study of the transition period from the Iron Age to Roman Britain.

Dr Miles Russell from Bournemouth University’s School of Applied Sciences explains why the BBC was interested in the dig: “They were looking for current projects producing exciting results that challenged the accepted view of life in the past.”

The project certainly did yield interesting results. Archaeological evidence showed natives living in the area during this period were thriving on Spanish wine, olive oil and other Mediterranean goods introduced to Dorset by the Romans.

Dr Russell explains why this is so revealing: “Traditionally this is viewed as a time of conflict; the Roman army forcing its way across Dorset, the native Britons conducting a brave but ultimately futile resistance, large numbers dying in the process. Whoever lived here saw Rome as a good thing and was already part of a long distance trade network before Rome invaded Britain. This, of course, flies in the face of the traditional and rather entrenched view of native relations.”

Miles goes on to describe the privilege of working on the Big Dig: “It's fantastic. An internationally important, very well preserved site, on our back door and being investigated by our very own students. What better way for them to learn and what better way to start their career in such a dramatic site.”

‘Digging for Britain: Romans’ will be shown on BBC 2 on Thursday 19 August at 9pm. The series continues weekly, with episodes on the Pre-history period, Anglo-Saxon and Tudor times
.