We are excited to announce our new Portable Antiquities Scheme podcast series! Join hosts Ben and Lucy, plus special guests, as they explore finds from across the country and get to know the Scheme better. This series has been produced as part of The National Lottery Heritage Fund supported PASt Explorers project. The series was …more
Category: News
Stay At Home Activities: Book Clasps
Early books and manuscripts were often made of parchment (also known as vellum), an organic material made from animal skin. To keep the pages safe, they were sandwiched between stiff wooden boards when not in use. It was necessary to keep the volume tightly closed to stop the pages curling and warping, so the covers …more
Making History
PAS reaches 1.5 million milestone! The 1.5 millionth archaeological object discovered by the public has been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database this week. The find – a medieval papal bulla – is the latest in a long line of objects recorded that are helping to transform our understanding of life through time on …more
Getting Crafty With PAS
It’s time to bust out your craft materials and get creative! We’ve got two more fabulous activities for you to try, so grab a cup of tea and read on. Make your own hoard container We created this activity especially for our friends at the Young Archaeologists Club. It’s a fun and slightly messy activity …more
Meet The Team: Dr. Lucy Shipley, FLO for Devon
Lucy joined the Portable Antiquities Scheme in 2018 and is based at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter. She also runs finds days in Torquay, Kingsbridge and Plymouth. Here she tells us about her background and why she loves archaeology. How and why did I get started in archaeology? I’ve wanted to be an …more
Boredom Busters!
Many of us will find ourselves at home at some point over the next couple of weeks. If you’re looking for something to stave off cabin fever, why not take a look at the PAS database? With almost 1.5 million objects recorded, there is plenty to explore! You can see what has been found in …more
Meet The Team: Dr. Simon Maslin, FLO for Surrey
Simon joined the PAS in 2018 and is part of Surrey County Council’s Heritage Conservation team, based at the Surrey History Centre in Woking. Here he tells us about his background and why he’s interested in archaeology. How and why did I get started in archaeology? I have always been slightly obsessed by archaeology, which …more
Meet The Team: Wil Partridge, FLO for Wiltshire
Wil has been involved with the PAS since 2014, first as a volunteer and later as the Finds Liaison Officer for Devon and now Wiltshire. Here he tells us about is background and how he got started in archaeology. How and why did I get started in archaeology? Compared to other FLOs my biography is …more
Meet The Team: Dr. Kevin Leahy, National Finds Adviser
This is the first in a series of blogs to help you get to know the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) team! These articles were first published in Treasure Hunting Magazine and are reproduced here with their kind permission. First up we have Dr. Kevin Leahy who is part of our team of National Finds Advisers. …more
Remember, remember the Fifth of November!
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,Gunpowder, treason and plot.We see no reason why gunpowder treasonShould ever be forgot!G Tonight is, of course, Bonfire Night. It celebrates the foiling of a plot by a group of English Catholics to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on the 5th of November …more
