Archaeology Through Time

People have been interested in archaeology for centuries but it hasn't always been as professional and scientific as it is today.

Many early archaeological discoveries were made by accident. One of the earliest discoveries of Roman life in the Darent Valley was made by workmen digging near the site of East Hill Dartford Cemetery in the 1790s.

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A black and white photograph of a man in early 20th century clothes standing in a trench in front of an arched doorway. There are piles of tiles around his feet that were part of a Roman hypocaust system.

Excavating the hypocaust system at Darenth Villa during the 1890s.

Antiquarian Excavations

Early digs in the 18th and 19th centuries are known as 'antiquarian excavations'. These were carried out by people who were looking to find valuable objects or walls. They largely ignored other archaeological evidence we would record today.

Although archaeology was more professional by the 20th century, excavations were still quite different to today in terms of health and safety.

A black and white photograph showing square trenches dug into the ground in a grid pattern.

'Box excavations' at Farningham Villa in the Darent Valley.

20th Century Archaeology

During the 20th century, archaeologists like Mortimer Wheeler introduced more recording techniques to archaeology. This made their excavations more scientific and improved their understanding of what they found, like changes in the stratigraphy (layers) of the soil.

Some methods used at this time though are thought to be outdated today. This includes 'box excavations' where archaeologists would dig using a grid system, leaving gaps between the boxes of the grid.

A sepia-coloured photograph of three men, a boy and a girl, inside a trench surrounded by stone villa remains.

A man and a woman in a trench taking measurements and writing notes on clipboards.

Excavations at Otford Progress Villa in the 1920s and at Lullingstone Roman Villa in the 2020s.

The Original Dig at Lullingstone Roman Villa

Archaeology Today

Today archaeologists are carefully trained to carry out organised digs and keep detailed notes of their findings. They create reports recording their excavations so that others can study them.

Often, archaeologists use technology to survey underground remains without excavating and sometimes they don't dig at all. They examine remains above ground, like buildings or earthworks, which can tell them a lot about the people who built and used them.

What is Excavation?

Two young girls at a table, looking through a microscope and archaeological finds on the table.

Some archaeologists working today got inspired to become archaeologists after visiting excavations like those at Lullingstone Roman Villa.

Community Archaeology

Although many volunteer groups still carry out fieldwork and run excavations, archaeology has become more of a professional job than a hobby. Community archaeology, where members of the public (including children) can take part in digs is really important. It allows people to get involved with their local history and the heritage in their communities.

Some professional archaeologists were inspired to get into archaeology when they were younger by going to digs!