Posts by Niki Wachtel

A fragment of dark, rough pottery with imprinted textured patterns held in a hand against a blurred background of purple flowers.

Not just winging it! – How bird bone shaped prehistoric pottery

Potters would often arrange a series of impressions in rows or zones to create a repetitive, textured pattern over the pot’s surface,...
30/06/2026
An overhead view of a burnt mound and associated features mid-excavation with an archaeologist standing in the middle of the mound holding a pole cam to photograph the site

The burning question: What purpose could burnt mounds have served?

Burnt mounds are one of the most widespread prehistoric features in Britain and Ireland, yet they remain some of the most mysterious…...
19/03/2026
Image of an archaeologist excavating the tile kiln with one arch visible

Kiln you believe it? Medieval industry at Finchingfield

In 2022, our excavations along a road leading out of the historic village of Finchingfield, Essex, revealed a stunning medieval tile kiln....
20/02/2026