Ian Milsted

Latest questions answered by Ian Milsted

Who was the first Roman emperor? Julia

In Rome the Imperial period, which marked the end of Republican rule, ended in 27BC and the first Emperor, the new ruler of the Roman State, was Augustus […]

What are some things you have found? Bliss (9)

Most of the things I’ve found have been other people’s rubbish – broken pottery, bricks, tiles, animal bones and that sort of thing. I have found some good […]

Do you think we will discover things from the past that will make us live long? A-Keya Davis (11)

Hi A-Keya. I’m not sure exactly what you mean. I don’t think we’ll discover anything that will improve our medicine, although it is interesting to see how illness […]

What is your biggest find in your lifetime? Charlie and Maisie

Hi Charlie and Maisie! The most important thing I have found was part of a medieval church altar piece, in a pit where it had been smashed up […]

What is the most delicate object you have ever found, and where and when did you find it? Bethany and Lauren

Hi Bethany and Lauren! I found a Bronze Age burial urn on a site in York about 10 years ago. This was so fragile we couldn’t just dig […]

When did you find your first artefact and what was it? Sonny and Lily

Hi Sonny and Lily! I went on a training excavation at Bignor Roman Villa in Sussex when I was 21 (a really long time ago…). On my first […]

How did the dinosaurs die? We think they got extinct because of a meteor crashing to the earth! Ella and Louis

Some archaeologists get very grumpy when someone asks them about dinosaurs… but I love them so I don’t mind. As far as I know a meteorite is the […]

How many years have you been an archaeologist for and how did you become one? Ashton, Paige and Zoe

Hi Guys! A giant broke into my bedroom under the stairs in my step-parents’ house and told me I was an archaeologist at the age of 11 and […]

How many items do you recover each day? Megan and Euan

It really depends on the site. I have gone weeks finding absolutely nothing on some sites (particularly in rural areas) and then worked in a city where hundreds […]

Did you enjoy studying to be an archaeologist? Jessica and Ryan

Hi Jessica and Ryan! YES!! It was brilliant. Studying something you really care about is possibly the most fulfilling thing you can do.

Have you been on exciting travels and what have you found on them?Charlotte and Oliver

Hi guys! Yes, I have travelled to some exciting places, like Iceland and Australia, but only ever on holiday and not while I was working! It was fascinating […]

How long can archaeological digs go on for, months, years, decades? Jack (14)

Most excavations are over in a few weeks or sometimes months; these are usually ‘commercial’ projects, meaning they are done as part of a development such as the […]

How did Stone Age people become clever enough to learn to hunt and gather food? And how did humans and animals evolve? Rukiye Shahla Babaoglu (9)

Hi Rukiye! I am not a specialist in early Human archaeology but when I’m asked questions like this I always point out that ‘Stone Age Man’ was the […]

Where are the best archaeological places to visit in the south of England for kids like me? Nichola (8)

Gosh, you’re spoiled for choice! It depends what you like … If you love prehistory try Stonehenge, Avebury, or any of the amazing hillforts, such as Danebury. If […]

What is your favourite find? Leah (13)

My favourite personal discovery was a complete medieval leather shoe, which I found in a layer of thick stable-sweepings (OK, a large deposit of horse-poo!) I found it […]

I live in Harding, South Africa. I want to be an archaeologist when I grow up. Please can you help me? Rachael (9)

Dear Rachael I’m afraid I can only really tell you how to be an archaeologist in the UK, although I’m sure it’s similar to South Africa. There’s lots […]

Do you find any jewels and gems and what is your most valuable find? Heather (12)

Hi Heather! Jewellery is discovered by archaeologists, often working together with metal detectorists. A really good recent example is the Staffordshire Hoard, which was discovered by a detectorist […]

How long have you been an archaeologist? Daniella (9)

Hi Daniella – I did my first archaeological dig in 2000, which is quite a long time ago now! So I have been doing archaeology for 25 years. […]

Who inspired you the most to become an archaeologist? Shirley (12)

Hi Shirley I suppose my grandmother, who was a history teacher, first got me interested in the past. I come from Orkney and ended up living in the […]

What is a top tip for studying archaeology at university? James (18)

Hi James, I would think about whether you are generally interested in archaeology or whether you have a particular area of interest (Prehistory, Roman etc). Different university departments […]

How do you know where to look? Christian (13)

Hi Christian, Usually we know a little about an area before we start to investigate it, so there are clues to help us target the right place. These […]

I am interested in what types of jobs women did in Celtic villages. I know they would look after their children and their family, but what else? Alexandria (8)

Hi Alexandria, There were many other jobs apart from looking after children that women – and men – would have had to do to keep a Celtic village […]

What did they find in King Tut’s tomb? Cienna (11)

Hi Cienna As Howard Carter said when he first opened the tomb… “Wonderful things!” Several thousand items were recovered, many made of gold, including statues, musical instruments, jewelery […]

My 10yr old daughter wants to be an archaeologist and is mad keen on history. Can you recommend any books for someone her age? Oliver Marshall

There are loads of good books about archaeology for young people. A good general starting point is The Usborne Introduction to Archaeology by Abigail Wheatley It has loads […]

What do you do when you find artefacts?! Do you put them in a museum, sell them in an auction, or just keep the items? Rukiye Shahla Babaoglu (9)

Hi Rukiye, The artefacts we find are carefully cleaned and catalogued, before being sent to specialists to study. These specialists can include people who are experts in particular […]

I live near Pontefract in Yorkshire. Recently near where I live some builders making houses found a grave with Roman soldiers in. My grandad was talking to one of the builders and he said they still had their armour on. Did this happen often? Charlotte Wilson (9)

This does sound unusual as armour was normally re-used or recycled, although there are a few examples of this practice in Roman Britain. It sounds like a remarkable […]