Archaeology

Click on the images below to find out more about objects in our archaeology collection


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The museum’s archaeology collection illustrates the prehistory and early history of north-west Essex from the Ice Ages to the Middle Ages.  Important collections include early stone and bronze tools, Iron Age farming, Roman and Saxon life and items of Treasure found by metal detectorists in the local area.  Objects of particular interest include the North-West Essex Anglo-Saxon ring, a Viking necklace and a Roman moulded glass bowl. 

There are significant  collections of finds from the Roman town at Great Chesterford, Iron Age and Roman sites at Wendens Ambo and Great Dunmow, the Anglo-Saxon manor site at Wicken Bonhunt and a medieval farm at Stebbingford.  Airport, road and housing developments and community projects in the area are continually revising and increasing our understanding of human activity in north-west Essex.

Objects in our archaeology collection are on display in the Ages of Man gallery. Many more objects are kept in storage and can be viewed by appointment.

Excavation Archives

The museum receives site archives (the finds and records) from archaeological excavations and fieldwork in north-west Essex.  The main archaeological archives held by the museum include Great Chesterford, Saffron Walden, Stansted Airport, Stebbingford, Thaxted and Wicken Bonhunt. There are also finds and records from numerous small evaluations, watching briefs and small-scale fieldwork around the district.

Contact us for more information. 

During the Covid-19 situation we have temporarily removed the gallery hand-lists.  If you have a pre-booked visit of the Museum booked in from October onwards, here are PDF copies of the hand-lists that you can download and view on a smart device when you visit, in order to find out more about the contents of the display cases:

Medieval Finds case 21 hand list