On Saturday 16 November, we were delighted to celebrate a special milestone of the CARD Fund – we have now funded 100 radiocarbon dates for community archaeology projects across Britain! We were joined by our Fund partners, the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), and kindly hosted by the Department of Archaeology at the University of York’s historic King’s Manor. To give it its full name, the Community Archaeology Radiocarbon Dating (CARD) Fund, was set up in 2015 and is still going strong.
We welcomed CARD fund beneficiaries who had travelled from all over the UK including from the north of Scotland, the Peak District, Wales, Kent, Lancashire and Yorkshire.
The day kicked off with a warm welcome from our MD and fund founder Dr. Clive Waddington, who presented a fascinating look back over CARD fund projects in the last nine years, from Cornwall to the Black Isle, and ranging in date from the Mesolithic through to the post-medieval periods.
We then heard from one of the radiocarbon dating world’s leading experts, Prof. Derek Hamilton (Professor of Archaeological Science at SUERC), who took a look at the process of carbon dating and the science of what makes for both a good and a poor sample.
Following refreshments, our penultimate session was delivered by one of the pioneers of Bayesian applications in radiocarbon dating, Dr. Alex Bayliss (Head of Scientific Dating at Historic England). Alex took us on a deep dive through Bayesian Modelling, and provided a fascinating insight into the leap forwards the modelling has made with improving precision, especially on sites where there is intact stratigraphy.
Our speakers subsequently participated in a round table Q&A session where the audience asked some really insightful questions, and our speakers recalled some great stories and examples of their work over the years.
The day was concluded with a well-received wine reception, giving our speakers, volunteers, and York University students the chance to mingle with community participants who had used the CARD Fund. A perfect way to round off an excellent celebration.
Here’s to the next 100 dates and supporting community archaeology throughout the UK! Apply for dates here (the 2024 deadline is the 30th November) – it’s a quick and easy process. https://www.cardfund.org/