There are many ways to explore the archaeological finds of your local area with your class. Why not start with our interactive map below? Simply click on the map icon for your local county to see an example of an object found there. Then if you click the blue “finds” button you will open a list of all the objects on our database that have been found in your county.
If you’d like to explore things in more depth, you can visit our County Pages – just pick your county from the list on the right of the main page. Every county has its own page containing information and links to the archaeology of the county, as well as contact details for the PAS team based there. Our resources are specifically about archaeological finds but if you’d like to explore archaeology more widely, visit the Council for British Archaeology website for more resources.
We have also curated a set of database searches based on themes and topics from the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 to 3. You can find them at the bottom of this page, below the interactive map.
You can also explore the database itself. We recommend watching our short video and reading our guide to searching the database before you get started. This will help to make sure you can find the information you are looking for – there are over 1.5 million objects to search through, after all!
Themes and Topics
Below are some lists of themed searches you can use to easily find objects on the database relating to various topics. Simply click the links to bring up lists of the objects. Remember, all of our data is open access and images are available under the CC-BY license, so you can use them to create your own activities and resources! The aim is to help you find interesting objects to support learning, regardless of what subject is being studied.
Historical Periods
Stone Age From around 800,000BC to 2350BC (includes the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods)
Bronze Age From around 2350BC to 800BC
Iron Age From around 800BC to AD 43
Roman From AD 43 to 410
Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) From AD 410 to 1066
Medieval From AD 1066 to 1485
Post-medieval From 1485 to 1900
Specific Date Ranges
Conquest to Conquest From the Roman conquest in AD 43 to the Norman conquest in 1066
1066 to 1509 For Key Stage 3 study on developments in Medieval Britain
1509 to 1745 For Key Stage 3 study on developments in Tudor and Stuart society
1745 to 1901 For Key Stage 3 study on empire and the industrial revolution
First World War 1914-1918
Second World War 1939-1945
Tudors From Henry VII to Elizabeth I (1485 to 1603)
Stuarts From James I to Anne (1603 to 1714)
Themes and Topics
Animals (Working and Pets)
Beauty and Personal Grooming
Clothing and Accessories
Home and Leisure
Candle Snuffers and Wick Trimmers
Identity
Jewellery/Adornments
Reading and Writing
Religion and Beliefs
Tools and Weapons
Trade
