Last night saw the final episode of a television series which has been running for twenty years, and every programme (and I’ve watched most of them) was a winner! The series is Time Team and thhe premise is that a team of archaeologists should dig a site in three days. It sounds amazing that they should hope to find anything in these three-day events, but they do, because of the skills and expertise of the team and the use of technology.
The programme is fronted by Tony Robinson, an actor, the archaeology team is led for the most episodes by either Professor Mick Aston, or Francis Pryor. As well as the lead field archaeologist the fabulous Phil Harding (and his hat) there is a geo-physics team organised by John Gator; the other ‘regular’ and a man I find fascinating in his ability to ‘read’ a landscape, Stewart Ainsworth.
What is nice about watching the programme over the years you see people who start as diggers and become more and more prominent as the series evolves such as Raksha Dave, Matt Williams It is the personalities of the team, and their interaction which adds to the interest in the programme, even Ian the digger driver is an archaeologist!
I vividly remember the first ever Time Team because the site they chose was Athelney, not too far from where we live; following the programme we went to Athelney and it was so interesting to be able to look at the area and have some grasp of what went on there a thousand or so years ago…. and that was what Time Team did, it made you go out and look at place with new eyes see the history around us. There were events organised which involved whole villages, or young people, or the whole country, such as the Big Dig – people dug a square metre of their back garden to see what they could find. We dug, but sadly found nothing!
Time Team dug all across the British isles, and on the continent, and in the Americas… even when they found nothing, which did occasionally happen, it was interesting.
I’m shocked that the plug has been pulled on such a great programme; it had everything, serious archaeology, fun, skill, personalities, history, information… everything… and not forgetting the wonderful pictures by Victor Ambrus the site artist.
Goodbye Time Team, I’m really sad you’re finished, shame on Channel 4 for cancelling you, but luckily I can continue to watch the repeats… not quite the same as the excitement of a new episode.
http://www.timeteamdigital.com/
Lois Elsden 
I have never seen the program, and I wonder if I can get it on DVD from my library or on Netflix or Hulu or something. As a young girl, I wanted to be an archaeologist, and the interest continues. I find such interesting things on your blog.
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Oh thank you, Alice. You really would love Time Team… it is so interesting and fun without trivialising what they are doing.
I don;’t know if you can watch from this link: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/time-team/4od
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Yes, Lois I support your heaping of shame on Channel4….why can’t they just leave things alone….they feel the need to revamp and “update” things…it will be sadly missed…but there are also lots of the episodes uploaded on YouTube
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On youtube? Excellent – thanks!! There are hints that there might be some sort of new archaeology programme, and that would be great, but with TT it was much more than just the archaeology, wasn’t it?
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gosh, we love time team, so sorry to hear it is finishing, but then everything changes .. we are behind you so no doubt we will see the last series sometime later …
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Hello Lois,
I enjoyed this TV program too, such excitement in digging in the dirt and finding little broken bits of ‘stuff’. Childish, but for grown up reasons of discovery and the furthering of knowledge.
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Perhaps that was part of the excitement, a return to childhood, being messy and digging for treasure with a load of mates!
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I’m so sorry to hear that. I only watched it a few times as it was it televised regularly here, but I loved it! Goodbye Time Team!
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I agree I am disabled and cannot possibly go on a dig. But with time team I can the people are real not plastic. Channel 4 grow up and stop changing what is real into something plastic America does that and what you end up with is garbage. Mich, Phil Tony and all the rest of time team I’m sorry that channel 4 has given up on good programs for swill programs. So on my really bad days I’ll have to rely on my recorded programs and my time team DVDs. Its sad very very sad. I pray god blesses you with your dream position’s and hopefully I can see other programs with you in them from time to time so I can enjoy your enthusiasm for something that I feel Passionate about too. Thank you Time Team all of you xx Karyn
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I think we all feel as you do, Karyn… great comment, thank you
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It’s such a shame I love Time Team and my kids have grown up watching it we are all fascinated with the history buried beneath are feet
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I just wonder how many people now studying archaeology or working as an archaeologist because of seeing how it is something open to everyone from every background. Thanks for your comment!
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I’m sure there are a lot, we live in a area rich in archaeology can’t help myself every time I see a hole I have a look inside lol
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Me too… it’s irresistible!
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So sorry to hear that “Time Team” is finishing for good. I live in Australia, watch it every night and just love what you see them all digging up. Tony is great and I love his excitement at what is found, as Phil also does. Raksha, Matt, Mick, and Francis have great personalities, as the rest of the team do, and that is why, watching “Time Team” has been a treat for me.
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It is possible to see some on youtube… but it’s just not the same, is it? The team were the thing and the banter between them was as you say, a treat.
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Sad news today about Time Teams Professor Mick Aston who has died at the age of 66 😦
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I’m so really sad, really really sad. He was an inspiration
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He was and so young
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Went way before his time, he had so many more years… I’m really quite devastated, actually.
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I know what you mean it was a bit of a shock
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Sad, didn’t realise it was going. Don’t know why they would pull it either. At least there are repeats, I have no idea which season the ones they play here in Australia are from
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The repeats are good… but it was so exciting seeing a new episode! I think the only way I can try and date repeats is by Tony’s hair!
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