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CFA Archaeology Ltd

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CFA Archaeology Ltd

CFA Archaeology Ltd (CFA) is a professional archaeological contractor and cultural heritage consulting organisation, providing services across the UK.

CFA Archaeology Ltd (CFA) is a professional archaeological contractor and cultural heritage consulting organisation, providing services across the UK on a range of projects principally including:
- desk-based assessments
- field monument and historic building survey and recording
- EIA cultural heritage studies
- field evaluations
- excavations
- post-excavation analyses
- publication
- design

and illustration. Clients range from leading multinational corporations and government agencies to local government bodies and single partner consultancies. CFA is a Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) Registered Organisation (RO). This status is a form of quality assurance conferred by the CIfA and is a sign of our commitment to provide the highest standard of professional service.

05/06/2026

! This week, CFA has two fabulous finger rings dating from the Roman into the medieval period and recovered from a large excavation in Warwickshire. The right-hand ring looks a little different than normal, lacking the typical green hue associated with copper objects which was likely caused by the addition of an unusually large amount of lead. These rings are two of an impressive 47 copper alloy objects found on the site, which also included brooches, buttons, a nail cleaner, and more.

Together with the other finds from the site, these rings give us a glimpse into the personal lives of the people who lived in this rural, agricultural-based community nearly two millennia ago.

04/06/2026

We're having a fantastic time on this excavation, uncovering new things and making discoveries every day!

02/06/2026

Summer is finally here and we can't think of anything nicer than carrying out a field survey in the beautiful Scottish Borders!

Our team explored a landscape mainly occupied by medieval and later agricultural activity. Recording features such as farmsteads, settlements, field boundaries, and areas of rig and furrow cultivation, our archaeologists gathered valuable information about the area's historic character and development.

Combined with detailed desk-based research, the survey enabled CFA to assess the archaeological potential of the area, providing our client with robust heritage advice while also contributing to our wider understanding of the region's rich past.

And as for the views... we certainly can't complain!

29/05/2026

Here’s something special for – hand-drawn illustrations of some wonderful prehistoric pottery. Recovered during excavations of a site used for domestic activities in North Ayrshire, Scotland, these sherds of Neolithic Impressed Ware and Bronze Age Beakers feature some fantastic decoration which was impressed and incised onto the surface of the wet clay before firing.

Dating from the Middle Neolithic, the middle and bottom vessels are decorated with lines of small impressions. The top vessel dates from the Early Bronze Age and features a crisscrossed lattice decoration.

Which one is your favourite? We just can’t choose!

25/05/2026

If you're in Yorkshire this Saturday, come along to Castleford’s Roman Festival for a day of history-fuelled fun! This free, family-friendly festival offers visitors an opportunity to discover the fascinating Roman heritage of Castleford.

's Rosie will be there with the Pontefract Young Archaeologists' Club, hosting an archaeological dig where children can hunt for treasures whilst learning about archaeology and the tools used for it.

To find out more, check out the festival's website: https://experiencewakefield.co.uk/event/castleford-roman-festival/

and page: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/castleford-roman-festival/898767726310096/

Learn about YAC at: www.yac-uk.org

22/05/2026

Happy ! This week’s find is a stone block with a rectangular mould carved into one of its faces. Hot liquid metal would have been poured into the mould, forming it into a perfect ingot.

Although moulds like this are most commonly found on Late Saxon or Anglo-Scandinavian sites in Britain, they are also known to have been used in the Roman period. Indeed, an ingot mould of identical dimensions was found at the Roman site at Brough in North Yorkshire which dated to the 4th century.

19/05/2026

The CFA Nature and Walking Society has been out for their annual springtime circular walk - this time exploring 9 miles of trails and moorland on the edge of the Dark Peak. They enjoyed commanding views of Yorkshire and the Longendale Valley, including landmarks such as Featherbed Moss, the source of the Little Don River, South Nab Trig Point (the Woodhead Pass summit), and some of the highest points of the TransPennine Trail. Couldn't have asked for a better day for it!

15/05/2026

It’s a fiery this week, with this fine fragment of flue tile recovered from a rural Roman site in Northamptonshire.

While the wavy lines across its surface may at first appear to be decoration, they’re actually evidence of key combing. Made using at least three different combs, the lines were etched onto the tile prior to firing in the kiln. They provided a ‘key’, or rough surface, which helped mortar or plaster adhere to the tile.

Flue tiles such as this were often used in Roman hypocaust systems which were, essentially, an early form of underfloor heating. Built beneath the floor, these systems channelled hot air through Roman buildings, keeping them nice and cosy even in the cool British climate!

11/05/2026

Last week, two of ’s heritage consultants attended 'The Setting of Heritage Assets' course at Oxford University.

Over two days, Emma and Gina joined fellow heritage professionals to explore how the settings of heritage assets contribute to their significance, and how changes to setting can affect that contribution.

Continuing professional development like this helps CFA’s heritage consultancy team provide informed, up-to-date advice and reporting for our clients, supporting positive change in project design and development.

A huge thank you to the course tutors Dr Stephen Carter, Dr William Filmer-Sankey, Mr Ian Houlston, and Esther Robinson Wild - we really enjoyed it!

01/05/2026

Happy ! This week we have a brilliant bead recovered during excavations in East Yorkshire. Our bead is made from a yellowy brown glass and dates from the late Iron Age into the early Roman period, possibly from the 1st to the 2nd centuries.

It was formed by carefully winding molten glass around a mandrel, then reheating it to create a smooth, glossy finish. With a diameter of 16.6mm and a height of 9.4mm, it’s pretty big!
What makes this bead especially interesting is what it reveals about changing tastes. Unlike earlier Iron Age beads, which were decorated with spirals, waves, zig-zags, and more, Roman beads tended to be plain, monochrome (just one colour), and smaller in size.

Beads were a common occurrence in Roman Britain, appearing in towns, villas, and forts and their associated vici, and can be seen as expressions of personality and self. They were worn on necklaces and bracelets, in hair, and could even be sewn onto clothing. Serving as displays of wealth, status, and identity, beads were worn by people from all levels of society.

Overall, a fantastic tiny artefact which gives a big insight into individual expression and the lived experience nearly 2,000 years ago.

Address

Old Engine House, Eskmills Park
Edinburgh
EH217PQ

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+44 131 273 4380

Website

http://www.cfa-archaeology.co.uk/

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