ENGLAND

Around the World May 1, 2011

In the shadow of the headquarters of MI6, the country's Secret Intelligence Service, London's oldest structure has emerged from Thames muck.
SHARE:

ENGLAND: In the shadow of the headquarters of MI6, the country's Secret Intelligence Service, London's oldest structure has emerged from Thames muck. Six timber pilings date to around 6,000 years ago, and represent a surprisingly robust structure for the Mesolithic. Early in the excavation, armed policemen arrived, wondering why people in hip waders with measuring equipment were prowling around the doorstep of one of the world's most secure buildings. They were not deemed a security risk.

  • Features July/August 2025

    Setting Sail for Valhalla

    Vikings staged elaborate spectacles to usher their rulers into the afterlife

    Read Article
    Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo
  • Features May/June 2025

    Lost City of the Samurai

    Archaeologists rediscover Ichijodani, a formidable stronghold that flourished amid medieval Japan’s brutal power struggles

    Read Article
    Tohan Aerial Photographic Service/AFLO
  • Features May/June 2025

    A Passion for Fruit

    Exploring the surprisingly rich archaeological record of berries, melons…and more

    Read Article
    © BnF, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, NY
  • Features March/April 2025

    An Egyptian Temple Reborn

    By removing centuries of soot, researchers have uncovered the stunning decoration of a sanctuary dedicated to the heavens

    Read Article
    Painted lotus-leaf capitals after cleaning in the entrance hall of the temple of Khnum, Esna, Egypt
    Ahmed Emam/© Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities