On July 12th The Salisbury Museum celebrates the opening of a new £2.4 million gallery showcasing the Archaeology of Wessex. Key exhibits include a number of nationally important discoveries made by our Salisbury-based archaeologists during a major housing development and improvement scheme at Amesbury (funded by Bloor Homes, Persimmon Homes and QinetiQ). This includes the important prehistoric Beaker burial known as –‘the Amesbury Archer’ and the finds from the 'Boscombe Bowmen'. The new gallery will also showcase some of the important Roman burials from the same excavations – notably that of a ‘wealthy’ woman and child made in a stone coffin.
The gallery will be opened by Professor Alice Roberts amongst a carnival of re-enactors and entertainers who will be on site to celebrate this landmark achievement, funded with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
As part of the celebrations, the Museum is also raffling a flint handaxe donated by Wessex Archaeology’s very own Phil Harding, with the proceeds going to support the Young Archaeologists’ Club and the museum.
Everyone at Wessex Archaeology wishes Salisbury Museum good luck (and good weather!) for the opening of this very important gallery which is the culmination of many years of hard work. Museum entry is free for the day, so join with our staff to experience the Archaeology of Wessex in its new home.
With contributions by Alistair Barclay and Karen Nichols