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In the summer of 2007, The Pan Neighbourhood Committee asked Wessex Archaeology to organise a small archaeological dig at Pan, Newport, Isle of Wight. The aim was both to give children from Pan something exciting to do and to encourage their interest in local history.
Local residents suggested the site. They could remember finding things on this 19th/20th century rubbish dump when they were children.
Every day about ten children came along for a morning or afternoon and everyday there was a blog about their activities on the Wessex Archaeology website.
They found lots of pieces of coloured glass, animal bones, pottery, and even a polished bone toothbrush labelled ‘The Economist'.
Over 15 Victorian and Edwardian bottles were found, which once held ink, blacking, lemonade, perfume, or ginger beer. One bottle in particular had contained medicine - with an expiry date of 1906!
The children washed and recorded the finds which they had recovered and once the dig was finished the results of their hard work went on display at the Isobel Centre, Pan.
