Bogs, marshes, swamps, and fens. Did you know that ancient wetlands were once a rich environment for people to live in?

Today, human activity is changing the natural world - a world that includes plants, animals, and landscapes. But we’re on a mission to reveal what some of our modern environments were like many thousands of years ago...

Which plants, animals and people occupied the area back then? And how did humans make use of those ancient environment?

We're planning a real-life fieldwork mission later in the year to find out more, but first we need YOU to help our archaeologists choose where to dig!

Help us choose where to dig

Our project focuses on an area called Carrlands, along the middle section of the River Skerne in County Durham.

We think it could be the site of an ancient 'hidden wetland' whose history may stretch all the way back to the last Ice Age around 12,000 years ago.

We're looking for a team of people who can join us online to help us identify wetland hotspots for our future dig.

Plus, if and when it is safe to do so, there will also be an opportunity for some of you to join us on our fieldwork mission!

How you can help us choose

We'll show you how to use available online data to flag locations that look likely to contain the kind of evidence we're after.

Specifically, we'll show you how to use borehole data held online by the British Geological Survey, and how to take a systematic approach that many scientists use for researching their sites before going out to do fieldwork.

You'll help us examine 50 borehole locations and identify the ‘hotspots’, and then together we'll choose the best locations for us to investigate on the real-life fieldwork mission we're planning later in the year.

You'll get to be a real Citizen Scientist, helping to reveal some of the incredible history along the banks of the River Skerne in County Durham as part of the Discover Brightwater Project.

What you'll learn

No previous experience is necessary. We'll teach you everything you need to know and give you a real piece of data to get working on. By the end, you'll know the basics of:

How scientists research their sites before going out into the field (aka 'desk-based assessment')
How to transcribe and interpret borehole data
How to identify and flag potentially interesting locations
How much fun it is to be part of a Citizen Science research team!

Taking part

No previous experience is necessary. All you need to take part is:

internet connection
some spare hours between 23 February and 02 March 2021
a pinch of curiosity about boreholes

How it works

This phase of our Citizen Science research project will be carried out entirely online. As long as you have internet access, and a few hours of spare time, you can take part. Once you register, this is what will happen:

1. Introductory video

We'll email you a link to a couple of short introductory videos to watch shortly before our first workshop, as well as a few preliminary links that you can explore if you want to.

2. Workshop #1: Feb 23 Mar, 13:00-15:00 GMT (via Zoom)

Following on from the introductory video, you'll be able to join us for a live workshop where you'll get to meet your fellow Citizen Scientists, learn the basics of 'desk-based research', learn how to read data from borehole surveys, and find out everything else you need to know about taking part.

Don't worry - if you can't attend the workshop live, you can watch a recording instead.

3. Homework (est. 1-2 hours)

Following the workshop, you’ll be equipped to carry out your own citizen science investigation! As a team, we’ll have 50 borehole records to investigate. You will be assigned one borehole record of your very own.

Your mission will be to use your newfound skills to see if you can transcribe and interpret it. We estimate that the first record you look at will take you 1-2 hours.

Once you've completed your first borehole, you'll be able to do more if you wish. It gets quicker (and more rewarding) each time you do it!

4. Workshop #2: Tue 02 Mar, 13:00-15:00 GMT (via Zoom)

We'll reconvene to pool everyone's borehole data, look at your interpretations and discuss which sites we think are worth exploring further as a group, and flag the ones of greatest interest.

Don't worry - if you can't attend the workshop live, you can watch a recording instead.

5. Final results

Once our scientists have compiled everyone's data, we’ll share the final results. Will your study location make the final cut as a contender for our future fieldwork? Or will it have told us where NOT to dig? Your contribution is extremely valuable either way, and we'll let you know the final results of your efforts.

6. (Optional) Take part in our real-life fieldwork mission!

Once we’ve identified our sites, some people may have the opportunity to join us on our real, live, fieldwork mission.

However, we will wait until the next lockdown update before announcing any dates, or the number of places available.

Please note that once announced, places will be given on a first-come-first-served basis, and you MUST have completed at least one borehole transcription to take part.

If you can't attend the fieldwork in person, we'll keep you up to date with the rest of the team's progress and further opportunities to take part as they arise.

Your Citizen Science team

This project is being led by geoarchaeologists Freya Horsfield and Karen Milek from Durham University on behalf of Discover Brightwater. That means you’ll be learning from some of the best scientists and educators in the world!

You’ll also have support from archaeologists at DigVentures, and be part of a friendly and supportive group of environmentally enthusiastic Citizen Scientists who want to learn together.

FAQS

Do I need previous experience?

No. We’ll teach you everything you need to know!

Is this really for me?

Yes! If it sparks your interest, and you want to learn more, then go ahead and register!

Don’t be shy, don’t be nervous! Seriously, just register and worry about the rest later. Remember, we’ll teach you everything you need to know.

Is there a minimum age?

This project is geared towards adult learners. However, we know there are some enthusiastic youngsters aged 12-16 who would like to take part. Youngsters are welcome to take part - but you must get a parent or carer to register and take part with you.

What are the ticket options?

You have three options. You can choose:

LIVE PARTICIPATION (access to live workshops, as well as workshop recordings after they have happened, and a piece of homework to do)
RECORDED PARTICIPATION (access to workshop recordings after they have happened, plus a piece of homework to do)
OBSERVER ONLY (access to workshop recordings with no requirement to do a piece of homework - good for those who are curious, but can't commit to the homework)

I can’t attend the live workshops. What are my options?

Everyone who registers will have access to a recording of the workshop after it has happened so that you can catch up later.

You can also register for the ‘recorded participation’ option.

I don’t think I’ll have time for the homework. What are my options?

We welcome people who just want to watch along - not everyone has the same amount of spare time. If you're curious, but can't commit to the homework, you can register for the ‘observer only’ option.

Is there any in-person involvement?

During this first stage of research, we’ll initially work together online, using collaborative tools such as Zoom and WhatsApp.

When it is safe to do so, small groups may be involved in fieldwork.

Can I take part from anywhere in the world?

Yes, anyone with internet access (or someone who can access the internet for them) can take part in Steps 1-5. But only some people will be able to take part in Step 6 (Fieldwork) as places will be limited, and travel restrictions may apply.

Details of how to take part in fieldwork will be announced to those who take part in this initial stage of desk-based research.

More about Discover Brightwater

This project is part of the archaeology we’re doing on behalf of Discover Brightwater, in partnership with Durham University and Durham County Council. Together, our aim is to help reveal and restore some of the incredible history along the banks of the River Skerne in County Durham.

More about the intended scientific outcomes

As Citizen Scientists, you will help increase knowledge of the past environment of the River Skerne. Because no-one has systematically investigated at this scale here before, there are lots of important scientific questions this project could help understand. The data we have already suggests that the mid-section of the River Skerne flows through an area we’re calling Carrlands.

Previous scientific investigation suggests that Carrlands may lie over very complicated geology. This varied geology would have affected how the meltwater drained as the glaciers of the last Ice Age retreated.

Based on evidence from similar sites elsewhere in Northern Britain, areas of Carrlands which now appear to be entirely dry land, could for long periods have remained as a mosaic of wetland habitats with small ‘islands’ of dry land. Such wetland-edge habitats were known to have been attractive to pre-modern human communities, who could have exploited the wide variety of wetland flora and fauna in various ways.

Some of the microenvironments at Carrlands have the potential to preserve organic evidence, namely the remains of items which were once alive such as plants, animals and humans. So there may be evidence from any or all periods preserved in the areas of peat here, from possible prehistoric occupation through to medieval and post-medieval farming.

This project will therefore aim to determine where the edges of the wetland might have been. We will also take samples for physical investigation to better understand the changes in the environment here.

The results will be fed back to the Brightwater Landscape Partnership and Durham County Council to inform future research and stewardship. We hope that people who know Carrlands already, whether as land users or visitors, and people who have never visited before, will be as intrigued as we are to take the next step towards revealing the long history of the human relationship with this ‘hidden wetland.’

Find an ancient bog or 'hidden wetland' with archaeologists!