Professor Mick Aston, one of the archaeologists who appears on the popular television programme Time Team will deliver a lecture at the University of Dundee on Saturday, January 25.
It was Professor Aston's commitment to sharing his passion for archaeology with a wider audience that led to the development of Time Team, which is watched by more than 3 million viewers every week. On Saturday, he will take his audience behind the scenes, revealing what is involved in the making of the programme and give a preview of some of the digs filmed last year for the present series.
Professor Aston will also discuss archaeology's recent surge in popularity as a result of the programme, leading to an increase in the number of applications to university archaeology courses and the growth of amateur archaeologists' clubs. Aiming to take advantage of the current interest to raise the profile of archaeology even further, Professor Aston is involved in forming the All Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group.
Those attending the lecture can look forward to seeing glimpses from forthcoming programmes filmed at Raunds, Carsington, Fetlar, Greenwich, Bath, Athelney, Castle Howard and Sedgefield.
The latest in the University's Saturday evening lecture programme, Professor Aston's talk begins at 7pm in the Tower Extension Lecture Theatre. Entry is free.
Mick Aston is Professor of Landscape Archaeology at the University of Bristol. He has written and edited as co-author 20 books.
By Jane Smernicki, Press Officer 01382 344768 j.m.smernicki@dundee.ac.uk