At the end of May, we will be saying goodbye to Mark Walters, who is retiring after 35 years at Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, now Heneb.
Mark joined CPAT in 1991 as Development Control Archaeologist and has continued to deliver archaeological planning services in the Clwyd-Powys region since then – advising developers, local authorities and the public of the archaeological implications of planning proposals, and monitoring the work of the archaeological contractors. He is a well-loved and respected member of the team, and he and his knowledge and experience will be much-missed.
Mark obtained a BA (Hons) in Archaeology & Ancient History from the University of Wales, Lampeter in 1986, then spent several years as a field archaeologist with different units. His longest employment was with the Gloucester City Excavation Unit, working his way up the ranks from site assistant to supervisor and then project officer. At this time, he also worked as a freelance numismatist, writing specialist coin reports for others. Some years later, while working for CPAT, Mark returned to university, obtaining an MA in Industrial Heritage from the Ironbridge Institute, part of Birmingham University.
Mark’s interests, archaeological and non-, are wide-ranging. He retains an interest in coins (particularly Roman), mining and conflict archaeology and religion, but over the years has added drone/UAV photogrammetry and photography, LiDAR visualisation and interpretation, archaeoastronomy, archaeoacoustics to his repertoir. Outside of archaeology, Mark’s interests include astronomy and astrophotography, science fiction films and books, landscape and aerial photography and hill walking. He also enjoys music of all types, but particularly early, experimental and electronic, and sound recording. He produces his own music combining many of the above interests, recording sounds while out walking in the hills or visiting lost mining landscapes.
We asked Mark to describe his journey into archaeology:
What first inspired you to work in archaeology?
It was probably my father back in the late 60’s early 70’s showing me Roman and Greek coins from his collection and explaining the history behind them and the background of the people they depicted. From that point on I became fascinated in ancient history and then archaeology. Dad used to join excavations with a Midlands based archaeological group working on a Roman fort and settlement at Penkridge in Staffordshire and we would get taken to see what they had found. Roll on to 1981 and I was digging just 12 miles up the road at the Roman town under the village of Wall (Letocetum), Staffordshire as a weekend volunteer for 2 years when Frank and Nancy Ball were directing excavations there. This was my first real experience on an archaeological dig and I loved it and made many friends that I still keep in touch with.
What is the best thing you have found?
I think it would have to be a tall stacked set of Roman samian and fine wares making up a nested tableware collection from a household including plates, cups, decorated bowls and glassware. These popped out of a section during a watching brief I was doing on the outskirts of Gloucester where a cemetery was known. Luckily the machine completely missed the pottery and we excavated it intact and everything looked in mint condition with a beautiful fresh lustre on the pottery surfaces. It was associated with a female cremation burial and may have been placed as grave goods after a funeral wake. They were on display for ages in the foyer entrance to Gloucester City Museum and it would be great to go back and see them.
What is your favourite historical or archaeological site?
Ahh, there are so many! I love sites where archaeology and the historical record combine in a brief recorded event that you can see on the ground and read about and it is like a time portal zaps you back to that exact moment in the past and you can see it all happening around you on the exact spot. Back in 1983 I joined an excavation in Israel as a volunteer at a place called Gamla in the Golan Heights. It is set in spectacular scenery and is a National Park now with amazing wildlife, a huge waterfall and great archaeology. Gamla is often called the ‘Masada of the North’ in Israel and was the scene of a dreadful Roman siege and massacre in 67AD during the Jewish Revolt. You could read about the siege in an eyewitness account repeated in the classical text called The Jewish War by Josephus. Josephus had initially been a rebel but then sided with the Romans and wrote about the events of the war in detail. The ruinous hillside Jewish city is still visible on a rocky prominence with a steep valley up each side. You could read about the rain of catapult, ballista and arrow shot and see it there on the ground – it was everywhere. You could see the actual breach in the city wall that the battering ram created from the siege ramp where Roman soldiers poured through. You could see the tower at the top of the wall that the Romans undermined and collapsed and you could see the devastating effect of the assault inside the city as we excavated collapsed rooms and revealed a wealth of information about the last few days and hours of the 9000 occupants. It is a very moving place and very well preserved. We had cute Rock Hyrax (a bit like a giant guinea pig) coming up to the tented camp in evenings and had Griffon Vultures, Palestine Sunbirds and blue Rock Thrushes flying around us and saw plenty of scorpions!
We wish Mark a long and happy retirement, and hope to see him on one of our community excavations this summer – you can’t escape that easily!
