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Here a fragment of a Roman ship, there a hundred-year-old coin: the Thames, which winds its way through London majestically, invites attentive observers on its shores to travel back in time. Mudlarking is the name of a trend in Great Britain that is gaining more and more followers. In the center of the capital, small treasures are searched in the mud of the Thames, and with great success.
“The Thames here was the great garbage dump even in Roman times. Everything you no longer needed was thrown into the river, ”explains archaeologist Vanessa Bunton of the non-profit Thames Explorer Trust during a guided tour. Tides regularly blow up the trash of former London residents from the bottom and wash it ashore. These include elements from the Middle Ages and the Victorian era, when the industrial revolution was already showing its consequences.
Cigarette precursor: carelessly thrown away
The most common finds include clay pipes that were sold hundreds of years ago, already filled with tobacco. After smoking, they were thrown away; some call them the predecessor of cigarettes. “The tobacco came from America and it was very expensive at the beginning. So the pipes were very small at first and only got bigger later, ”explains Bunton on a two-hour tour of the metropolis. Sometimes complete pipes can be found, parts of which are found in large numbers in the bank. “The Thames workers cut the long stalks to be able to work better.”
In centuries past it was not only heavily smoked, it was drunk as well, Bunton continues: “It comes from a dark green wine bottle and is between 300 and 350 years old,” he says after taking a quick look at one of the many broken glass in the bank.
Participants in the tour she leads are already presenting other findings to the expert, including several bones. These are cracked animal bones, of which people in earlier times scratched the marrow and ate. Speaking of bones: Last week, according to Bunton, a colleague discovered human bones in the bank. Your day was over. He had to report the find to the police and spent hours there. “
Strict rules: no digging!
Mudlarking is subject to strict rules. You can only capture what is visible to the naked eye. Digging is prohibited. Only those who have a permit from the port authority can keep the finds. However, anything that is particularly valuable should always be reported to the Museum of London. Experts like archaeologist Bunton offer tours for lay people in small groups. Those who want to participate need sturdy shoes and disposable gloves to protect themselves from pathogens in the water.
In the area around the Thames, which used to be wider, and its tributaries, some of which are underground, experts come across history. The Roman Londinium, the old name for London, comes to light especially during construction works. For example, the European headquarters of the American media company Bloomberg stands on Roman ruins.
During excavations for the building in the financial district, archaeologists obtained more than 14,000 items, such as leather shoes and more than 400 handwritten wooden tablets, including a nearly 2,000-year-old promissory note. Around 600 of the finds can be seen in an exhibition in the building. Due to the wet and muddy soil conditions, they are “extremely well preserved,” according to Sophie Jackson, an expert at the London Museum of Archeology.
Before out of necessity, today for fun
Most Mudlarkers are far from such discoveries, but fascinating things are also coming to light. For archaeologist Bunton, what is the best find he has made at the bank so far? “The handle of a 500-year-old knife made from calf bone,” she enthuses. She also enjoys the mud because the Thames regenerates. “For example, there are seals again.” The era of the “great stench” is over. This is what the British call the hot summer of 1858 – at the time, the stench was unbearable due to the large amount of sewage pouring into the river.
The mudslide originated in the 18th century when poor children searched for scraps such as firewood and rope on the shore. Now it has become a popular hobby that has been spurred on by publication: Author Lara Maiklem has written to a client with her book “Mudlarking” which has already won several awards in Britain. For 15 years she has been searching for the unusual in the mud of the Thames: her finds range from Roman rings to a 300-year-old skull, which she named “Fred.” It is now being examined by forensic experts, Maiklem reported.
