Gemma Ward

How did you become interested in archaeology?

When I was 9, my uncle gave me a book called Myths and Legends. It was full of stories from ancient civilisations all over the world, and I completely fell in love with them. As I grew older, I realised there was a way to learn the stories not just of kings and queens, but of everyday people -people just like me - who had listened to those same tales centuries before.

That spark eventually led me to study Archaeology and History at the University of Winchester, where I trained in archaeological methods and developed a lifelong love of uncovering the past

Tell us about one of your most interesting discoveries?

One memorable project I worked on was part of a prehistoric settlement in Greece through my role with Brown University, where ancient layers of everyday life were preserved in the landscape. It felt like stepping into the past and witnessing how people lived thousands of years ago.

But one of the most exciting discoveries I ever made was right here in the UK:
I once uncovered an Anglo‑Saxon cemetery that no one expected to find. As we began to investigate it, we realised it held some of the earliest examples of Christian burials in England. It was an incredible moment - the kind of discovery archaeologists dream of - and it completely changed what we knew about how early people were living, believing, and burying their loved ones.

Every find, big or small, helps us understand the past - but sometimes we stumble across something truly extraordinary.

What’s your favourite part about being an archaeologist?

Every day is different. One day I might be excavating outdoors, and the next I’m researching, teaching, or working with young archaeologists. I especially love helping people connect with the past - whether that’s through community digs, outreach projects, or my work supporting wellbeing and inclusion in archaeology.

I’ve spent years volunteering in public archaeology, teaching students, and working with the Young Archaeologists’ Club, and inspiring others is absolutely one of my favourite parts of the job.

What is your favourite place or object?

I’m drawn to objects from everyday life: pottery, tools, and anything that shows how people cooked, farmed, built, or lived. These small, ordinary items often tell the biggest stories about real people from the past.

I also love working in landscapes shaped by long‑term human activity - especially places where archaeology connects with food production, rural life, and how communities adapted to their environment.

But I’m equally fascinated by archaeology’s great mystery objects - the things we still haven’t quite figured out. Here are a few of my favourites, perfect for photos:

• Roman Dodecahedron – a beautiful 12‑sided bronze object with no agreed‑upon purpose.
• The Antikythera Mechanism – an ancient Greek geared calculator sometimes called the world’s first computer.
• The Phaistos Disc – a clay disc covered in mysterious stamped symbols that remains undeciphered.

One of my most meaningful archaeology moments was walking up to the Acropolis in Athens after finishing a month‑long dig with the British School at Athens. Greek mythology was what first captured my imagination as a child, and if you’d told 9‑year‑old me that I would one day work and explore these places for real, I never would have believed you.

I’m also a huge fan of living history museums, where people can step directly into the past. Some favourites include:

• The Mary Rose – the raised Tudor warship with thousands of preserved artefacts,
• The Weald and Downland Living Museum – beautifully reconstructed and rescued historic homes,
• HMS Victory – Nelson’s flagship, filled with the atmosphere of naval history.

These places and objects bring the past to life - from the ordinary to the mysterious, the monumental to the immersive.

What is your advice to kids who want to be archaeologists?

Stay curious! Archaeology is for everyone. If you love stories, mud, puzzles, drawing, exploring outside, or asking big questions, then you already have the heart of an archaeologist. Visit museums, read about ancient places, sketch things you find interesting, explore nature, and- if you can - join a group like the Young Archaeologists’ Club.
Archaeology is a world of adventure, and there’s always something new waiting to be discovered.