York Archaeological Trust is an independent charity dedicated to educating the public in archaeology. It was set up in 1972 to respond to the widespread threats to York’s buried past posed by accelerated development. The Trust has been busy ever since, building upon a long tradition of exploration and preservation in the city, and bringing the excitement of discovery to millions of people.

The Trust has a team of highly skilled people who excavate and record, conserve and curate, research and analyse, publish and exhibit.

Our collection of artefacts is especially important. Many objects which don’t normally survive – such as those made of cloth, wood and leather – have been protected by the special soil conditions in some parts of York. This material evidence has allowed us to piece together a picture of the city’s past inhabitants.

The start of a journey of discovery at the Jorvik Viking Centre	Touching the past at the Archaeological Resource Centre

SINCE 1972, YORK ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST HAS:

• carried out over 1,000 investigations in York, as well as many elsewhere in Yorkshire and beyond. 160 of these were full-scale excavations, and 900 were observations and recordings during building construction work.

• introduced over 10 million visitors to archaeology and to the Viking Age discoveries made at Coppergate through its award-winning Jorvik Viking Centre, opened in 1984.
• welcomed over 360,000 visitors (mostly school children) to the Archaeological Resource Centre where they handle real archaeological material.
• excavated, recorded, and later restored and rebuilt, a complex of timber-framed buildings in the centre of York — now known as Barley Hall. Here visitors see medieval life continuing through re-enactment.
• published 60 reports on its discoveries in its series The Archaeology of York, as well as countless popular books, booklets and magazines.
• w orked closely with the Friends of the York Archaeological Trust whose continued support and help over the years deserves a special mention. There are now 700 members and they have raised over £100,000 to further the work of the Trust.
• become a recognised museum authority under the Museums and Galleries Commission scheme — the Jorvik Viking Centre, DIG (formerly the Archaeological Resource Centre) and Barley Hall are all registered museums. The Trust is the first (and only) archaeological unit to have its standards and achievements recognised in this way.
• become, in 1997, one of the first Corporate Members of the Institute of Field Archaeologists, archaeology’s national professional body.