Mudlarking intro
I have always been fascinated and fixated by finding and collecting ‘treasure’. When I was a child this would range from lucky clovers, to alluring shells & pebbles on the beach, the perfect fallen leaf, and natural quartz rocks.
Scavenging and treasure hunting is an obsession that very much comes to live when I go mudlarking.
Mudlarking is the urban equivalent of beachcombing. Historical treasures are being washed up on the foreshore of the Thames in London every day. There’s a certain excitement that comes with the possibility of finding objects that tell stories of everyday lives that are not featured in the history books.
You can find contemporary objects that were lost or thrown away as well as fragments that belonged to an ancient civilisation, dating back to Roman times and before. I enjoy the mystery, of not fully knowing the story of the object or who used it. It’s quite a privilege to hold a piece of London’s history in your hands.
Thames mud is anaerobic, without oxygen, which means it preserves objects very well. The foreshore of the Thames is one of the richest archaeological sites in Britain.
I indulge myself walking along the foreshore and looking intently until my eyes catch something. Usually I am drawn to ceramic bits, old buttons or interesting looking weathered glass pieces. The pieces are each unique, with their own story. There will be no two the same. Sea glass or drift glass can take 40 to 200 years to be formed.
On of the most typical items to find is clay pipes, which are usually broken up. Some date back to the 16th Century and were disposable smoking pipes, generally thrown away by the dock workers, which explains why there are so many.
A FEW IMPORTANT NOTES;
- You are required to hold a permit (see PLA) to pick up and dig for anything on the foreshore, even if you are just picking up things that could be considered ‘rubbish’.
- Objects found on the foreshore that could be of high value or archaeological interest is reported to the Museum of London. Mudlarks over the decades have helped build an unparalleled record of everyday life on a medieval river.
- When mudlarking it is best to wear gloves and make sure to wash your hands afterwards before touching your face or food.
- Also best to wash everything your find in clean water.
- Before going mudlarking, check the tide time tables and make sure you know all the exits, to avoid being stuck when the water rises.
- Don’t take ‘everything’ you find. I see a lot of clay pipes that I leave in place just because finding things is half of the fun. You have to leave some behind for others to find.
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