Beneath Your Feet is an exhibition at Weston Park Museum which displays archeological finds from Sheffield, encompassing over 50,000 years of history and covering a wide breadth of periods, including the ancient Palaeolithic age, the Bronze Ages, the Anglo-Saxon period and Medieval times.
Many items displayed are accredited to Derbyshire-born archeologist Thomas Bateman. With the focus not just on the items as standalone pieces, but also on the archeologist behind the findings, the exhibition felt less like a random plethora of admittedly fascinating relics from the past, and more a special, well-thought out homage to the subject of archeology as a whole. This deeper element held true in other aspects of the exhibition in the form of archeology books on shelves, University of Sheffield videos on archaeological excavation and insights into Bateman’s personal and professional history.
I enjoyed the diversity of objects on display. There were bed-fittings from the only bed-burial ever discovered in the region, the half-intact remains of a crucible, a model of Derbyshire’s stone circle Arbor Low and so many other items – from weaponry to crafts to pottery and more. I can barely encompass it all without writing a mile-long list. The exhibition unreservedly shows all, meaning there will always be something new and exciting at your next turn.
Exhibitions often include interactive elements, and it was pleasant to find that Beneath Your Feet was no exception. Engaging three senses (touch, hearing and sight), visitors young and old could rearrange medieval tiles, listen and learn about the process of excavation, flip around pictures to discover what the Romans did and didn’t invent, and dress up in various clothes inspired by different historical ages. My favourite interactive element was the ability to enter the Iron Age-inspired roundhouse, giving an in-person experience of what it might be like to enter a real one.
Beneath Your Feet is explorative of archeological findings, diverse in items, descriptions and historical tid-bits to open your eyes to facts from the past you otherwise would have been unaware of. For people curious about objects from the past, archeology or history as a whole, it is a great exhibition worth taking a look at, with interactive parts offering a little something for children to engage with too.
Rating: ★★★★☆
