The second series of Meet the Ancestors will be broadcast on BBC 2 starting Thursday, 7 January 1999. In this series we have looked at six sites, from Dorset to Orkney and from Cheshire to Suffolk, ranging In date from the Neolithic to the 16th century AD. All of us on the Ancestors team would like to take this opportunity to thank not only all those whose excavations and subsequent research have featured in the programmes, but those who contacted us about sites that we were unable to film.

There is another chance to be involved with our work though. A third series has just been commissioned by the BBC Science Department and we are again actively looking for sites in which we might become involved. What sort of excavations/sites are we looking for?
 
 

Sites	any which will involve the excavation of human remains, usually inhumations although we are keen to tackle  cremation in this series. We can cope with a range of bone preservation on a site; however, it will be necessary to determine age/sex. In order to carry out some form of facial reconstruction, there needs to be some remains in a reasonable state of preservation.
When	we would like to hear about any excavations which are taking place between now and September 1999. We are ready to start filming immediately.
Where	anywhere in the British Isles
Date	any period

 
 
We are interested not only in 'set piece' excavations, but also in chance discoveries, for example during watching briefs. We can respond rapidly, so please contact us if you feel that a discovery may be of interest. During the making of the second series we 'lost' a couple of sites because the excavators were cautious and wanted to make sure that they fully understood the burials before contacting us. This is understandable, but unfortunately all of the burials were excavated before we arrived on site. We do need to see the excavation taking place and would ideally like to be on site as early as possible so please, if you think you have something of interest and would like us to be involved, contact us straight away.

We film with a small team, usually just three people (camera, sound and presenter) and are very familiar with filming on site and the constraints involved. We are also aware of the needs of site security and confidentiality although the programmes are broadcast often as much as a year after an excavation has been completed.

In making the first two series of Ancestors we have developed a strong and growing working relationship with a number of researchers whose work is involved with archaeological science, forensics and reconstruction. As a result, one of the benefits of involvement with Meet the Ancestors is access to a wide range. of investigative techniques. The results of these often enable reconstruction artefacts and graphics to be produced with confidence and these too may be of lasting benefit to the excavation projects from which they are derived.

If you have any sites planned, have any new approaches to burial archaeology, or would like to discuss the series with a member of the team then please contact:

Julian Richards Archaeologist/ presenter
    Foyle Hill House
    Foyle Hill
    Shaftesbury
    DORSET SP7 OPT
                    tel: 01747 851 531

Ian Potts Series Producer
    Room 3151
    BBC White City
    201 Wood Lane
    London W12 7TS
                    tel: 0181 752 6672

Teresa Lambert Production Co-ordinator
                    tel: 0181 752 6237

or E-MAIL us: ancestors@bbc.co.uk