When the Island’s airport requires improvement to meet international safety standards, how do you safeguard the archaeological remains that are already known to exist in the area, quite apart from those that you suspect are present, but haven’t located yet? Beginning with the first major discoveries at Ronaldsway in the 1930’s, and finishing with the remarkable finds of 2008 and 2009, MNH field archaeologist Andrew Johnson will describe the difficulty and necessity of rescuing 8,000 years of history and heritage from destruction in his lecture entitled ‘Between an Aircraft and a Bulldozer’ . The lecture is to take place at 2pm on Saturday 13th November at the Manx Museum. Andrew was involved in the recent fieldwork from start to finish, and his talk will explain the process by which the archaeological potential of the area was factored into the development proposals for the runway extension and later how the fieldwork was undertaken surrounded by planes, diggers and even the occasional airport fire engine. Andrew Johnson said, “It’s important to understand that Government planning policy, Manx law, and international conventions to which the Island is party, all say that this kind of work has to be done if significant archaeological remains are threatened by development, and that this is no different from other countries. The fact that we have an unusual, and very rich, cultural heritage squeezed into our island makes it even more important that we all take this responsibility seriously.” Many archaeological discoveries have been made in the area over the years, suggesting that more were possible once construction of the runway extension began. MNH worked closely with the Airports Division of DoI, and with the DoI contractors, Balfour Beatty and Oxford Archaeology North, to ensure that the work ran smoothly and importantly that the construction project was not held up. Despite a tight schedule some remarkable finds were made, including a 3,000 year old Bronze Age village, an 8,000 year old Mesolithic house, human burials, and thousands of artefacts. The potential of these to revise understanding of the lives of the earliest inhabitants of the Island is enormous. Free admission tickets are available at the Manx Museum Reception. Places limited, arrive early to avoid disappointment. ENDS