Eraclito's claim should be deeply reconsidered in the light of the experience of Mr. Jason Sandy, the treasures hunter on the muddy banks of the London river: a surprising story of relics from so many ages... from prehistorical sharks & mammoth teeth to Medieval leather shoes...
Jason Sandy (Ph. Jon Attenborough)
By Primavera Fisogni
A real singular story, for this issue of Rekh Magazine, fully dedicated to the topic of 'Singularity', comes from London, where Jason Sandy, an American architect (see the bio below), has become popular for his activity of treasures hunting. Does he discover treasures? Yes, he does. You'll be fascinated by his works. If you want to dive more deeply into this singular experience, you can read Jason’s new book called MUDLARKS: Treasures from the Thames. He has featured hundreds of the most extraordinary artifacts recovered by over 90 mudlarks from the river during the past four decades. Not only does the new book feature some of the best artifacts recovered from the River Thames, but it’s also about the mudlarks who found the objects, revealing the human side of this popular hobby. More than 30 mudlarks (kids, adults, and veteran mudlarks) have been beautifully photographed by Tom Harrison, and their portraits appear throughout the book. In their own voices, these mudlarks share their personal stories about their lives, passions, friendships, near-misses, loss of loved ones, and adventures along the river. The large, coffee-table-style book is 304 pages long and contains over 500 color photos, illustrations, and artwork. The book is available to purchase online on Amazon, Book Depository, Kobo, Wordery, and other online bookstores.
Jason, you pick up so many objects washed out of the river Thames’ mud. Who is really a mudlark?
A mudlark is a person who searches for historic artefacts on the exposed riverbed of the River Thames at low tide.
Please briefly explain how you became one of the most popular mudlarks.
Social media is a powerful tool if used correctly. Instagram provides an international audience of people interested in London’s history and archaeology. My followers enjoy seeing the moment when I discover historic artefacts and rescue them from the mud. I research every find and post about the intriguing backstories of the objects. People are fascinated by the objects and history they reveal.
Flint tools are the oldest man-made artefacts we find in the River Thames. Several years ago, mudlark David Hodgson discovered one of the earliest Stone Age axeheads in the River Thames. Dating to the Paleolithic Age, the axehead is circa 3.3 million years old. Long before the Romans established a settlement along the River Thames in 43 AD
The list of relics you found is impressive… What are the most important for material history?
For me, the ultimate goal of mudlarking is to discover a historically significant artefact and donate it to a museum where it can be researched and put on display for the general public to see. Fortunately, I have been able to donate many objects to various museums including the Museum of London, Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Roman Amphitheatre in the Guildhall Art Gallery, Emery Walker House and King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester. Some of my most important finds are a Roman hairpin carved in the shape of a woman, a medieval infant’s shoe, medieval pilgrim badges, Richard III boar badge and other artefacts. These artefacts tell about the fashions, styles and material history of Londoners.
Jason Sandy at work. (Ph. Jon Attenborough)
And what are the most curious?
Last summer I found the freshly shedded snake skin from a Boa constrictor. During the Covid lockdowns, many Londoners bought pets to keep them company when isolated at home. After lockdown and with the current cost-of-living crisis, pet food became too expensive, so people released their exotic pets into the wild. They are now roaming around London, which is a scary thought!
What happens to the relics that are found? What kind of collaboration exists with the British Museum or other archeological societies?
To go mudlarking in London, you must have a permit from the Port of London Authority. As part of the license agreement, everyone must take objects which are over 300 years old to the Museum of London. A Finds Liaison Officer records the artefacts on the Portable Antiquities Scheme managed by the British Museum. Sometimes they ask for the artefacts to be donated, but it most cases, the objects are returned to the finder who is allowed to keep them. You are not allowed to sell the artefacts. Over the last four decades, mudlarks have donated thousands of artefacts to the Museum of London which now has one of the largest collections of medieval pilgrim and secular badges as well as medieval and post-medieval pewter toys.
You keep the past alive. As a treasure hunter, how do you plan your expeditions?
In order to identify the best locations to go mudlarking, I do a lot of research beforehand. Typically, the busiest parts of the river yield the most artefacts. Wherever there has been human activity along the river, there are objects which have been accidentally lost or purposely discarded in the water. Before I go mudlarking, I consult the tide tables so I know exactly when low tide will occur. Typically, I arrive two hours before low tide and stay one hour after low tide. To keep my feet dry, I wear waterproof boots, and I wear rubber gloves to protect my hands. Because the tide rushes in after low tide, I plan my exit and escape route if I get cut off by the incoming tide.
Jason Sandy is a member of the exclusive Society of Thames Mudlarks (Ph. Jon Attenborough)
How do you know where to search? Have ypu been asked by archaeologists to conduct surveys in specific places?
The reputable Society of Thames Mudlarks is sometimes asked to conduct a survey of a specific area of the foreshore where mudlarking is not normally permitted. For instance, the Society conducted surveys with metal detectors on the foreshore in front of the Tower of London castle and former Royal palace in Greenwich. In 2021-2022, the Historic Royal Palaces asked us to conduct a survey of the historic moat around the Tower of London. I was personally asked to participate by the Museum of London. It was a thrilling experience!
Is it true that in the river’s mud have also been found mammoth teeth?
Yes. My friend, Alan Murphy, discovered two fossilized teeth from woolly mammoths who have been extinct for around 10,000 years. Woolly mammoths lived during the Pleistocene epoch and were approximately the same size as modern African elephants, weighing about 6 tons. With their thick coat of fur, they were well adapted to London’s cold climate back then. Their long, curved tusks and large trunk were used to move objects, forage, bathe and fight. Their four molar teeth were replaced six times during their lifetime, and this is potentially the reason why several mammoth teeth have been found in the Thames.
What age do the oldest relics date?
Fossils are the oldest objects we find in the river. They are millions of years old. My favourite fossils from the Thames are eichnoids and ammonites. Dating to approximately 65–240 million years old, ammonites lived at the same time as the dinosaurs before they went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous Period. Ammonites were cephalopods with a ribbed, spiral shell similar to a nautilus and would have had eight arms, which they used to propel themselves backwards through the water. After millions of years in the Thames, the incredible, spiral shapes of ammonites are still perfectly preserved—nature’s beauty frozen in time. Flint tools are the oldest man-made artefacts we find in the River Thames. Several years ago, mudlark David Hodgson discovered one of the earliest Stone Age axeheads in the River Thames. Dating to the Paleolithic Age, the axehead is circa 3.3 million years old. Long before the Romans established a settlement along the River Thames in 43 AD, transient hunters and gatherers were attracted to the Thames valley because of its rich resources and wildlife, which grazed in the grassy floodplain along the river that was teeming with fish and bird life. The early inhabitants of the Thames valley made weapons out of flint stone to hunt and protect themselves against attackers.
The Thames is a river that runs through London. Why is it so filled with history?
For over 2,000 years, the River Thames has been a rubbish dump for London. Household and commercial refuse was constantly dumped into the water. The river is filled with history because millions of objects have been purposely discarded or accidentally lost over the centuries. The soft, anaerobic (no oxygen) mud is a good repository and preserver of these objects.
From the objects found in the river, what kind of evolution of the material history of London can be seen?
Until plastics were invented, products were built to last. Today we live in a single-use, throw-away culture. Centuries ago everything was reused as much as possible. Porcelain and ceramics were often utilized for household items (such as drinking vessels, plates, etc) because they are durable, hard-wearing and multi-use materials. Modern, single-use plastic bottles, cutlery and paper plates were unthinkable back then.
Even coins were made to last. Until the 20th century, coins made in Britain over the last 2,000 years were made of precious gold, silver, bronze and copper. They were valuable and worth their weight in the metal in which they were made. These metals do not corrode over time. Nowadays, coins are made of inexpensive, metal alloys which corrode and degrade very quickly. The modern coins I find in the river are often unrecognizable because of the fast corrosion, whereas older coins are found in great condition.
Jason Sandy
Jason Sandy is an American architect and property developer in London. He is a member of the exclusive Society of Thames Mudlarks and is a trustee of the Thames Museum Trust. Jason’s mudlarking adventures have been featured on national television in the USA, Britain, Germany, Canada, and Japan. He has written extensively about mudlarking for magazines in Britain and USA. In 2022, he published the book, MUDLARKS: Treasures from the Thames and co-authored the book, THAMES MUDLARKING: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures which was published in 2021. His mudlarking collection has been exhibited in the British Museum, Tate Modern, National Maritime Museum, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Roman Amphitheatre in Guildhall Art Gallery, Cutler’s Hall, Watermen’s Hall, Two Temple Place and other cultural institutions. He has donated artefacts to the Museum of London, Victorian & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, Guildhall Art Gallery, Emery Walker House, Stone Museum, and King Richard III Visitor Centre. Jason also lectures about mudlarking in schools, universities, and organizations. For regular posts, follow him on Instagram @jasonmudlark.
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