MUDLARK

British editor Maiklem shares her obsession with the treasures she has found in the mud of the River Thames.

The author takes us on a tour from the end of the tidal Thames at Teddington down to the estuary at Lower Hope Point. As she notes, the tides dictate the course of her investigations. A mudlark, someone who “scavenges for usable debris in the mud of a river or harbor,” must know all of the permutations of the tides throughout the year. The author’s discoveries range from Roman coins to the ubiquitous clay pipes and pieces of tile and pottery to unexploded ordnance from World War II. Mudlarks are easy to spot, with their dirty boots, knee pads, latex gloves, and waterproof suits smeared with mud. Maiklem explains how they rely on luck but also have the patience and time to devote to their craft. Their best guides, she writes, are old maps, especially the Agas map of 1561, which presents a wealth of clues to population activity. Barge beds, wharves, and revetments deteriorate, dislodging the domestic refuse and rubble that filled them, an ever changing source of both banal and intriguing items. Some mudlarks use metal detectors while others dig. After the tides expose her finds, the author has to properly identify and preserve them; if they dry too fast, they could crumble. The author also discusses the role of government in her endeavor, as a permit is necessary and discoveries must be reported to the Museum of London. In 1957, the Natural History Museum declared the river biologically dead, and the cleanup has been ongoing ever since. In the 1970s, fish returned to the river, but there are still dangerous microbes lurking, and London’s storm drains dump raw sewage into the river after heavy rains. Throughout the narrative, Maiklem’s imagination and infectious enthusiasm make for a lovely fantasy world where “the tiniest of objects…tell the greatest stories.”

Entertaining reading for British history buffs and budding archaeologists.