Roman hair pins, 18th century curling tongs and medieval decorated belts are among the many beguiling exhibits on show at a new major exhibition on mudlarking, now open at London Museum Docklands.
For most Londoners, the River Thames is something we only really think of when travelling across it, but did you know it’s recognised internationally as an important archeological site? This is thanks to the mudlarks who every year are making remarkable discoveries on the Thames foreshore at low tide, uncovering objects that are often hundreds and sometimes thousands of years old.
Mudlarking was historically a trade of the Victorian poor, but today thousands of London mudlarks (licensed through the Port of London Authority) spend many hours searching the wet clay of the foreshore for finds, which are then logged with the London Museum.
“Thanks to the dedication and expertise of today’s mudlarks,” explains Secrets of the Thames curator Kate Sumnall, “we are constantly uncovering new objects that inform our understanding of history. Secrets of the Thames showcases some of these fascianting objects and their journey from discovery to joining the museum. Above all, it is an exploration of love and desire, faith and loss, migration, community and culture.”
Every object – from false teeth to sundials, gold rings to spectacles – is a window into the life of Londoners of the past. Among the most significant Thames finds on show are the Iron Age Battersea Shield and Viking era dagger. Prepare to be transported through London’s rich history in a completely new way.
Secrets of the Thames is open at London Museum Docklands until March 2026.