Mudlarking, once a trade of the Victorian poor, has evolved into a modern-day hobby that captivates everyday Londoners and history enthusiasts. What began as a desperate means of survival, scouring the Thames foreshore for anything of value, has become a way to connect with the city’s deep and layered past.
In London Museum’s new exhibition, Secrets of the Thames, over 350 artefacts recovered from the river’s muddy banks, many on public display for the first time, are brought together to tell a remarkable story. Visitors are invited to step into the world of the mudlarks: amateur archaeologists, urban explorers and passionate storytellers who uncover fragments of daily life spanning centuries.
“What mudlarks do is really important to preserve history as soon as it’s found,” says Alessio Chicconi, a palaeontologist who has unearthed thousands of artefacts since taking up mudlarking during lockdown.
The Thames is uniquely suited to mudlarking. The river’s tidal nature, rising and falling twice daily, constantly stirs and reshapes the foreshore, periodically revealing and concealing layers of history. Its anaerobic mud slows the decay of organic materials like leather and wood, creating rare opportunities for preservation. The result is a time capsule stretching from prehistoric flint tools to 17th-century shoes.
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Beyond the tangible finds, what draws many mudlarks back to the river is a deep sense of connection to Britons of the past. “It’s quite incredible when we find these objects, to think that I am the first person to touch it in 4000 years,” says Chicconi. Each item, no matter how ordinary it might seem, holds the story of a life once lived and offers a glimpse into everyday moments. It invites an appreciation for the supposedly mundane: a clay pipe, a pin, a shard of pottery. And in the quiet ritual of searching the foreshore, Secrets of the Thames reveals not just the artefacts left behind, but the timeless human desire to be remembered. As Chicconi puts it, “History will find a way to bring up your name.”
London Museum’s Secrets of the Thames exhibition is open until 1 Mar 2026.
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Source: Humans - newscientist.com
