Matt Nicholas
@mattnic.bsky.social
#Archaeologist. European. Likes music, non-ferrous metallurgy & left(ish) politics. Personal account not associated with anywhere you think I might work. Also interested in #running, #cycling & #ActiveTravel
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
Come for the Barkleys and @keithdunn.bsky.social’s brilliant commentary.
Stay for The Green Runners, whose co-founders include Jasmin Paris & Damian Hall @ultradamo.bsky.social
thegreenrunners.com
Stay for The Green Runners, whose co-founders include Jasmin Paris & Damian Hall @ultradamo.bsky.social
thegreenrunners.com
Running, without the footprint - The Green Runners CIC
We are The Green Runners - a community making changes for a fitter planet. Help us win the race against the climate emergency.
thegreenrunners.com
February 14, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Come for the Barkleys and @keithdunn.bsky.social’s brilliant commentary.
Stay for The Green Runners, whose co-founders include Jasmin Paris & Damian Hall @ultradamo.bsky.social
thegreenrunners.com
Stay for The Green Runners, whose co-founders include Jasmin Paris & Damian Hall @ultradamo.bsky.social
thegreenrunners.com
This doesn’t just put heritage at risk — it puts development and growth at risk too. Local authority planning archaeologists help de-risk development by ensuring unexpected (and therefore expensive) show stopping discoveries don't derail construction at the last minute.
🚨 We have heard that the County Archaeologist for Hampshire is being made redundant, with no plans to replace him. 🚨
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺
February 14, 2026 at 9:44 AM
This doesn’t just put heritage at risk — it puts development and growth at risk too. Local authority planning archaeologists help de-risk development by ensuring unexpected (and therefore expensive) show stopping discoveries don't derail construction at the last minute.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
🚨 We have heard that the County Archaeologist for Hampshire is being made redundant, with no plans to replace him. 🚨
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺
February 13, 2026 at 12:33 PM
🚨 We have heard that the County Archaeologist for Hampshire is being made redundant, with no plans to replace him. 🚨
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
This is freaking insane and one main reason why I keep on in this space - absolutely absurd what we’ve normalized on our streets.
Too late!
See below from recent #RSA campaign for 2nd Class (8 year olds) asking them to pledge to wear hi-vis clothing in pretty much every outdoor situation nigh or day. Full pledge in Alt-Text
See below from recent #RSA campaign for 2nd Class (8 year olds) asking them to pledge to wear hi-vis clothing in pretty much every outdoor situation nigh or day. Full pledge in Alt-Text
February 6, 2026 at 12:36 PM
This is freaking insane and one main reason why I keep on in this space - absolutely absurd what we’ve normalized on our streets.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
Excited that my volume on the Early Bronze Age coffined burial from Tetney is now published open access by @antiquaries.bsky.social! Now everyone can read about this amazing find dated to 2032 BC and containing an amazing array of environmental and artefactual data.
library.oapen.org/viewer/web/v...
library.oapen.org/viewer/web/v...
February 5, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Excited that my volume on the Early Bronze Age coffined burial from Tetney is now published open access by @antiquaries.bsky.social! Now everyone can read about this amazing find dated to 2032 BC and containing an amazing array of environmental and artefactual data.
library.oapen.org/viewer/web/v...
library.oapen.org/viewer/web/v...
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
Can we take a moment to remember how at the time this home-made bomb was ignited, the police's first instinct was to rule out terrorism? Would this have happened if the target of a home-made bomb had been literally anything else, I wonder? #motonormativity www.theguardian.com/environment/...
January 31, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Can we take a moment to remember how at the time this home-made bomb was ignited, the police's first instinct was to rule out terrorism? Would this have happened if the target of a home-made bomb had been literally anything else, I wonder? #motonormativity www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
This is insane, but expected thanks to all that “clarity.”
January 27, 2026 at 8:42 AM
This is insane, but expected thanks to all that “clarity.”
It should be noted for posterity that, for once, I managed to arrive before the start
Some of our Nottinghamshire based members met at Colwick parkrun this morning for their first 2026 local meet-up.
Caren, Jon, Matt & Kev ran whilst Su chose to walk before the post run litter pick and cafe warm up. 🗑☕️
Another fab morning of Green Running 💚
Caren, Jon, Matt & Kev ran whilst Su chose to walk before the post run litter pick and cafe warm up. 🗑☕️
Another fab morning of Green Running 💚
January 24, 2026 at 9:33 PM
It should be noted for posterity that, for once, I managed to arrive before the start
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
I love Stephen. The face of a doomed WW1 officer and the wardrobe of John Travolta. #thetraitors
January 23, 2026 at 9:33 PM
I love Stephen. The face of a doomed WW1 officer and the wardrobe of John Travolta. #thetraitors
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
It strikes me as astonishing that there is so little debate about a possible social media ban for under 16s. Almost all of the commentary assumes that those pushing for a ban have all the facts, and the moral high ground. The idea that there’s a counter perspective seems to be barely acknowledged.
January 21, 2026 at 6:06 PM
It strikes me as astonishing that there is so little debate about a possible social media ban for under 16s. Almost all of the commentary assumes that those pushing for a ban have all the facts, and the moral high ground. The idea that there’s a counter perspective seems to be barely acknowledged.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
This victory lap Zack and supporters are doing would be earned if he’d been derided for saying the US should be kicked out of NATO, but what he was actually derided for was calling for the UK to leave NATO
When we said NATO wasn't working we were derided.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
January 18, 2026 at 10:04 AM
This victory lap Zack and supporters are doing would be earned if he’d been derided for saying the US should be kicked out of NATO, but what he was actually derided for was calling for the UK to leave NATO
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
Robert Jenrick is the MP for Newark - the only constituency that is an anagram of wanker.
January 15, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Robert Jenrick is the MP for Newark - the only constituency that is an anagram of wanker.
Sport England has left X because it promotes misogynistic sexual abuse. Why are other DCMS ALBs still comfortable staying?
🚨🚨Excellent news (and hope more will follow): Sport England has revealed that it has suspended its account on #X, because the social media platform “increasingly promotes and monetises an environment that is hostile to women and girls”. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/j...
Sport England suspends X social media account and takes aim at Elon Musk
Sport England has revealed that it has suspended its account on the social media platform X
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Sport England has left X because it promotes misogynistic sexual abuse. Why are other DCMS ALBs still comfortable staying?
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
One reason I have zero tolerance for transphobia, why I've come to find it completely disqualifying, is that it is in the nasty, tedious forefront of all right-wing rhetoric. Anyone who still thinks this prejudice is compatible with being on the left or being a liberal is not someone I have time for
Shad Tech Sec, Julia Lopez MP, despite (apparently) agreeing with gov't online portection aim, started a BIZARRE apologia/whatabout over X that equated Grok to "crude drawings", drew in Iran, rape gangs, immigration, trans rights, and even blamed children for "sharing their images too freely". 👀 ~AA
January 12, 2026 at 5:43 PM
One reason I have zero tolerance for transphobia, why I've come to find it completely disqualifying, is that it is in the nasty, tedious forefront of all right-wing rhetoric. Anyone who still thinks this prejudice is compatible with being on the left or being a liberal is not someone I have time for
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
I’m not sure “there’s nothing we can do about the sexual abuse image factory ask OfCom” is going to hold much water as a line taken by a government which (a) has a huge majority (b) just passed legislation to regulate what people can access online
Keir Starmer's spokesman tells me that X and Grok's creation of sexual deepfakes of children is "completely unacceptable" but again won't commit to taking direct action against them, or to stop posting there.
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
January 7, 2026 at 1:29 PM
I’m not sure “there’s nothing we can do about the sexual abuse image factory ask OfCom” is going to hold much water as a line taken by a government which (a) has a huge majority (b) just passed legislation to regulate what people can access online
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
So predictable … no international events should be taking place in the US.
And it sounds like Ethiopia is not the only country that's had visa issues heading into Saturday's World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida.
www.letsrun.com/news/2026/01...
www.letsrun.com/news/2026/01...
World Cross Country Champs rocked by visa rejections - US denies visas for 14 Ethiopian athletes
The general secretary of the Ethiopian Athletics federation told LetsRun.com at least 14 have been affected in total, mostly from the U20 ranks. As a result, Ethiopia has only entered one U20 man and ...
www.letsrun.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:36 PM
So predictable … no international events should be taking place in the US.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
call me crazy but it really feels like “World’s Richest Man Creates AI Chatbot That Generates Child Porn” would’ve been a huge international outrage requiring a governmental crackdown not even 24 months ago
January 2, 2026 at 7:06 AM
call me crazy but it really feels like “World’s Richest Man Creates AI Chatbot That Generates Child Porn” would’ve been a huge international outrage requiring a governmental crackdown not even 24 months ago
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
Starmer has said that what has been allowed to happen at X is "outrageous" and that those responsible should face the "full force of the law," calling their tactics "pathetic" no wait sorry, I got confused, that was him describing Just Stop Oil protesters who put some cornflour on Stonehenge.
Ofcom, which enforces the UK's Online Safety Act, says it is aware of "serious concerns" about Grok undressing people including children on X
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," it says
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," it says
January 5, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Starmer has said that what has been allowed to happen at X is "outrageous" and that those responsible should face the "full force of the law," calling their tactics "pathetic" no wait sorry, I got confused, that was him describing Just Stop Oil protesters who put some cornflour on Stonehenge.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
Can someone kidnap Trump and run the US till a proper transition takes place?
January 3, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Can someone kidnap Trump and run the US till a proper transition takes place?
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
100% seriously, European leaders and Commission officials should plan on the basis that the US might do this to them too, about Greenland, about tech regulation, about “Christian values”, about “free speech”, whatever.
January 3, 2026 at 9:59 AM
100% seriously, European leaders and Commission officials should plan on the basis that the US might do this to them too, about Greenland, about tech regulation, about “Christian values”, about “free speech”, whatever.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
I've published something (finally)! It's been in my head for a long time. Relieved to have it out in the wild. On to the next thing. #medievalwales #pottery
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Material Connections in Medieval Lordly Households. New Ceramic Evidence from South-Eastern Wales
THIS PAPER DISCUSSES MATERIAL EVIDENCE for 13th-century lordly communities using four zoomorphic jugs depicting rams found from manor and castle sites in Glamorgan, South-East Wales. The paper also...
www.tandfonline.com
January 1, 2026 at 9:07 AM
I've published something (finally)! It's been in my head for a long time. Relieved to have it out in the wild. On to the next thing. #medievalwales #pottery
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Walked past Jon Snow picking up a suit from the dry cleaners.
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Walked past Jon Snow picking up a suit from the dry cleaners.
Reposted by Matt Nicholas
You might think that a man who drove into 100 people, using his car as a weapon, would NEVER be allowed to drive again.
It turns out he will be able to, around three years after leaving prison by taking an extended retest.
Why should he ever be able to get behind the wheel again?
It turns out he will be able to, around three years after leaving prison by taking an extended retest.
Why should he ever be able to get behind the wheel again?
December 16, 2025 at 1:25 PM
You might think that a man who drove into 100 people, using his car as a weapon, would NEVER be allowed to drive again.
It turns out he will be able to, around three years after leaving prison by taking an extended retest.
Why should he ever be able to get behind the wheel again?
It turns out he will be able to, around three years after leaving prison by taking an extended retest.
Why should he ever be able to get behind the wheel again?