YORK MP Hugh Bayley has been digging deep to help celebrate National Archaeology Week.

The Labour MP joined archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust to make his own time capsule in St Sampson's Square on Saturday.

He was making and decorating a time capsule to be opened in 2025 with the help of Jorvik Poet In Residence Adrinscald.

Included among the other events which took place throughout the day were bone detectives, finding the secrets of our ancestors with a human bone specialist and hunting for spoils in a spoil heep challenge.

National Archaeology Week inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate and understand their archaeological heritage through a wide range of participatory events.

Mr Bayley said: "This year National Archaeology week is bigger than ever before, with over 300 events taking part around the country.

"It is important for people, and young people especially to connect with the past in a City like York with centuries of history and archaeology beneath our feet."

Updated: 10:27 Monday, July 25, 2005