VOLUNTEERS are needed to help international environmental charity Earthwatch to unearth the past on two archaeological expeditions, one to the north of England and one to Tuscany.

Earthwatch teams have been mapping an extraordinary excavation site for more than a decade in South Shields.

As a volunteer on the Earthwatch expedition Ancient Britain: Romans on the Tyne, you will help archaeologists to excavate the Roman fort of Arbeia and its surroundings, to better understand how ancient Romans and Europeans came into contact with each other.

The South Shields fort is the site of a Roman military and civilian settlement and lies within the Unesco Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site.

You can join the Ancient Britain: Romans on the Tyne expedition in June, July or August 2010.

It lasts from seven to 14 days and costs from £695 to £1,095. There is also a special team for teenagers aged 16 or 17 (in July) or for families with children aged 10 or above (in August).

If you want to make a contribution to building a picture of Roman history in Italy, then join the Earthwatch expedition Discovering Italy's Ancient Roman Coast.

In the lush green countryside of Poggio del Molino, one of the most important active archaeological sites in Italy, you will help to excavate this Roman maritime settlement, documenting your finds and surveying the area surrounding the dig site.

This project aims to fill gaps in our knowledge of the industrial history and coastal economy of Populonia and its region, from the early Roman period to the early Middle Ages.

As a volunteer, you will help to save the cultural treasures of a Roman villa overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Discovering Italy's Ancient Roman Coast teams run in May, June, September and October 2010 - ash cloud permitting, of course.

The expedition lasts from six to 13 days and the cost ranges from £1,095 to £1,695, depending on the team. A team specifically for teenagers aged 16 and 17 takes place in July.

Please join us and help us to build a more in-depth picture of the past on these important cultural heritage projects in South Shields and Tuscany.

To find out more, call 01865 318 831 or visit www.earthwatch.org/ europe.

TOM BERRY Manager of volunteer programmes

Earthwatch Via email