If you’ve ever dreamed of being an archaeologist, now is your chance, and look no further because the University of Granada is offering the opportunity to get your hands dirty uncovering the secrets of a 5,000-year-old archaeological site in Almería, with accommodation and meals thrown in.

The university is looking for volunteers to join its latest excavation campaign at Los Millares, the remarkable prehistoric settlement near Santa Fe de Mondújar. The site dates back more than 5,000 years and has given archaeologists an extraordinary glimpse into life in the Copper Age. For anyone fascinated by ancient history, it is about as close as you can get to discovering the past for yourself rather than simply reading about it.

A 5,000-year-old mystery beneath your feet

Los Millares was far more than a small prehistoric settlement, more than 1,000 people are believed to have lived there, with the community protected by four concentric defensive walls. The surrounding landscape also contains as many as 13 forts, while the settlement’s huge necropolis covers around 13 hectares and contains roughly 80 collective tombs.

The people buried there were placed alongside objects including pottery, weapons and ornaments, giving researchers clues about their lives, beliefs and connections with communities further afield. And there is still plenty left to discover. The new excavation campaign is being organised by the University of Granada’s Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, with support from Almería City Council. The project forms part of ongoing research into how complex societies and social inequality developed in prehistoric south-eastern Iberia.

From ancient pottery to tiny fragments

Volunteers won’t simply be standing around watching the experts work. They will take part in the excavation itself, helping to remove and record layers of soil under archaeological supervision. They can also become involved in cleaning and classifying material recovered from the site, including pottery, metal, stone and bone objects. Other jobs include photographic documentation and sieving excavated soil to recover tiny pieces of archaeological evidence that could easily be overlooked.

It may not sound quite as glamorous as the archaeology you see on television, but those small fragments can be important when researchers are trying to piece together what happened at a settlement thousands of years ago. The campaign is scheduled to take place in October, giving participants the unusual chance to spend time working at one of Europe’s most significant Copper Age sites while archaeologists continue investigating its past.

And you don’t have to pay for the stay

There is another reason the opportunity is likely to catch the attention of history buffs: accommodation and meals are provided for selected volunteers during the excavation. That makes this rather different from simply booking an archaeological holiday and paying to participate. Instead, volunteers will be contributing to an active university research project and gaining first-hand experience of archaeological fieldwork.

The University of Granada is now accepting applications, with people interested in taking part asked to send their CV to doradoalejos@ugr.es. For anyone who has ever wondered what it would actually feel like to uncover something that has been hidden beneath Almería’s soil for thousands of years, this could be a rather extraordinary way to find out. Disclaimer: fedora hat, bullwhip, leather jacket and satchel are not included.

British actress Emily Atack tied the knot this summer, marrying scientist Dr Alistair Garner in an intimate ceremony on August 22. The pair exchanged vows in an elegant but private affair in their Bedfordshire home and followed it up with a breakfast buffet and garden party.

But the wedding celebration don’t stop there as Atack’s friends and family head to Mojácar for a second wedding.

Emily Atack and Dr Alistair Garner celebrate second wedding in Mojacar

After the first ceremony Emily Atack, start of the hit show Rivals, shared photos to social media with the caption: “I can’t believe we get to do all that again in a few weeks’ time. Christ, we have fun don’t we”.

The newly-weds are expected to arrive in Almería this weekend, to continue the wedding festivities with a second lavish ceremony in Mojácar. Mojácar has been a favourite holiday destination for Atack and her family since she was a child. The family loved Mojácar so much they bought a property, although that was sold some years ago.

Reminiscing on her childhood summers, The Inbetweeners actress told the Daily Telegraph: “I loved my family holidays in Mojácar, in Andalucía, when I was growing up”.

After years of the Spanish resort town being part of her childhood memories, Mojácar will now be the backdrop for one of the most exciting milestones in Emily’s life.

Celebrity destination wedding trends

This wedding follows a similar schedule to many other celebrity nuptials: a small intimate ceremony followed by an over-the-top destination party. The format allows famous couples to share a meaningful moment in private with their closest family and friends, before heading overseas to celebrate in much more grandiose style with a guest-list to match.

Pop-star Dua Lipa, for example, married Callum Turner at a London courthouse before jetting off to Sicily for a three-day celebration that sparked a controversial row on over-tourism. Their wedding festivities highlighted the growing popularity for destination weddings, and the growing unease of locals who feel their home-towns are being rented out to the highest bidder.

Plaza del Mirador closed for the occasion

According to local news sources 200 guests are expected arrive to mark the special day.

A host of famous faces are expected to the Plaza del Mirador in Mojácar, with two local restaurants catering the event. During this time access to the historic plaza will be restricted to the public, as has been the case with celebrity weddings worldwide.

While the closure may feel like an inconvenience to locals, the wedding festivities will undoubtedly draw eyes to Mojacar, positioning it as a beautiful destination from which to say “I do”.