Pull Tab Archaeology

An archaeological typology of pull tabs

Join our citizen science project.

Send us your pull tabs..

Pull tab archaeology is:

  • Pull Tabs
  • DIY Science
  • Fun

Get our WORLD TYPOLOGY of Pull Tabs in our Etsy shop.

Hi, my name is Jobbe and I create contemporary archaeologies. In 2014 my colleagues and I had some beers and laughs and imagined a typology of pull tabs (ring pull in the UK) for use in contemporary archaeology digs and for metal detectorists. A REAL typology, but with a grin on our faces to even dare such a ludicrous attempt, because – let’s be honest – most archaeologists and metal-detectorists can’t be bothered… However, the same year and with some help I launched an actual typology vs 1 with pull tabs found in the Netherlands. Intrigued that we collected nine distinctly different types in no-time, we realised there must have existed many more!

Geekiness kicked in, got serious and proved contagious: soon colleagues and friends abroad started to send me new types! Quick updates of the typology followed, but I just couldn’t keep up. With new stock from Czech Republic and Germany the totally new ‘European’ design was outdated within the time of a beer or two. Then a dream emerged and determination grew: we will go global a create a Pull Tab Typology of the World! We achieved our goal in 2020 (see video below). Today we are attempting for become the main information point for Pull Tabs and Ring Pulls worldwide.

2020 World Typology Launched!

Join the revolution!

Are you looking for basic information on the history of pull tabs? Check our archaeology page.

Yes, you can join the pull tab archaeology community through this channel, by sending me your pull tabs. And if you really want to support us, buy us a coffee at Patreon. If you help out, you will get a star on the Global Role of Honor and Global Map of Pull Tab Archaeology.


Recent updates

Some news / updates below. See all updates on our news page.


Meet Evan Jaworski, from Austin Texas

A 6000 year old Neolithic coke can!

This month amazing news reached Pull Tab Archaeology Project: Dutch archaeologists found proof of stone age miners drink coke from aluminium beverage cans, as early as 4000 BC! read the full text.


Our (Dutch Language) Archeohotspots & Portable Antiquities presentation

Treklipjes: wereldwijd archeologisch crowdsourcing project (Dutch)

[Dutch press release. Contact me for the press release in PDF]

Wageningen, 8-12-2020 – Contemporain archeoloog Jobbe Wijnen lanceert een wereldwijde archeologische typologie van treklipjes. Treklipjes zijn de clipjes op blikjes bier en frisdrank, waarmee je ze openmaakt. De typologie is tot stand gekomen met behulp van zogeheten citizen science (burgerwetenschap) en volledig gecrowdsourced via sociale media. Op een grote poster is het meest complete overzicht van treklipjes ter wereld te zien, met specimen gevonden in de bossen van Canada, de straten van Nigeria, de steppen van Mongolië tot de Killing Fields van Cambodja. Meer dan 70 mensen hebben aan het project bijgedragen, ruim 3300 treklipjes zijn uit 32 verschillende landen toegestuurd en bijna 100 verschillende typen zijn onderscheiden. Wijnen had tevoren niet verwacht zoveel resultaat te boeken voor een object dat pas in 1962 is uitgevonden. Lees verder..

French Fortress part 2

Pull tab hunting in a French fortress (part 1)