Chapter 12 MCQ's

Weblinks

This chapter looks at the conservation and protection of archaeological remains and also at the various organisations involved in managing it. While the focus of the textbook was on the UK, examples from around the world are included here.

12.0 Threats to archaeological remains

A good site with lots of links on destruction and threats is at:: http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~Sinclair/ALGY399_Site/destruction.html; The following sites catalogue threats to particular ancient sites. Some of them are campaign groups.
Save Stonehenge http://www.savestonehenge.org.uk/: Damage to Avebury http://www.stonehenge-avebury.net/avelatest.html; http://www.heritageaction.orgw; Iraq and looting http://www.savingantiquities.org/index.php

12.1 The protection of archaeological remains

The MARS project documented the threats to a sample of monuments in England:: http://apollo5.bournemouth.ac.uk/mars/
The key organisations responsible for protecting archaeological remains — or Heritage Management as it is usually called today — in the UK are:: English Heritage http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/; CADW (Wales) http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/; Scottish Heritage http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/; Council for British Archaeology http://www.britarch.ac.uk/
Increasingly there are also moves to protect archaeological sites and to reduce the trade in looted or stolen antiquities at an international level. The cultural arm of the United Nations (UNESCO) has a programme of identifying World Heritage Sites and has attempted to draw up international standards on excavation etc.
UNESCO is at:: http://whc.unesco.org/
Discussion of the Valetta Convention:: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/valletta/
The proposed Heritage Reform Bill (for 2008) is at:: http://www.helm.org.uk/server/show/nav.11237
Also:: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.13381
An impact assessment by the Government is at:: http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C87DAD10-26E2-4E87-A169-

12.2 Examples of specific sites and their issues

Sutton Hoo http://www.suttonhoo.org/

Nine Ladies Stone Circle http://www.druidnetwork.org/sacredsites/nineladies/index.html

Thornborough Henge http://www.friendsofthornborough.org.uk/

Sites which cover issues related to seabed protection and investigation are:

Doggerland http://zinken.typepad.com/palaeo/2005/02/the_doggerland_.html

http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/marine/alsf/seabed_prehistory/index.html

http://www.iaa.bham.ac.uk/research/fieldwork_research_themes/projects

12.3 Stonehenge

Stonehenge is the most iconic ancient site in Britain and also the best known. As a case study on preservation issues versus public interest, poor presentation and archaeology and politics it takes some beating.

There is also a wealth of material available online.: The official site is http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge/
The proposed new visitors centre and transport arrangements are at:: http://www.thestonehengeproject.org/
The following sites include research, campaigns and an account of the clash in the 1980s between the police and festival-goers close to the stones.: http://www.stonehenge-avebury.net/; http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/; http://www.britarch.ac.uk/stonehenge/; The Battle of the Beanfield http://tash.gn.apc.org/sh_bean.htm

12.4 The protection of artefacts

In the UK as in many countries, there is legislation in place to protect antiquities.: Portable Antiquities Scheme (UK) http://www.finds.org.uk/; Treasure Act (UK) http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1996/1996024.htm
This initiative and other aspects of this issue can be followed up at:: Council for British Archaeology advice http://www.britarch.ac.uk/detecting/index.html; UK Metal-detectorists http://www.ukdetectornet.co.uk/; Metal detecting tours http://www.losttreasure.com/; An overview of metal detecting and archaeology http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/excavations_techniques

12.5 Protection through the planning process: PPG16

The most significant change in government treatment of archaeological remains in the last twenty years has been in its guidance to planners in local councils. The original guidance note was PPG16. (PPG15 exists for buildings).: PPG16 is at: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1021020427943.html; It is explained at: http://www.compulink.co.uk/~archaeology/gateway/ppghome.htm
Reviews of PPG16 are at: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/parade/np03/scola/ppg16con.htm: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/special/orton-inaugural-2003/sld023.htm
A review of Heritage Protection by the IFA is at:: http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/pubs/
Many other government agencies now have their own policies (and case studies) related to archaeology.: Highways Agency (UK) http://www.highways.gov.uk/; Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK) http://www.culture.gov.uk/default.htm

12.6 Who are the archaeologists?

A forum focused on public participation in the UK is at:: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/participation/
Data on the numbers and types of archaeological investigations in Britain are at:: http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/aip/aipintro.htm
Rescue was formed in the 1960s and was responsible for coordinating many of the excavations (largely by amateur teams) over the next two decades where remains were threatened by development:: http://www.rescue-archaeology.freeserve.co.uk/
A journal about what it is really like in field archaeology is produced by the Digger:: http://www.bajr.org/DiggerMagazine/DiggerFrontpage.htm
The role of a finds liaison officer is explained at:: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/excavations_techniques/

12.7 Professional bodies and organisations

Since the 1980s, most excavation is undertaken by professional archaeologists.

The Institute of Field Archaeologists is a body to which many professional archaeologists belong:: http://www.archaeologists.net/
Most archaeology undertaken in advance of development in the UK is undertaken by contracting units. The sites of most archaeological units contain useful (and often extensive) portfolios of excavations, surveys and post-excavation work.: List of UK units http://www.britarch.ac.uk/info/contract.asp; Museum of London http://www.molas.org.uk/; Trent and Peak http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/tpau/; Birmingham http://www.arch-ant.bham.ac.uk/bufau/; WYAS http://www.arch.wyjs.org.uk/aswyas.htm; East Anglia http://www.eaareports.org.uk/; Orkney http://www.orkneydigs.org.uk/; Clwyd Powys Trust http://www.cpat.org.uk/cpat/past/window.htm; Wessex http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/
CPM and EDP are major providers of assessments of the impact of development on archaeology:: http://www.cpm-uk.co.uk/; http://www.edp-uk.co.uk/

12.8 Amateur archaeologists

Amateur archaeology is still important in many parts of the UK although its excavation activities in many areas have largely been taken over by professional units.: Council for Independent Archaeologists http://www.cix.co.uk/~archaeology/cia/index.htm; A local project (Sedgeford, UK) http://www.sharp.org.uk/; Culverwell Mesolithic site http://www.gallica.co.uk/apa/
Public interest in archaeology is very evident on the web. Some of the best links as well as an amazing range of companion images can be followed from the following sites.: http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~aburnham/eng/index.htm; The megalithic map (including Europe) http://www.megalithic.co.uk/mapserv/; The Modern Antiquarian http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/home/

12.9 Other related groups

Museums

Most museums have websites. A list of those in the UK is at:: http://www.museums.co.uk/; The British Museumwww.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/

There is more on museums in Chapter 7.

Academic study

Antiquarian societies produced some of the first archaeological reports and pioneered excavation techniques in the nineteenth century. Many survive as academic institutions, most important for their publications, although they do carry out other activities too. Good examples are:: The Prehistoric Society http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prehistoric/; Society of Antiquaries of Scotland http://www.socantscot.org/
The web has also seen the growth of publications on very specific academic topics by both amateurs and academics. Some of these provide excellent case studies, short articles and discussions of debates. Some of the best are at:: Comparative Archaeology http://www.comp-archaeology.org/

University archaeology

University archaeologists include both professionals and amateurs. They are responsible for many training excavations as well as much archaeological research both in terms of excavation, post-excavation and trying to put discoveries into a wider context. University websites are listed in Chapter 14 but good examples of university archaeology are at:: The Stonehenge Riverside Project http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/research/stonehenge

Religious groups

The resurgence in interest in paganism and the growth of New Age religions has led to increasing numbers of people wanting to use ancient sites for rituals and demanding that such sites should be protected in the same way as other places of worship.: Pagans at Avebury http://hometown.aol.co.uk/homemademagick/page7.html

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