Applied Archaeology Research Articles

UCL’s Centre for Applied Archaeology: the end of an era of Erasmus+ partnership projects

This news article summarises several projects that took place between 2010 and 2022, during which some members of the Institute of Archaeology’s professional staff were able to take part in lifelong learning partnerships, working closely with a host of organisations from all over Europe on skills development and community heritage. These projects were funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

Tracks Across the Irwell: From the Liverpool & Manchester Railway to the Ordsall Chord

ABSTRACTArchaeological excavations and built heritage recording has been undertaken by Salford Archaeology (based within the Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford) during the construction of a new rail link across the River Irwell between Manchester and Salford, known as the ‘Ordsall Chord’. The new bridge links existing lines of historic importance, and also crosses the extant remains of the world’s first passenger steam railway, the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, being carried over the Grade I designated ‘Stephenson's Bridge’ at approximately deck level. Six further Grade II designated structures were also affected by the scheme, as were the below-ground remains of a dye works that predated the opening of the railway in the 1830s, and a large livestock market that grew adjacent to the improved transport infrastructure provided by the rail network. This paper discusses the archaeological work undertaken on this important early transport hub during the construction programme in 2015–18.

A World of Summer and Autumn: The Romano-British to Early Medieval Weald and Signs of Continuity

Recent developer funded projects conducted by Archaeology South-East, the contracting division of the Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA) have, over the last decade or so, begun to fill a void in our knowledge of one of the most archaeologically under-researched areas in Britain. It is becoming clear that rather than being a marginal landscape beyond more habitable zones, the Weald of South-East England was actually one which experienced significant and widespread periods of colonisation. By examining the evidence from a number of sites the author is starting to explore the area’s early medieval landscape, which is beginning to show degrees of continuity from Roman and prehistoric times. This brief update is intended to highlight a revolution in our understanding of South-East England in the centuries surrounding the Roman Conquest. The ongoing research is a case study in landscape analysis and landscape regression. Results will be discussed in forthcoming articles as well as a ‘Spoilheap monograph’ due for release this year (Margetts 2018).

Interpretive approach to applied archaeology and its status in Iran

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an approach to applied archaeology and interpretive methods for Iranian traditional archaeology. Applied archaeology is based on a holistic approach providing rational approaches in the field of cultural heritage preservation and sustainable use of the potential of cultural heritage with the participation of the people. This paper aims to create social good standing archaeology knowledge with respect to Iranian archaeology experts.Design/methodology/approachIn this survey study, data collection was accomplished using a questionnaire. The sample consists of professors, PhD students, post-graduate fellows, and educated experts of the Iranian Tourism, Handicrafts and Cultural Heritage Organization.FindingsApplied archaeology as a provider of situations, positions and employment opportunities for archaeologists has not been considered seriously in the Iranian archaeological education. Traditional education emphasizes the cultural history and field techniques; hence it does not consist of critical areas of heritage codes, protection and budget management, business skill and the most important, interpretation and consequently sustainable development. Iranian archaeologists agree with the findings of the applied archaeology. Evaluation of their opinions reveals that they agree with all applied archaeology items of the questionnaire.Originality/valueAs an approach, applied archaeology can be proactive and improve the status of archaeology in the Iranian field of cultural heritage, and representations of outputs such as site-museum and sustainable use of them which ultimately fulfil social, economic and even political-identity purposes, then applied archaeology can be a constructive element in archaeology and prevent vandalism and looting in cultural heritage.

Contemporary Dimension of Heritage Promotion – Towards Socially Engaged Archaeology

In this paper we present the outcomes of a public archaeology project entitled: Applied archaeology: Societypast-remote sensing. The project aimed to study the social dimension of archaeology and ways of popularizing knowledge of the past within society. In the article we present the results of the interviews and polls that were carried out with the inhabitants of the region in which archaeological work was carried out. On the basis of these results we present and analyze the social expectations towards archaeology as well as the kind of challenges presented to archaeologists by local communities. We also describe how an archaeologist and his work are perceived and ask whether society needs this kind of scientist and this kind of knowledge. Additional issues concern the boundaries of archaeological research and public perception of archaeological research methods

‘A Slight Degree of Tension’: Training the Archaeologists of the Future

This paper stems from a presentation given at the University of Winchester in 2012 entitled ‘Building People, Building Skills, Building Relationships and Building Jobs: Training the Archaeologists of the Future’, which was part of the one-day conference ‘21st Century Archaeologists: Innovation in Training for Applied Archaeology’. Developing the content of that original presentation, but keeping its fundamental structure and argument, this paper reviews the pedagogical development of the academic discipline of archaeology in Britain from the post-war expansion of university-led archaeological training to the present day; consideration is not made, except in passing, to pre-degree training (e.g. in schools or further education colleges). Analysis of a range of sources demonstrates a surprising lack of formal pedagogy in archaeology as compared to other, comparable academic disciplines. Placed within the context of the broader development of the profession of archaeology, the reasons for this paucity of pedagogical development are discussed, alongside proposals for improvements in the future.

‘A Slight Degree of Tension’: Training the Archaeologists of the Future

This paper stems from a presentation given at the University of Winchester in 2012 entitled ‘Building People, Building Skills, Building Relationships and Building Jobs: Training the Archaeologists of the Future’, which was part of the one-day conference ‘21st Century Archaeologists: Innovation in Training for Applied Archaeology’. Developing the content of that original presentation, but keeping its fundamental structure and argument, this paper reviews the pedagogical development of the academic discipline of archaeology in Britain from the post-war expansion of university-led archaeological training to the present day; consideration is not made, except in passing, to pre-degree training (e.g. in schools or further education colleges). Analysis of a range of sources demonstrates a surprising lack of formal pedagogy in archaeology as compared to other, comparable academic disciplines. Placed within the context of the broader development of the profession of archaeology, the reasons for this paucity of pedagogical development are discussed, alongside proposals for improvements in the future.

Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

Humans and the environment: new archaeological perspectives for the twenty-first century

PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES CONTRIBUTORS SECTION 1: ARCHAEOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT 1. Environment in North American and European archaeology 2. Environment in Soviet and post-Soviet Archaeology SECTION 2: ENVIRONMENT AS ARTEFACT 3. Indigeneity of Past Landscape Transformations of the Tropics 4. Forced Moves or just Good Moves? Rethinking environmental decision making among East African intensive cultivators 5. Is the Environment Good to Eat or Good to Paint? Faunal consumption and avoidance among hunter-gatherer-fishers in the Beagle Channel Region (Tierra del Fuego, South America) 6. From Ecological Constraints To Cultural Identities: Pre-Columbian attitudes toward food 7. Burning the Bush: the development of Australia s Southwest Botanical Province SECTION 3: ENVIRONMENTAL NARRATIVES AND APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY 8. Archaeology's Potential to Contribute to Pools of Agronomic Knowledge: a case of applied agro-achaeology in the Bolivian Yungas 9. Applied Archaeology in the Andes: the contribution of pre-Hispanic agricultural terracing to environmental and rural development strategies 10. The role of Agricultural and Environmental History in East African Developmental Discourse 11. Past and Present Farming: changes in terms of engagement SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENT, DISASTER, AND MEMORY 12. An Inheritance of Loss: Archaeology's imagination of disaster 13. Nature, Identity, and Disaster: prehistoric lake dwelling in Central Europe. 14. Memories and Expectations of Environmental Disaster: some lessons from the Marshall Islands 15. Climate Change and Cultural Dynamics: lessons from the past for the future SECTION 5: NEW DIRECTIONS 16. Archaeology and Environmental Anthropology: collaborations in historical and political ecology 17. The Archaeology of Global Environment Change 18. Humanised Environments BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

Excavating a Silk Road City: the Medieval Citadel of Taraz, Kazakhstan

The city of Taraz, located near the southern border with Uzbekistan, is one of the most significant historic settlements in Kazakhstan, and two seasons of fieldwork in the central market-place have revealed a substantial depth of medieval stratigraphy. Despite frequent mentions in Arabic and Chinese written sources, both the form and evolution of this important Silk Road city remain poorly understood. Evidence for a series of successive medieval buildings, including a bathhouse and a Zoroastrian flame shrine, was found in the area of the former citadel. These excavations, undertaken as a joint initiative between the Centre for Applied Archaeology and Kazakh archaeologists, were the first for 50 years in the city and form part of a wider public outreach programme.

The Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

The Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

Applied Archaeology and Community Collaboration: Uncovering the Past and Empowering the Present

The last two decades have witnessed archaeology's increasing concern about its position and relevance in the modern world. This dilemma was the catalyst for the widespread practice of public outreach and education. To date, the impact of public archaeology, although positive, has not been as great as one would have wished. In light of this, the discipline is currently undergoing another transformation. Recent developments demonstrate the potential for the knowledge produced through archaeological inquiries to be part of the discourse concerning contemporary social issues and public policy. The goal of this article is to make a case for archaeology's move beyond the ideology of stewardship and into a more active environment framed by applied anthropological theory and community collaboration. This article exemplifies this position through the author's community-collaborative research program in Baltimore County, Maryland.

The Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA)

The Centre for Applied Archaeology continues to provide a home for the Institute’s team of professional archaeologists, working on a wide range of fieldwork and heritage management projects in the UK and internationally. As was reported on in the last issue of Archaeology International this is not an easy time to secure an income from commercial contracts, since clients in the construction industry are struggling to escape the effects of the credit crunch. We are also waiting on proposed changes to the planning system due to emerge from the National Planning Framework, where attempts to simplify procedures and devolve decision making to local communities (as proposed in the Localism Bill) are at risk of combining with staffing cuts in local government to lessen the level of protection available for archaeological sites, landscapes and buildings. These are testing times, and our challenge is to make sure that economic problems and structural changes do not undermine our ability to undertake high-quality research and engage effectively with the many different communities of interest affected by our work (ranging from property developers to students undertaking archaeological research). The Institute of Archaeology offers a particularly strong platform from which we can meet this challenge. Several members of staff within the field team (Archaeology SouthEast) are undertaking post-graduate research at the Institute that feeds directly into our study of the archaeological landscapes of southern Britain, and we have similarly benefitted from a wide range of research and teaching contributions from academic staff and graduate students. University College London can boast one of the world’s greatest concentrations of archaeological expertise, and this is of enormous value to our operations. Whilst commercial clients are keen to keep costs low, they are equally anxious to ensure that the reports that they commission will be fit for purpose. It helps to have a long-established professional reputation, and to be based in southern England where the effects of the crisis in the construction industry have been less severe. Above all we rely on the skills of a project management team able to respond to some 600 invitations to tender each year, and manage the 300 odd commissions that ensue – delivering high quality reports on time and to budget. Drawing on these strengths we have been able to re-instate most of the posts lost in redundancies in 2008 and we currently have a team of 45 permanent staff. Careful management of budgets means that we operate without any form of subsidy from UCL, whilst ensuring that any commercial profits obtained are fully re-invested in teaching and research. Much of the work is routine, but contributes to the better understanding and management of historic properties and archaeological sites and landscapes throughout southern England. In undertaking this work we continue to work with local communities wherever possible, and have mounted a series of successful open-days and outreach events. Over the past two years the main focus of our work has been the preparation of a series of research monographs reporting on the results of rescue investigations in southern England. These include reports on a large Archaeology International No. 13/14, 2009-2011, 30-31 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ai.1309

The use and relevance of archaeology in the post-modern world: views from India

The use and relevance of archaeology are often questioned by those in developing nations where economic development has a higher priority. Although archaeology is considered useful to contemporary society, it is not considered equivalent to privileged subjects such as science and technology, healthcare and economics. However, archaeology can be used to a certain extent for the development of the community in areas of tourism and education through museums and parks, independently of, and also additional to, natural heritage tourist attractions. Applied archaeology can be beneficial to contemporary society but needs serious research and implementation. This paper surveys certain issues related to the use and relevance of archaeology, and discusses how it can be used for the betterment of contemporary and future generations in the context of India and other developing nations.

Introducing the Centre for Applied Archaeology

The Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA) is a new research centre within the Institute of Archaeology, established in 2006 to develop the work of the Institute’s Field Archaeology Unit, Archaeology South-East (ASE), through the creation of a productive research environment and the building of links with academic staff members of the Institute. In this article the Director of CAA defines “applied archaeology” and describes the aims and work of the Centre.

West Dean 2008: excavation of Bronze Age lynchets on Little Combes Hill

The West Dean Archaeological Project is coordinated by the Institute of Archaeology in association with the staff of the Centre for Applied Archaeology. It forms the focus for teaching Institute undergraduates in the practical skills of archaeological fieldwork through researching the changing settlement and land use of the West Dean Estate and adjacent areas. It has been running since 2006 and an introductory account appeared in the last issue of Archaeology International. In this article the authors describe the excavation of Bronze Age lynchets on Little Combes Hill in 2008.

Archaeology in conflict: cultural heritage, site management and sustainable development in conflict and post-conflict states in the Middle East London, 10–12 November 2006

A conference on the theme ‘Archaeology in conflict’ was held from 10th to 12th November 2006 at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London and was organized by the Centre for Applied Archaeology (CAA). The aims were to increase our understanding of the underlying ethics in archaeological site management, and to define key aspects of archaeological theory, heritage management, funding schemes and policy approaches in conflict and post-conflict states in the Middle East, and specifically in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon. Concerned with engagement with the world outside academia, the CAA brought together not only specialists, organizations and institutions involved in the cultural heritage of the region, but also contributions from the fields of journalism, political sciences and law enforcement. This provided an opportunity for scholars and experts from the region to contribute to the debate, and give conference participants an overview of the challenges and the formulae for success based on shared experience. Attending officials from antiquities organizations of the four countries concerned included Donny George and Abbas Al-Hussainy (respectively, former and current Director-General of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Republic of Iraq), Ahmed Rjoob (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Palestine) and Assaad Seif (Ministry of Culture, Lebanon). This was complemented by contributions from UNESCO, the World Monuments Fund–Getty Conservation Institute, the Global Heritage Fund and the Art and Trinidad Rico

Applied archaeology: revitalizing indigenous agricultural technology within an Andean community

In many parts of the world European colonization, and more recent social and economic change, has radically altered and, in some cases, decimated both the social structure and the subsistence base of indigenolls communities. Archaeologists have often demonstrated the sophistication and practicality of prehistoric technologies, but only rarely have they developed long-term projects to evaluate the continuing relevance of these technologies to present-day communities. In this article the first experience of applied archaeology by The Cusichaca Trust is described, showing how a rural development project was developed within specific environmental and social contexts. The Trust's main research focus was the study of the agricultural infrastructure of the Incas and their predecessors in the Cusichaca and Huallancay side-valleys of the Urubamba Valley, Cuzco, Peru. This was paralleled by a rural development project to restore to full productivity some of the abandoned terraces and canals to the benefit of the local community. Attention is drawn to the relationship between conserving and using ancient agricultural infrastructures and the degree to which community organization is central to the maintenance and use of such technologies.

Applied archaeology: revitalizing indigenous agricultural technology within an Andean community

Applied archaeology: revitalizing indigenous agricultural technology within an Andean community