HMS Victory, Comment

Summer 2009Number 72

This issue:

RECESSION,HERITAGEPROTECTION &TREATMENT OFHUMAN BURIALS

Implementing the HeritageProtectionReformsp18

Digging evendeeper: furtherjob losses inarchaeologyp20

An AdvisoryPanel for theArchaeology of all burials in England?p38

The ARCHAEOLOGIST

1S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 N u m b e r 7 2

O N T E N T SCContents

Editorial

View from the Chair Gerry Wait

From the Finds Tray

The first NVQs in Archaeological Practice Kate Geary

Prospect/IfA careers event Kate Geary

HLF Workplace Learning Bursary holders: where are they now? Kate Geary and Andrea Bradley

IfA Special Interest Groups

The Jobs Information Service and the economic downturn Lynne Bevan

Engaging with the Historic Environment: Continuing Education and Archaeology Richard Lee

Heritage protection in England and Wales Alison Taylor

Heritage Protection in Scotland Simon Gilmour and Alison Taylor

Implementing the Heritage Protection Reforms: a report on local authority and English Heritage

staff resources

HMS Victory: the UK’s ethical and policy challenge? Dave Parham

Digging even deeper: further job losses in archaeology Kenneth Aitchison

IfA Registered Organisations and the recession Laura Schaaf

Out of Recession Roland Smith

Archaeology, the economy, and me: a view from the Diggers Forum Christopher Clarke

Archaeology and the demise of the Celtic Tiger James Eogan and Eoin Sullivan

An Advisory Panel for the Archaeology of all burials in England? Bill White

Burial law reform and archaeology Andrew Tucker

Professional Institutions beware John Hunter

Mortui viventes docent (The Dead Teach the Living) Charlotte Roberts

London’s Buried Bones: Wellcome reactions Anna Aldous and Sebastian Payne

Human remains, archaeologists and pagans: any common ground? Corinne Duhig

Bones in boxes – whatever are they for? Mike Allen

Worcester Cathedral: excavating human remains in a Christian context Christopher Guy

Is it right to excavate and study human remains? Re-examining the issues of Jewbury Sebastian Payne

Bioarchaeology and cultural history in Cambodia Nancy Beavan Athfield, Louise Shewan,

Richard Armstrong, Dougald O’Reilly

‘Known Unto God’ – excavating an Australian soldier of the Great War Martin Brown and Richard Osgood

Reviews Alison Taylor

New Prehistoric Monograph Series Michael Allen

New members

Registered Organisations and Members News

Obituary: Ian Shepherd Ian Ralston

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legislation, for which we have not always sparedenough time. IfA will be looking at every way it canhelp members in this situation, both in the immediateand longer term.

Successive papers on aspects of dealing with humanremains were intended to explore how archaeologistswere approaching vexed issues that have drivenconsultations, for example on possible reburial ofNeolithic bones from Avebury. Together, these storiesmake a powerful case for studying bones, even onesheld in archives for many years and we hope theywill help inform future debate. We have just learnedfrom the Ministry of Justice (P30) that progress is nowbeing made to resolve current issues in a sympatheticway.

Next TA will be compiled by Kathryn Whittingtonand will concentrate on this year’s IfA conference, sodo contact [email protected] ifyou would like to contribute an article. I will be backin the autumn.

Alison [email protected]

ApologyThe photograph of Cosmeston Archaeology project published in TA 71, p6, was in fact taken by Paul Belford at a National Archaeology Weekevent at Ironbridge Gorge Museum.

Recession, heritage protection and treatment ofhuman burials

This summer issue of TA was originally designed tocover three topical themes which I hoped would seesome resolution before we went to press. These were recession and its effects on archaeologicalemployment; heritage protection legislation; and issuessurrounding excavation and post-excavation treatmentof human remains. In the event, heritage protection,for which we had been most confident, will almostcertainly not go ahead in this Parliament, althoughprogress has been made in Scotland. Unfortunatelysome of this progress is not all good, as SimonGilmour explains, and it demonstrates how carefullywe must watch general planning guidance forweakening of developer-funding principles, and howmuch our curatorial archaeologists deserve support.

Changing economic impacts on archaeology, whichIfA hopes to track regularly, are not a simple storyeither. At least things seem to have stopped gettingworse quite so quickly and most commercialarchaeological organisations have been able to adaptto changed circumstances, though not without pain(see Chris Clarke, P24 for a personal perspective onKenny Aitchison’s figures, P20). Far worse is the storyin Ireland, where many British archaeologists havebeen working. We were all aware how closelyarchaeology and development were linked butperhaps forgot how fast things could go the wrongway. There are a few measures that individuals andorganisations can take to help survive these times, aswe have tried to show in these pages, and hopefully,in the process, we can get a better grip on issuessuch as quality publication and tackling failures in

potential for conflict. The problem of pay minimacontinues and Council is dedicated to making asmany improvements as possible during difficult times.

Another current concern may sound boring – but it’snot. Council and staff are now beginning to write a‘strategic plan’ to replace the one written ten yearsago – to guide the Institute for the next ten years. Wehope to have the basis of this plan for consultation tomembers at the AGM next October. It will be shortand to the point, and it is important because it willset out both how we plan to manage in the recession,and how we plan to develop as the recession endsand the economy recovers.

Despite the recession we had a successful conferencein Torquay – and the sun did shine! The venue wasexcellent, the food good (although indoor BBQ is abit odd), the bar served real ale, and the sessionswere very good indeed. Kirsten Collins and her teamin the IfA office did a superb job organising andmanaging it all – a big Thank You to them all.

Gerry WaitChair, IfA

Delegates enjoying

a session in Torquay

I am writing this while listening to Radio 4 dissect theChancellor’s budget. This is not improving my mood,and I doubt that either the Budget or its immediateaftermath, or the second of IfA’s quarterly review ofthe impacts of the recession upon our profession(p20) will have done much for our optimism. It’s atough time.

There is however much else to report and consider,and much is good news too. Your Council voted to setpay minima at inflation (we chose the ConsumerPrice Index) – and this time CPI was at 3.2%. Thus wehave managed an unexpected step to improving payfor our members relative to other sectors. However, ina time of severe recession this will be hard to sustain– raising pay levels while many of our members fearfor their jobs has obvious risks.

This illustrates the dilemma Council faces regularly –how we please individual members and ourRegistered Organisations. The relationship is notalways easy, and sometimes, like the pay issue, it has

Contributions and letter/emails are always welcome. TA is made

digitally available through our website and if this raises copyright issues

with any authors, artists or photographers, please notify the editor.

Accessed digitally, web links are especially useful in articles, so do

include these where relevant. Short articles (max. 1000 words) are

preferred. They should be sent as an email attachment, which must

include captions and credits for illustrations. The editor will edit and

shorten if necessary. Illustrations are very important. These can be

supplied as originals, on CD or as email atttachments, at a minimum

resolution of 500 kb. More detailed Notes for contributors for each issue

are available from the editor. Opinions expressed in The Archaeologist

are those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of IfA.

EDITED by Alison Taylor,

IfA, SHES,

University of Reading,

Whiteknights, PO Box 227

READING RG6 6AB

DESIGNED and TYPESET

by Sue Cawood

PRINTED by Duffield

Printers Ltd (Leeds)

Notes to contributors

Themes and deadlines

Autumn: IfA Conference papers

and Annual Report

deadline: 24 July 2009

Winter: Archaeology in Scotland

and Wales

deadline: 15 October 2009

V I E W f r o mt h e C H A I RGerry Wait

It’s a tough time...

... much is good news too.


Coroner for TreasureIn the Second Reading of the Coroners and Justice Bill, in the Lords, Lord Bach, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary ofState at the Ministry of Justice, announced that the Governmentaccepts the case for a separate Coroner for Treasure, for whichthe Society of Antiquaries of London, the British Museum andAPPAG have been lobbying. Rupert Redesdale also asked formeasures to be restored to extend the obligation to reporttreasure from just the finder to anyone who comes intopossession of it (a case made by the British Museum’sexperience in monitoring e-Bay), and for the coroner to havepower to require a finder to hand over a find as well as justreporting it.

Festival of British Archaeology18 July to 2 AugustCBA has just launched a new website for its Festival ofBritish Archaeology. More than 600 excavations, guidedwalks, re-enactments, demonstrations, lectures etc willtake place across Britain in this fortnight. Events can besearched by postcode, event type and date atwww.archaeologyfestival.org.uk/whatson. Or you can signup to Festival e-newsletters at www.britarch.net/mailman/listinfo/festival-news, or use the organisers’ section, withdownloadable promotional material to support eventorganisers, at www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk/organiser.

F R O M T H E F I N D S T R AY

Interacting with a professional institute – your views neededIfA is taking part in a PARN (Professional AssociationsResearch Network) survey, collecting information about theway individuals use the internet, other networks and how theywould like to interact with their professional institute. It wouldalso be helpful to IfA to have a better understanding of howyou would like us to communicate with you, so it would begood if you could complete a survey that can be found athttp://snaponline.snapsurveys.com/surveylogin.asp?k=124031248417, by 31 July.

Recording the Past: how European countries deal with portable antiquitiesMonday 7 September 2009BP lecture theatre, British MuseumThis Portable Antiquities Scheme conference will widen understanding of how European countries deal with portableantiquities and promote best practice. Questions examined will include: Is there a legal requirement for finders to reportarchaeological objects? Does the state claim ownership of them? Is it permissible to search for such finds with a metal-detector or by other means? How many objects are reported each year? Do the systems in place work as well as theycould? The conference will identify the main strengths and weaknesses of different approaches across Europe. Speakersinclude archaeologists from England, Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Slovenia, Hungary andPoland.

To book, send contact details and a cheque for £15 payable to The British Museum to Claire Costin, Department of PortableAntiquities & Treasure, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. [email protected].

Heritage Open Days With the sad demise of the Civic Trust (thenational organisation – local trusts continue)English Heritage has taken over administrationof Heritage Open Days. This event, where morethan 3500 historic and unusual buildings areopen to the public for free, will take place asplanned on 10 to 13 September. There is noinformation is yet available about the future ofthe Civic Trust’s other responsibilities.

Stonehenge againIn May, Government at last announced its decision to go ahead with new visitor facilities for Stonehenge, andclosure and grassing over of the A344 (but no changesto the A 303 dual carriageway, for which there had been ambitious plans). The site, Airman’s Corner, 11/2miles west of the current visitor centre, will have access to the Stones by a transit system or on foot. Ifplanning permission and funding (still an unresolvedproblem) are obtained new facilities (scaled down from original proposals) are scheduled to open in 2012. Archaeological and wildlife conservation and the Stones’ setting will be improved by restoration ofgrassland and removal of car parks and some otherservices to the new facilities.

New Chair of English HeritageAfter an interim period of less than one year when anarchaeologist, Barry Cunliffe, was left in charge of EnglishHeritage, a politician takes over again from 27 July. Baroness KayAndrews was formerly Parliamentary Under Secretary of State forCommunities and Local Government. She was a policy adviseron education, science, and social policy to Neil Kinnock, 1986to1992, and then the founder Director of Education Extra, a UK-wide educational charity created to ‘put after-school activitiesand learning within the reach of every child’. In 2003, she wasappointed Government Whip in the Lords.

European Landscape Convention – English Heritage ActionPlan The European Landscape Convention (ELC), in force in the UKsince 2007, exists ‘to encourage the sustainable protection,management and planning of the European landscape as thecontext for people’s lives and as part of their commonheritage’. English Heritage’s Action Plan will co-ordinateexisting landscape work, plan for areas where more work isneeded and raise awareness of its aims within English Heritageand the historic environment sector. It has been drafted in thecontext of DEFRA’s Framework for Implementation of the ELC,written by Natural England and English Heritage. Seehttp://www.helm.org.uk/server/show/nav.20574.

The future of archive services Views are being sought on the Government’s proposed new policy on archives. The consultation document, Archives for the 21stcentury, is a response to the challenges of the digital age and the opportunities to make archives more accessible, but with fewerdepositories. For more information see http://www.mla.gov.uk/news_and_views/press/releases/2009/Archives_consultation. Thedeadline for responses is 12 August.

IfA on TwitterFollowing the trend set by other heritage organisations andseveral IfA Registered Organisations, for those of you who can cope with this sort of thing IfA can now be followed on Twitter http://twitter.com/InstituteArch. We will be updating this with news items of interest to our members.

Standard and guidance for the creation, compilation,transfer and deposition of archaeological archivesAt the IfA AGM last year, this Standard and guidancewas adopted in draft form for one year. At the 2009AGM, it will be proposed for full adoption. The draftstandard can be seen on IfA’s website. Memberswishing to make further comments can do so [email protected], as soon as possible.

Is England’s Past for Everyone? 2-3 October The Victoria County History’s Heritage Lottery-fundedproject, England’s Past for Everyone, will conclude inFebruary 2010. This conference will assess the achievementsof the project, and colleagues from heritage, education,publishing and local government will also speak about theirexperiences of promoting the historic environment to newaudiences. Topics will include outreach projects; identifyinglocal funding partners; and working with schools. For detailssee www.EnglandsPastforEveryone.org.uk/conference.

New ministersBen Bradshaw has been appointed Secretary ofState at the Department of Culture, Media andSport. Before entering Parliament in 1997 he wasa newspaper and radio journalist. He was madea Minister in the Foreign Office in 2001, thenDeputy Leader of the Commons andEnvironment Minister before joining the Healthteam in 2007. Supporting him with responsibilityfor most of our services is Barbara Follett asMinister for Culture, Creative Industries andTourism. John Denham, previously Secretary ofState for Innovation, Universities and Skills,becomes the new Secretary of State forCommunities and Local Government.

NVQs


Earlier this year, Prospect and IfA ran a two-day careers event aimed primarily attrainees on the IfA’s placement schemes.The event included sector specific andgeneral careers advice with sessions on job hunting, applications & CV writing andinterview techniques. Given the currentstate of the jobs market in archaeology, this was a timely opportunity to brush upon CV writing and interview skills as wellas getting some useful careers advice. Some of the techniques and tips we learned might be useful to others and so are outlined below.

The general careers advice session was based aroundworkshops. The first looked at understanding andevaluating the skills you already have, interpretingthe language of recruitment and understandingrecruiters’ requirements. The jargon of recruitment,with its ‘competencies’ and ‘behaviours’, can be a bitimpenetrable but is the key to understanding whatthe recruiters want. The second session looked athow to market your skills. Recruitment panels willwant to see evidence of the skills you claim in yourapplication and CV, and the importance of givingrelevant recent examples cannot be stressed enough.Applicants for any jobs need to make it easy forrecruiters to find the information they need. In most

cases, there will be many more applications thatthere are jobs and nowadays recruitment panels mayhave hundreds to sift through, so presenting yourapplication or CV clearly and concisely is crucial.Applications and CVs should always be tailored tothe specific job opportunity you are applying for:generic applications which do not address therequirements of the post will be rejected. This session was followed up with advice on interviewtechniques. Selling yourself and your skills can be apretty uncomfortable experience but being able toperform well at interview is a vital skill in itself.

The final session looked at job hunting strategies. Not all jobs are advertised and well thought outspeculative applications can be worthwhile. Theimportance of building up your own network ofcontacts was stressed, not just for finding jobs but for developing better understanding of different rolesand opportunities and as a source of advice andinformation.

Presenting yourself and your skills effectively is acrucial tool when competition for jobs increases.Now is a good time to think about the skills you have and how you can sell yourself most effectivelyin the jobs market.

Kate GearyIfA Training and Standards [email protected]

On 7 January 2009 archaeologists and trainingprofessionals gathered in Southampton to celebratethe awarding of the first NVQs in ArchaeologicalPractice. These have been developed by IfA on behalfof the Archaeology Training Forum, working with theawarding body EDI. They have been piloted withtrainees on IfA’s workplace learning programmeplacements, funded by English Heritage and HLF.

The first NVQ was awarded to Ben Jervis who hasjust completed a specialist placement in medievalpottery with Southampton City Council and theMedieval Pottery Research Group. Hot on his heels

were Lindsey Buster, with a placement in HistoricalArchaeology with ARCUS in Sheffield and JulieLochrie, who has been training to be a prehistoricfinds specialist with Headland Archaeology inEdinburgh. Julie has been kept on by HeadlandArchaeology in a specialist role following herplacement while Ben and Lindsey are moving on todo PhDs. Lindsey believes that the NVQ, whichaccredits practical skills gained in the workplace,helped her gain her funded PhD position. All threeworked hard to gain the Qualification and make themost of the opportunities afforded by the workplacelearning programme and were warmly congratulatedby IfA and EDI representatives. Also present wasMary Harvey who will soon complete her NVQ andwho has been training with the Nautical ArchaeologySociety in Portsmouth.

As well as trainees on the workplace learningprogramme, the NVQ is available to anyone workingin archaeology (paid or voluntary) and who cangather the appropriate evidence. IfA is currentlyworking with a group of amateur archaeologists andstaff from the University of ManchesterArchaeological Unit to accredit skills gained throughinvolvement with community archaeology projectsand through local archaeology groups. Because it is a modular, and therefore flexible, qualification, theNVQ is also ideal for accrediting on-the-job learningand can be adapted to accredit professional trainingwithin archaeological organisations.

The first NVQs in Archaeological PracticeKate Geary

Prospect/IfA careers event Kate Geary

Kate GearyTraining and Standards [email protected]

For more information about the Qualification and the IfA’s workplace learning programme, see www.archaeologists.net. Contacts for partner organisations are

Archaeology Training Forum: www.britarch.ac.uk/training/atf.htmlARCUS: www.shef.ac.uk/arcus/Education Development International: www.ediplc.comEnglish Heritage: www.english-heritage.org.ukHeritage Lottery Fund: www.hlf.org.ukHeadland Archaeology: www.headlandarchaeology.com/UMAU: www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/umfac/umau/Medieval Pottery Research Group: www.medievalpottery.org.uk/Nautical Archaeology Society: www.nasportsmouth.org.uk/Southampton City Council Archaeology Service: www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/localhistoryandheritage/archaeology/default.asp

Lindsey Buster and

Ben Jervis celebrate

with Gerry Wait,

Chair of IfA and

Chris Daniel,

EDI Business

Development

Manager

Some girls have all

the fun - Shona

Williams at English

Heritage, HLF

placement in Aerial

Survey © English

Heritage

9S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 N u m b e r 7 2

Illustrators & Surveyors Special InterestGroup (ISSIG)

ISSIG has been gathering information about theprofessions and careers of archaeological illustratorsand surveyors to determine what areas are of concernfor its members. A detailed survey has beencompleted and analysed, and although the number ofrespondents was smaller than we would have liked ithas provided interesting results for the group tofollow up. The survey will be published and availableto the membership shortly.

Over and above the expected concerns about payand conditions and career development the greatestresponse was the need for training. There was anoverwhelming demand for advanced computertraining in both specialist areas to enhance existingskills and to broaden experience of digitalapplications and their use within an archaeologicalcontext. Entry level training for those wishing tobegin a career in archaeological visualisation is alsolacking, as well as provision to skill the voluntarysector. Training provision will be one of the mainareas for investigation and discussion for the group,with the intention of both formulating training policyand establishing courses to supplement what isnormally provided in-house. Consultation witheducational bodies and senior members of theprofessions is already underway.

ISSIG has a major and increasing role in theestablishment of standards and guidelines for spatialrecording to enhance and improve the visualarchaeological record and also to ensure compatibilityof data and enable comparability between excavationvisual records. To this end finances are being soughtto write and publish an agreed set of standards andguidelines establishing good practice.

Membership is open to anybody working in thevarious disciplines producing archaeological graphicsin the broadest sense. IfA and AAI&S members mayjoin the group for free, while non-members are asked

to pay £5 to cover mailing costs. News of the group’sactivities can be found on the Illustration & SurveyGroup section of the IfA website, or if you requireany further information contact the ISSIG Chair.

Rob Read ISSIG [email protected]

Laura [email protected] 855419

IfA Scottish Group AGM

23 October, GlasgowThis 2009 AGM will be followed by a social event.Meanwhile, SGIfA’s newsletter is available athttp://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/groups/NewsletterJune09.pdf

IfA Geophysics Special Interest Group

This Group is conducting research into archivingpractices, standards and guidance within geophysics.A major part of this project is to collect informationon current practice, how geophysicists view thewider issue of archiving, and what they would like tosee available in the future.

There is a questionnaire atwww.harewoodgeophysical.com/geosig/archival.php,and we would very much like to have moreresponses, especially from contractors. A report willbe produced from the results of this survey. This isone of the largest consultations into geophysicalarchiving practice within the heritage sector andsubmissions from all countries, surveyors, curators,academics and anyone else with an interest arewelcome (and are anonymous).

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

8 T h e A r c h a e o l o g i s t

contact and have gone on to gain posts in relevantareas of the heritage sector. Three are studying forPhDs and found that the practical skills they gainedon their placements (bioarchaeology, historicalarchaeology and medieval pottery) helped them getthe funding they needed for further study. Four of thetrainees were offered positions by their hostorganisations: Oliver Russell is now HER Assistant atWorcestershire County Council, Gemma Hudson isProject Supervisor and Surveyor at AOC Scotland,Julie Lochrie is a part-time Finds Officer at HeadlandArchaeology and will be starting a PhD shortly, andMary Harvey stayed on with the NauticalArchaeology Society.

One of our first trainees, Tessa Poller, who undertooka Field Survey placement with RCAHMS, became afull time Research Support Officer with theDepartment of Archaeology at the University ofGlasgow, Eliza Algassar is an ArchaeologicalPlanning and Conservation Officer at CambridgeshireCounty Council, Melanie Partlett worked as an airphoto interpreter with ARC Ltd in York before movingto work as an HLC Project Assistant with NorthYorkshire County Council and Sarah Howard, whoundertook a placement in Conservation Managementat the Lake District National Park, was appointed toan HER post with South Yorkshire ArchaeologyService in Sheffield.

We have received considerable positive feedbackfrom hosts, trainees and organisations thatsubsequently employ them, showing the value ofopportunities like these. Finding funding to ensurethat IfA can keep delivering placements and, perhaps more importantly, encouraging the industryto adopt, value and fund the model of structuredworkplace learning are challenges that now need tobe addressed.

Kate GearyTraining and Standards [email protected]

Andrea BradleyBursaries [email protected]

IfA’s Workplace Learning Bursaries project, funded bythe HLF, is a four-year project which has run sinceJanuary 2006. Placements for the final year arecurrently being filled and IfA is seeking alternativefunding sources to keep the scheme going beyond2010. It seems timely to review the achievements ofour placements to date and to look at where ourtrainees over the past three years have ended up.

So far, the scheme has provided workplace learningopportunities for 29 trainees at 23 archaeologicalorganisations including commercial practices, localauthority planning departments, museums, trusts andnational heritage bodies in England, Scotland, Walesand Northern Ireland: 19 of those placements arenow complete.

All the HLF trainees are asked to fill in a completers’questionnaire at the end of their placements as partof HLF’s evaluation of the scheme, and areencouraged to keep in touch informally to let usknow their progress. Although we don’t haveinformation for all of them, the majority have kept in

HLF Workplace Learning Bursary holders:where are they now?Kate Geary and Andrea Bradley

Frances Taylor at University of Reading, HLF placement in Graphics for Archaeology

© University of Reading

JIS

Branching out – the re-enactment group Quintains and Coronels

doing a session with Kirsty Nichol at Weoley Castle Ruins,

Birmingham. Kirsty works part time at Weoley Castle and part time

at Birmingham Archaeology as Education & Outreach Manager. She

combines continuing interests in field archaeology, especially First

and Second World War defences, with museum outreach work.

Photograph: Kirsty Nichol

Jobs and the Bulletin Originally the JIS bulletin was posted out to IfAmembers, with all the adverts – mainly for fieldwork– copied from newspapers and specialist journals.We started to include paid advertisements from themid-1990s, introducing cheaper advertising for ourinstitutional subscribers. Registered Organisations arenow entitled to unlimited free advertising for all theirjobs and courses, and JIS is circulated by email tomembers for free. Our adverts are now sourced froma great range of publications and websites. As thedefinition of heritage has widened and the range of


available jobs has increased, so has our remit. Evenbefore we launched our successful email service in2004 we decided to include all heritage-based andrelated jobs, as well as research posts andstudentships.

The changing jobs market and JISThe IfA has fought long and hard for better pay andworking conditions in archaeology and it seemed thatlast year we were finally getting somewhere. Then thedownturn led rapidly to many redundancies and jobinsecurity, even in previously secure organisations.Although the excavation side has slowed downalarmingly, people are still advertising with us,mainly for jobs at AIfA level and above, but recentlywe have had to query and, in some cases, rejectadverts from organisations seeking to employ peopleat below our minimum rates. Despite the severity ofthe situation we cannot afford to drop our standards,and neither should employers.

The downturn has also resulted in advertisements forarchaeologists to join temporary pools foremployment on an ‘as and when’ basis, a money-saving practice taking the place of the shortesttemporary contracts. This ‘archaeological temping’might be better than nothing, but some may find thatworking for brief, intermittent periods interferes withpayment of their Job Seekers’ Allowance and otherbenefits.

There has also been an increase in adverts for fieldarchaeologists to work on a ‘self-employed’ basis, iethe company does not have to pay NI contributionsor sickness or holiday pay. Many people offeringspecialist services, like myself, work for companieson this basis, but we have to charge a much higherdaily rate than recent advertisements offer. Kenny

I have worked as an archaeologist now for 21 years andcompiled the JIS bulletin for the last 18. Like mostarchaeologists, I have had direct experience ofunemployment, low pay, short-term contracts andredundancy during my career. However, rather thandwelling on the current economic crisis and its effects on the heritage job market, this article describes how JIS has changed over the years and is continuing toadapt to the challenges we are facing. I also hope toprovide a few ideas about how individuals can comethrough this difficult period and remain in archaeology.

Aitchison estimated the self-employed specialist rateshould be at least £200 per day in order to covertravel expenses, equipment, conference attendance,holiday provision and potential periods of sickness.There are certainly issues which archaeologistsshould be aware of before accepting such contracts.IfA has set up a working group to look into theseissues and will be producing guidance in due course.Meanwhile, if in doubt, contact your tax office.

Branching outWhen archaeological work is scarce myrecommendation is to move into related fields.Speaking from experience, one possible directioninvolves heritage education, community history,visitor service posts at the National Trust, EnglishHeritage or museums, as well as oral history, or evencostumed interpretation. Such jobs will increase yourskills as well as enhancing your CV. Unfortunately,many heritage jobs, particularly temporary orseasonal ‘visitor service’ posts can be very low paid.Read the small print since there is often no sick payor holiday pay provision and ‘keeping visitor serviceareas clean’ may extend to the lavatories. You areheritage professionals, not professional cleaners. Thatsaid, some of these heritage jobs are better-paid thanarchaeology and may provide an enjoyable stop-gapor even lead to a whole new career. I have certainlyenjoyed branching into such roles.

Increasing skillsJob seekers in all fields are always advised to increasetheir skills. One way is to take advantage of freecourses offered by your Jobcentre Plus, particularly ITcourses. IT skills are often specified in jobdescriptions particularly where report-writing or dataentry is required. Use these skills to update your CV,adapting it for every job you apply for.

IfA Workplace Learning Bursaries (p8) and otherplacements and internships provide excellentopportunities to increase your professional skillswhile gaining valuable paid work experience. Youmight also consider embarking on a postgraduatecourse. AHRC and other bursaries may amount tomore than an annual digging wage, especially sincethey are tax free, but it is not necessarily worthincurring debt to do a postgraduate degree, whichmany archaeologists already hold, when employmentis uncertain at the end. A PGCE may be of more useif you are interested in heritage education. This mayalso be funded.

To undertake PhD study applicants must usuallyalready have a relevant Masters degree, but in somecases those with equivalent experience in field, officeor lab will be welcomed. Only embark on a PhD if

you have a passion for the subject because you willneed it to complete the three year course, which willtake even longer on a part-time basis. In terms ofpersonal achievement, gaining a PhD is priceless, butdo bear in mind that it will not automaticallyguarantee you an academic job, as these areincreasingly few and far between.

Looking aheadWhile the nature of the jobs market has changed andthings will be difficult for those in field archaeologyfor two more years at least, the number of jobs weadvertise in the JIS bulletin has remained fairlyconstant. The types of jobs have changeddramatically and individuals must adapt, at least inthe short term, to take advantage of these newopportunities while archaeological jobs are scarce.Hone your CV. Increase your skills. Beware of lowpaid work or questionable employment practices. Letme know about your experiences and how youwould like the JIS to help you.

Lynne BevanJIS [email protected]

JISThe Jobs Information Service and the economic downturn

Lynne Bevan

Worcester Butts

excavation on-site

study room material.

Photograph: Richard

Lee


Mick’s classes and the rest as they say is history, with Time Team commencing in 1994 and attractinga whole new clientele for archaeology. At the time of writing, however, the Centre for ContinuingEducation at Bristol will close in 2009. This followsclosure of continuing education centres atManchester, Reading, Cardiff, Leeds, Newcastle,Birmingham, Durham, Southampton, Stirling, StAndrews, and Surrey, and we may yet see furthervictims.

The closures are for financial reasons rather thanfalling student numbers or lack of interest. Whereasonce universities saw continuing education as apublic service that formed part of their outreachprovision, now it must generate a profit. It is not justa social activity for retired people; it is an activecontributor in archaeology’s contribution to the RAE(Research Assessment Exercise) programme. To losethis archaeological provision would be a seriousblow to sixty-plus years of research and to long-termpartnerships. Engaging with the Historic Environment,a CBA research programme funded by EnglishHeritage, has therefore been set up to examine andreport on what is currently happening to archaeologyin the continuing education sector.

■ Damage to archaeologyQuite a number of students follow their academicachievements by forming community archaeologygroups in their own areas, then undertaking fieldworkand research. In addition, research for this EHEproject has shown that there are increasing numbersof students in their twenties who are looking to takeaccredited archaeology courses to help change careerto our discipline. This can be attested from Cornwallto Cumbria and all points between. So, at a timewhen undergraduate numbers for archaeology arefalling and there is a threat to jobs in the professionalsector, the long-established continuing educationsector is also being hit.

Potential damage is arguably greater than the threatposed to professional archaeological organisations bythe economy: the latter will eventually bounce back,but once continuing education centres close they areunlikely to return. The regional void may send morestudents to the Open University, whose introductionof archaeology Distance Learning modules hasproven popular. However, local archaeologynetworks, established through education, will besevered and local fieldwork opportunities reduced.

Continuing Education, or Lifelong

Learning, and prior to that Extra-Mural Studies,

has a long and honourable history within our

profession. The genre followed establishment

of county societies in the 1800s, and in the

1940s archaeology and local history were

taken up by, notably, Maurice Beresford and

Alan Aberg in Leeds, Graham Webster in

Birmingham, WG Hoskins at Leicester, and

Maurice Barley in Nottingham. Since then

archaeology in the continuing education

sector has introduced many individuals to the

profession and created a large body of

research data. Yet to many it is a peripheral

area of the discipline. As with community

heritage groups, the archaeological profession

often has a blind spot when it comes to

continuing education and the work it has

produced over the last fifty-plus years.

■ Lost centresUntil the rise of professional archaeologicalorganisations, continuing education furnishedsubstantial research fieldwork. Many futureacademics, professionals, and long term volunteersgot their start there and some are still involved. The University of Bristol has the highest profile, asthe academic home of Mick Aston. It was during his tenure at Bristol that Tony Robinson took

Another loss is for students interested in the NVQ inArchaeological Practice at their local continuingeducation department.

Closure of continuing education centres atuniversities across the UK threatens to damagearchaeological education at a part-time level, and italso breaks the research partnerships that have been

project may get them involved. Such people maywell not have heard of the CBA or English Heritage,or be aware that they have a county or cityarchaeologist, and so this project aims to ensure theright links are in place so that connections can bemade. New blood is essential for archaeology, andcontinuing education and community archaeologygroups have a history of bringing that to ourdiscipline. Without enormous contributions fromboth these twin backgrounds, archaeology would notbe as we know it today.

Richard LeeProject Officer (Continuing Education)Engaging with the Historic EnvironmentCouncil for British ArchaeologySt Mary’s House, 66 BoothamYork YO30 7BZhttp://www.britarch.ac.uk

Archaeology courses in continuing education 1999-2009(Compiled by Don Henson and Richard Lee, 1999-2009)

1999/00 2004/05 2007/08 2008/09Number of universities 39 33 31 22Number of courses 1327 1124 761 515

built-up over many years. For our profession thecontinuing education sector is a vital one: itundertakes research that would not otherwise takeplace, it is a place where new archaeologists arerecruited to the profession, and it provides educationand training for those who would not take a full-timeundergraduate degree in the subject but do want towork in the discipline.

Engaging with the historic environment:■ Continuing Education and archaeology

Enga

gin

g w

ith

th

e h

isto

ric

envi

ron

men

t

Engaging with the historic environment:■ Community Heritage groups

Within the voluntary sector there are individuals withexperience of excavation and survey to equal manyprofessionals. Amateur or community groups,sometimes linked to county societies, have beenaround since the early 19th century, with SussexArchaeological Society and Cornwall ArchaeologicalSociety as examples with long histories. As part ofEngaging with the Historic Environment we areexamining community groups that may have hadlinks with university centres for continuing education.Traditionally there has been this link, although newresearch demonstrates this is not as close as it oncewas. Community archaeology is an area that CBA hasbeen researching recently, starting by forming theCommunity Archaeology Forum (CAF) in 2006. CBA’sresearch demonstrates there are now around 1200community heritage groups across the UK, includingcounty societies with over 150 years of history and newregional groups which are in the process of forming.

■ Practical fieldworkIn identifying a selection of community groups toinvestigate it became apparent just how many areconducting practical fieldwork. Whether fieldwalking, a hedgerow survey, excavation, or recordingindustrial archaeological remains, these groups areundertaking Herculean tasks. The work is published,often quickly, and alongside grey literature there willoften be a popular account that reaches a largeraudience. Yet, to many of our profession most of thegroups and their research can seem invisible. Havingvisited fieldwork projects throughout 2008, I wasstruck that they were producing work equivalent tothe professional sector, both in the field and onpaper.

Many of these community groups have often formedwithin the last fifteen years, often in response to TimeTeam. This is still a great recruiting zone forarchaeology, with many viewers thinking, ‘I’d like todo that’, but not knowing how to, or who to contact.Or an article in a local newspaper about an ongoing

A community

excavation in Roman

Worcester, in

advance of a new

library and history

centre. This work was

the community

excavation aspect of

the PPG16 project,

built into the project

design by the City

Archaeologist.

Photograph: Richard

Lee

Richard Lee

Engagin

g with

the h

istoric en

viron

men

t


Policy Planning Statement (PPS)

At the time of writing the final touches are

being put to this high-level document, which is

seen as a replacement to PPGs 15 and 16 in

England, to be supported by practice guidance.

Advice to local authorities for example will be

broad, on the lines of Councils may wish to

consider……. All being well, the document will

be out for consultation by the time you receive

TA, and there will then be three months for this

consultation. It is vital that archaeological

organisations do make their opinions heard

(IfA certainly will). The final PPS, together with

the important guidance notes (on the lines of

It is expected that councils will….) is expected

at the end of 2009. Any signs of weakening

of the developer-funding principles of the

PPGs will be resisted, and indeed substantial

improvements, especially with regard to

publication standards, conservation, storage

and display of finds, and outreach services,

will be expected. A parliamentary question by

Lib Dem Richard Younger-Ross on 8 June

chased a date for the new PPS, and Minister

for Culture Barbara Follett assured him that a

draft would be published this summer, to come

into force early next year. We know that

politicians in both houses will do their best to

support heritage protection issues.

Heritage Protection BillThe Draft Bill is said to be ‘fairly complete’ and weknow is supported by all parties. DCMS was seekinga slot in the legislative programme for the nextsession, but we have just learned that almost certainlythis will not happen, and therefore HPR will not beadopted this Parliamentary session. MPs includingRichard Younger-Ross, Sir Patrick Cormack and EdVaizey, Conservative Shadow Secretary continue topress for the Bill through questions in Parliament.

Government Vision StatementDCMS is also involved in preparing a VisionStatement on the historic environment, for release inSeptember (no consultation is needed on this). Ahigher-level document signed up by all Governmentdepartments, this will cover all of Government’sinvolvement with the historic environment, especiallyits own estate and should be a useful guide to thedirection of Government thinking.

Pre-application and application procedures fornationally significant infrastructure projects –consultation The Archaeology Forum (TAF), including IfA, hasresponded to the consultation on a suite of draftregulations and guidance documents that set out theprocedures for pre-application consultation forinfrastructure projects. Unfortunately, cover ofprovisions for the historic environment is poor andTAF considers that it requires detailed revision toalign it with requirements even of current planningguidance. The new system should, if anything, bemore rigorous than the one that it supersedes. Allnationally important infrastructure projects shouldrequire an Environmental Impact Assessment, and alltypes of projects will require provision for theinvestigation, evaluation and protection of thearchaeological interest in a proposal site and of allhistoric assets (designated or non-designated) thatwould be affected by the development. The Forum’smembers urge that the pre-application andapplication procedures should include properrecognition of the full extent of historic environmentissues that need to be taken into account, inaccordance with current planning guidance in PPG15 and 16, given the major impact that majorinfrastructure projects are likely to have on heritageassets.

Sites at risk in EnglandA new report by English Heritage shows that, despitenumerous management programmes which havereduced the number of Monuments at Risk by almost900 since last year, they are still almost six times aslikely to be at risk as Grade I or II* buildings.Although progress since last year has shown thebenefits of improving information, raising awarenessand engaging in dialogue with owners andmanagers, there is still a long way to go, and thiswill be made much more difficult in the currenteconomic climate. A full list of England’s scheduledmonuments most at risk from decay, neglect andpressure from farming and development, published inEnglish Heritage’s Heritage at Risk Register 2009,highlights the challenges of saving archaeologicalsites that do not generate an income. For details onthese threatened monuments see the new Heritage atRisk website www.english-heritage.org.uk/risk.

Wales: the value of the historic environment The Welsh Heritage Minister, Alun Ffred Jones haslaunched the Welsh Historic Environment PositionStatement covering 2008. Published by Cadw, theStatement gives figures which highlight economicand social impacts of the historic environment.Figures include the statistic that 30 staffed Cadw sitesgenerate visitor expenditure of some £41.8m, whilstTownscheme Partnership and Townscape HeritageInitiatives, which promote job creation andregeneration of run down historic towns throughconservation, were offered almost £800,000 by Cadwin 2007-08 and levered in a further £52m. For moreinformation see http://wales.gov.uk/news/topic/culture/2009/090507historic/?lang=en


Bad – Snodhill Castle, Herefordshire.Since its private purchase in the 1970s this medieval border castle hasbeen totally neglected, with the masonry deteriorating, crackswidening and the site swamped with invasive vegetation. Once thefocal point for a small rural community, it has become virtuallyinaccessible. All efforts to engage with the owners have provedunsuccessful. Photograph: copyright English Heritage

Good – Little Doward Camp, Herefordshire. In the mid-20th century this Iron Age hillfort wasplanted with conifers and the earthworks becameinvisible. After discussions between HerefordshireArchaeology and the new owners, the WoodlandTrust, the conifers were felled and the monumentrevealed anew. Limited fencing and a new watersupply will allow a grazing herd of cattle to helpcontrol vegetation, and the land can return to atraditional mix of upland pasture, managed scrub and veteran trees for long-term public enjoyment.Photograph: copyright English Heritage

Heritage protection inEngland and WalesAlison Taylor

It is vital that archaeological organisationsdo make their opinions heard

17S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 N u m b e r 7 2

The most significant proposals seem to be

Section 2. It will now be an offence if a scheduledmonument is disturbed, as well as damaged, ‘wheresuch disturbance affects the conservation, stability ornational importance of the monument’. The level ofproven damage is therefore lower than if damage hasto be proven. It should therefore be possible to usethe legislation to protect plough damage sites withoutextensive and intrusive investigations.

Section 4 removes the ‘defence of ignorance’ fromthe 1979 Act with regards to damaging monuments.This specifically includes unauthorised use of metaldetectors, but again removes a defence that is all tooeasily invoked. This will require, however, aconcurrent investment in an information campaign toensure that landowners and the public have access toknowledge about where exactly designated areas are,and preferably their value.

Section 5 will raise the level of fines to £50,000 foroffences tried summarily (up from £10,000). Theextent of any financial gain will also be taken intoaccount.

Section 6 will amend and clarify the powers ofinspectors to enter land to inspect scheduledmonuments, making quick reactions to complaintsmore feasible.

Section 7 will make it easier to insist onunauthorised works on scheduled monuments beingput right, and also ‘to specify works that are to cease’through immediate stop notices. Again, theoccasional need for quick reactions and the powersto enforce restitution will make Inspectors’ workmore effective.

Sections 8, 9 and 10 affect powers to provide betterservices for the public at Guardianship properties(information, interpretation, toilets etc). Again, abilityto respond fast and flexibly ought to improve theconditions and appeal of monuments, as well asproviding more public benefits.

For the full report, and to send a response, seehttp://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/about/consultations/currentconsultations.htm.

Scottish Marine Bill Just introduced to the Scottish Parliament, thisincludes welcome provisions for protection of themarine historic environment. The Bill can bedownloaded from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/16440/marine-bill-consultation.

Scotland’s historic environment: sustaining theenvironmentAt least it is recognised that Scotland historicbuildings, monuments and archaeology areeconomically of value. They contribute more than£2.3 billion to the Scottish economy and are a keyfactor in ensuring sustained economic growth,according to research recently published. A reportfrom the Historic Environment Advisory Council forScotland (HEACS) shows Scotland’s historicenvironment supports more than 60,000 full timeemployees. As Culture Minister Michael Russell saidin welcoming the research ‘For the first time we haveclear evidence of just how much our historicenvironment contributes, not only to our sense ofidentity and place, but also to our nationaleconomy’. Elizabeth Burns, Chair of HEACS, alsopointed out that ‘further investment in the historicenvironment would bring even greater economicreturns’. To read the report see www.heacs.org



either, and so we are left with a gaping hole in theprotection of our historic environment in Scotland ifthe SPP is published as it stands with no concurrentreview of the SHEP.

It cannot be overstated how poor this SPP iscompared to SPP23 (itself something of adisappointment). Every response to the consultationhas deplored the present consolidated document. Italso highlights the paucity of information andpolicies in SHEP. We now require, and must insist on,an urgent review of SHEP to ensure that any and allweakening of SPP is at least rebutted in a strongerand more coherent SHEP.

Simon GilmourDirector, Society of Antiquaries of ScotlandNational Museums ScotlandChambers StreetEdinburgh EH1 [email protected]

THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS AND LISTEDBUILDINGS (AMENDMENT) (SCOTLAND) BILL

‘The Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings(Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will introduce a seriesof provisions that will help Scottish Ministers andlocal planning authorities manage sustainablyScotland’s unique and irreplaceable historicenvironment for the benefit of future generations. TheBill is also part of a much wider programme ofchange in the operation of the heritage protectionsystem being progressed by Historic Scotland and therest of Scottish Government in partnership with localauthorities’.

Rather than aiming at a programme that requires thelevel of Government time through both civil serviceinput and legislative space in a crowdedParliamentary agenda that new heritage protectionmeasures in England involves (above), the ScottishGovernment has gone for more modest tidying upmeasures. In this, it is probably useful that HistoricScotland is still part of Government, rather thanhaving the ‘arms length’ position of English Heritage.The Bill has been issued after discussions by theHistoric Environment Advisory Council for Scotland(HEACS, now sadly abolished) and with the historicenvironment sector, which identified gaps andweaknesses in the current system that could be sortedwith some modest but focused legislativeamendment. It was Historic Scotland itself that cameup with proposals for the Bill, which is out forconsultation until 14 August.

Scottish Planning Policy consultationThe Scottish Government Directorate for the BuiltEnvironment invited responses to its draft ScottishPlanning Policy (SPP) paper by 24 June 2009. Thedocument is not considered to be a review ofestablished policy – merely a streamlining andsimplification process bringing together previouslyseparate areas of community engagement, sustainabledevelopment, seventeen subject policy statements, anda statement on the outcomes of the planning process.The Scottish Government stressed that there should beno change to existing policy, and no change to theoutcomes of the planning process as a result of theremoval of what it sees as duplication across differentdocuments. Of the subject policies, several impact onthe historic environment to some degree, but the mainissue for archaeologists is simplification of SPP23:Planning and the Historic Environment. It was only ayear ago that we were consulted at length on SPP23itself, which brought together National Planning PolicyGuidance (NPPG) 5: Archaeology and Planning andNPPG18: Planning and the Historic Environment,again as a simplification and streamlining process andnot as a review of existing policy. SPP23 waspublished in October 2008.

The consolidated SPP reduces SPP23 from 15 pagesto two, leading to a feeling of wasted effort andresources in the already stretched NGO sector. Therehas been wholesale removal of anything that is notstrictly policy (guidance, background contextualinformation, model policies etc) and a rewording ofkey policies. It is apparently considered that materialmissing from SPP should be contained in the ScottishHistoric Environment Policy (SHEP), which, we aretold, carries equal weight in the planning process.However, this is not explicit in the SPP documentitself, and SHEP does not cover the management ofthe historic environment via the planning process.There are several important rewordings in the SPPthat weaken policy intent, as well as crucial aspectsof SPP23 that are missing. For example, paragraph 12of SPP23 states that both statutory and non-statutoryhistoric environment designations are a materialconsideration in the planning process. No such clearparagraph exists in the SPP and indeed, where thereare references to material considerations in theplanning process this is watered down to ‘can be’ (egSPP paragraph 91). Pre-application advice has beenremoved, as has SPP23’s commitment to ensureplanning authorities have access to a SMR and/orHER. Much of this does not currently figure in SHEP

HERITAGE PROTECTION IN SCOTLAND

Simon Gilmour and Alison Taylor


Staffing figures for conservation officers andarchaeologists in local authorities in different regionsare given for 2003, 2006 and 2008. There areconsiderable regional variations, with the greatestincrease in London conservation staff (which has thehighest regional average, contrasting with theirarchaeologists, who have the lowest average). Someregions show decline, but overall the number ofarchaeologists employed in local government hasincreased modestly over the past ten years, with asmall drop between 2006 and 2008. There is asimilar pattern in conservation services. Problemswill come if the downward trajectory continues

Because of the importance of authorities not losingscarce skills and specialist staff during the downturnthe report urges further work on local authorityduties, powers and responsibilities, to provide modelsfor effective delivery of historic environment services;regular ALGAO and IHBC surveys, annually at first,to understand the changing landscape of localauthority historic environment staffing; pressingDCLG and DCMS for a statement reaffirming thathistoric environment services are integral to planningdepartments and discouraging cuts in historicenvironment staffing during the current economicdownturn; and for DCLG to collect developmentcontrol figures on more planning permissioncategories so that historic environment workloadscan be better understood.

The report finishes with a table of an impressive 99key activities of the historic environment services thatarise from legislation and government policyguidance, showing whether these are statutory orproactive/reactive activities, and how much each willbe affected by HPR.

This report examines current (autumn 2008) and recent staff

resources for archaeology and building conservation within

English local authorities, and the English Heritage staff

resource that supports them. It is part of the evidence base

to inform introduction of the Heritage Protection Reforms,

and it responds to concerns expressed by the Parliamentary

Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport regarding

the capacity of local authorities to implement such reforms.

The authors reckon that HPR itself will not have a major

impact on staff requirements, but that in its wider sense of

promoting integration of planning processes and community

interests it will have resource implications.

The discovery of a warship wreck, alleged to be thatof HMS Victory (lost 1744) by Odyssey MarineExploration (OME), a US commercial archaeologicalcompany, poses significant issues for both the UKgovernment and the marine archaeologicalcommunity. Not least of these are the continuedapplication of salvage law to archaeologicalrecoveries, the issue of adequate funding to ‘rescue’sites at risk and the vexed question of disposals.

The law is complex. Within territorial waters (0-12nautical miles offshore) the Protection of Wrecks Act1973 can regulate recovery but any recoveries arepotentially subject to salvage claims. Typically, unlessa museum can be found to purchase the finds, theyare returned to the salvor in lieu of salvage. Beyond12 nautical miles the UK cannot prohibit recovery,other than for its warships (sovereign vessels immunefrom salvage). OME is seeking to enter into anagreement with the UK government to recover itemsfrom Victory but this may involve some recoveriesbeing returned to OME for eventual sale. OME raisesfunding from commercial investors for its operations.

Supporters of private sector commercial funding ofmaritime archaeology point to a lack of publicfunding to excavate sites at risk (the site is deep andthe technology to conduct archaeology in such achallenging environment is extremely expensive).They also point to the payment of ‘treasure trove’ onland and the disposals policies of museums asevidence of the hypocrisy of an ethic of no sale ofrecoveries and maintenance of a collection inperpetuity.

DCMS continues to embrace salvage law as an‘incentive to honesty’ for finders of historic wreck; asituation it says is roughly comparable to TreasureTrove on land, which has been used so successfullyto engage with the metal detector community.Marine archaeologists remain troubled byarchaeology driven by a need to recoup investors’costs with a profit margin, fearing the profit motive

may on occasions drive the archaeological process.

The Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committeeand the Nautical Archaeology Society have longargued for the removal of salvage law from historicwreck, a demand echoed by the Marine ArchaeologyLegislation Project, a research project funded byEnglish Heritage. However all recognise some rewardsystem must be put in place for discoveries /recoveries but the future paucity of public fundingmakes this unlikely.

So is it best to leave Victory to be dispersed by tideand trawling, as OME alleges is happening, or let itsartefacts be partly dispersed by return to a salvor?Hard financial times and hard issues for thearchaeological community.

Dave ParhamSenior Lecturer in Marine Archaeology, ProgramLeader BSc Marine ArchaeologyThe School of Conservation SciencesBournemouth University

Percentage of the national resource broken down by region. There are some variations but

modest improvement overall, despite some decline in the South East and North West English

Heritage regions. A continuing downward trajectory would cause many problems

Age band distribution for professions (local government

archaeologists). Archaeologists are broadly similar in age profiles to

other professionals

The full report can be read on HELM athttp://www.helm.org.uk/upload/pdf/Implementing_HPR_Staff_Resources_20090507152928.pdf?1241770327

IMPLEMENTING THE HERITAGE PROTECTION REFORMS: a report on local authority and English Heritage staff resources

English Heritage, the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers

and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation

HMS Victory: The UK’s ethical andpolicy challenge?

Dave Parham

HMS Victory Ship: Artwork of HMS Victory, a first-rate Royal Navy

warship wrecked in the English Channel, 1744. (Artwork by John

Batchelor. Photo courtesy of Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. © 2009)

...is it best to leave Victory to be dispersed bytide and trawling... or let its artefacts be partlydispersed by return to a salvor?

21S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 N u m b e r 7 2

As Chair of the Registered Organisations Committee I have been asked to comment on the effects of therecession on Registered Organisations. Viewsexpressed here take account of informal discussionswith organisations of different types, sizes andlocations. Currently there are over 60 diverseRegistered Organisations, the majority operatingwithin the commercial sector, as well as planningadvisory services, one national heritage body andone society. They include commercial practices, soletraders and parts of local authorities, universities andmuseums.

The main impact of the recession has been loss ofjobs (see Kenneth Aitchison p20) in the fieldworksector. Registered Organisations are concerned aboutthe loss to the sector of experienced and skilledprofessionals and many posts at junior andpractitioner level. If practitioners leave the profession,basic training will need to be repeated, fororganisations make a significant commitment totraining as part of the requirements of registration.Organisations are attempting to lessen the impact ofthe recession by retaining as many experienced,multi-skilled and flexible staff as possible, ifnecessary introducing part-time working.

Another concern in the commercial sector is thereduction in large and medium sized projects. Thismakes planning ahead difficult, and small projectsalso entail greater management pro rata. Whilst thereare still enquiries about new projects, these are oftendelayed or put on hold. So far the recession hasmostly hit commercial projects, particularly in theproperty and house building sectors, and there hasbeen less impact on central and local government-funded projects, though this may well change. Aworrying issue is that organisations have noticedincreases in jobs which appear to be unrealisticallypriced.

Many Registered Organisations have full programmesof post-excavation work at present, but there arereports of difficulties in getting payment of fundspromised. Currently this puts pressure on specialistdisciplines and even delays in completing

programmes, but moreworrying are concernsabout future post-excavation workfollowing thereduction in newprojects. Organisationsproviding consultancyservices report that priceis highly important to theirclients and that it isbecoming harder to secureresources for post-excavation work.They confirm that potential projects arebeing put on hold and they are also concerned aboutthe loss of experience and skills to the sector and ofpeople who could contribute to consultancy practicesin the future. Some historic environment advisoryservices report a reduction in new planningapplications. Registered Organisations across thesector comment on the present state of uncertainty,although only one has ceased trading. Applicationsfor registration continue, and to date no organisationdue to apply for registration has indicated it will bewithdrawing.

A matter of concern to Registered Organisationswhich will be considered by Council is the annualIfA -recommended minimum pay levels. Therecession may mean that closing the gap with otherprofessions gets off to a slower start. RegisteredOrganisations have been supportive of addressing thisgap but many are concerned that their ability to actat present is severely affected.

It is clear that the recession is having a significantimpact and IfA must continue to provide support. Inrecognition of the difficult economic climate Councilhas frozen annual fees this year. The Committeeremains committed to the registration scheme and toensuring that organisations accepted can demonstratethat they comply with IfA standards.

Laura SchaafChair, Registered Organisations [email protected]


The future still looks bleak, with further lossesanticipated. Business confidence remains poor(although not as low levels as in January) with mostemployers expecting the situation to deterioratefurther in the coming twelve months, and for morecommercial archaeological businesses to ceasetrading. We now know that at least one companyhas, with the agreement of their staff, switched toworking shorter hours, and some companies arebeing forced to reformat to carry on – LindseyArchaeological Services Ltd has now passed all itsbusiness to Naomi Field Archaeological Consultancy(which can be contacted at the same address andphone number as LAS Ltd were using).

One respondent told us that they fear that therecession might be seen as ‘a good time to get rid ofa unit’ that a host organisation – such as a universityor local authority – might not value any more. Andon precisely that note, IfA has been informed that theUniversity of Manchester will close the University ofManchester Archaeological Unit on 31 July (UMAU isthe commercial, contracting company – not to beconfused with the Greater Manchester ArchaeologyUnit, which provides a curatorial service to the tenlocal authority districts). This is a sad end to anenterprise that began in 1980. It represents a seriousloss to archaeology in the north west of England andto industrial archaeology in particular.

Kenneth AitchisonIfA Head of Projects and Professional Development

The economic downturn continues to have a direct and negative effect upon archaeology. In a

very few months, archaeology has been transformed from a briskly expanding profession to one

that is losing trained staff fast. Figures from IfA’s first rapid survey of Registered Organisations and

FAME members were published in TA 71; since then, those statistics have been updated – and jobs

have continued to be lost.

We estimate that, following the loss of 345 archaeological jobs between 1October 2008 and 1 January 2009, a further 195 jobs were lost by 1 April2009. Since summer 2007 we have lost 1 in 6 commercial archaeologicalposts, or nearly 10% of professional archaeologists. Fieldwork skills inparticular are being lost, with the skills of junior fieldworkers (contributorsto excavation, historic building and other surveys) being worst affected. The full report is available at http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=376.

Some respondents offered comments on the situation

Regarding the market –

The work that seems to have vanished almost totally is the smallevaluation for commercial/private housing developers – this was astaple for smaller units and single traders.

Some people still seem to be quoting crazy prices just to getwork. From the figures we’ve seen in feedback from tenders thereare still some unsustainably low prices out there.

Sadly any improvements in market conditions will probably be theresult of less organisations competing for the work, rather thanany increase in work.

Regarding redundancies –

We are losing some good people who may or may not re-enter theprofession, but those most affected are the more recent graduatesand those who perhaps do not fit the model of a modern-dayprofessional archaeologist.

The fact of the matter is that we are laying off some highly skilledstaff, some of whom have worked for us for five years plus.

further job lossesin archaeology

Kenneth AitchisonD E E P E R :Digging even IfA REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS

AND THE RECESSIONLaura Schaaf


Unfortunately FAME’s members expect tradingconditions to continue to be poor throughout 2009.

While practices will be devising and implementingtheir own strategies to weather the economicdownturn, there are a number of areas in which ourcolleagues in local authorities and the nationalheritage agencies can help ameliorate some impactson our businesses. These include

• persuading statutory undertakers to safeguard thehistoric environment in line with normaldevelopment processes

• working with practices to ensure assessment,post-excavation and publication programmes areachieved within a reasonable timeframe, withoutpressure for the early discharge of conditions

• securing funding from developers in bond, toinsure against insolvency

• working towards more consistent curatorialpractice across local authorities

• implementing PPG15 more consistently

FAME (the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers), formerly SCAUM (Standing

Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers), represents the views of employers and managers –

a distinct interest group. We employ many people in the profession and both implement policy

and are instrumental in its development through practice. On a day-to-day basis we protect,

enhance and increase our understanding of the historic environment.

• helping us, through identifying potentialinternships, secondments or work placements, tosupport efforts to retain skills within the sector

• outsourcing or subcontracting work or taskswhere the private sector can provide value

• improving understanding of EIA provisionsamongst regulators

Backlog archivesSome issues have been brought up the agenda as aresult of the recession. FAME welcomes, for example,the recent attention paid by English Heritage, ALGAOand others to the issue of un-deposited and un-depositable archives, albeit this is as a result of thefear of the consequences of commercial failure.Backlog archives have been a major concern for ourmembers for several years and resolution still seemsyears away. It is therefore to be hoped that onepositive outcome will be review and reform of currentarchiving policy, particularly the adoption of commonand robust approaches to selection and retention.

Overcoming compartmental i sat ionIt is also a positive impact that such issues haveencouraged communication and consultationbetween different areas of our sector. FAME, ALGAOand IfA, for example, have met recently to considerareas of mutual concern arising from recession. Suchdevelopments offer the prospect that, coming out ofrecession, there is real opportunity for developingnew co-operative and collaborative approaches toworking within the historic environment. Oneconsequence of the extraordinary growth of oursector in the last ten years has been increasingcompartmentalisation into contracting, curatorialpractice and academia. In particular FAME’s membersare concerned that there is inadequate dialoguebetween them, as employers, and our colleagues inhigher education, who provide graduate entrants intothe profession.

New emphases In terms of new approaches to our work muchdepends on the new Planning Policy Statement forthe historic environment. While FAME expects thatthe fundamental principles of PPGs 15 and 16, whichhave fuelled the growth and development of ourprofession, will not be weakened in any way, thewording of the statement has the potential to put newemphases on the way that we work. In particularFAME will argue the case for

• improved regulation, specifically introducing‘barriers to professional practice’, that encouragesand incentivises good practice and raisesstandards

• adequate funding and provision of appropriaterepositories for archaeological archives

• greater opportunities for innovation in thedissemination of the results of our work to thepublic

As regards the last point, FAME welcomes the recentdebate, led by Roger Thomas of English Heritage, atthe IfA’s annual conference about the impacts ofPPG16 and particularly whether the public andacademic benefits have been commensurate with thelarge sums of money being spent on developer-funded archaeology. In effect this was a call to theprofession to reinvigorate the way that it undertakesdeveloper-led archaeology and to return to a moreintellectual basis that maximises knowledge of thepast and public benefit. As part of this process thebest publication and dissemination programmes areessential, and archives should be part of our lastinglegacy.

Gain and painIn conclusion, the last 18 months have beenextraordinarily difficult for archaeological practices.While there is probably more pain still to come,there are a number of key developments, principallythe new Planning Policy Statement and a new senseof partnership and co-operation, that can enable theprofession to emerge from recession reinvigoratedand energised. However for the commercial arm ofthe sector to achieve real, long term, progress, muchdepends on fundamental changes to thearchaeological market and the framework in whichpractices operate.

In the meantime, FAME’s contribution to the debateon the post-recession future for the sector ishampered by the absence of a dedicated advocate forits members. It is a high priority for FAME to securesuch an advocate in 2009.

Roland SmithChair, FAMEC/o Wessex ArchaeologyPortway HouseOld Sarum ParkSalisburyWiltshire SP4 6EB

[email protected]

There is no doubt that, over the last 12 months, mostarchaeological employers have witnessed the mostchallenging trading conditions they have ever had toface. The speed and depth of the downturn hasresulted in great uncertainty for all, especially in thelatter parts of 2008.

After much anecdotal evidence of the impacts of therecession, the IfA and FAME survey on job losses inthe last six months (p20) has been invaluable inquantifying the level to which the sector is currentlycontracting. This has been important in providingsome reassurance to employers that the impacts arebeing felt universally and that job losses have,unfortunately, been a reality for small, medium andlarge alike. The toll that these losses have had onindividuals and senior managers is not to beunderestimated. In particular the imminent closure ofthe University of Manchester Archaeological Unit isdeeply regretted, as are the potential loss of skills andexpertise to the sector as well as considerableinvestment and success in community archaeology.

Archaeology as training

for planners: the post-

recession future should

involve greater dialogue

between parties interested

in the benefit of the

archaeology

Out of Recess ion Roland Smith

...for the commercial arm of

the sector to achieve real,

long term, progress, much

depends on fundamental

changes to the

archaeological market and

the framework in which

practices operate.


deciding which of the temporary staff contracts not torenew, the focus then switching to core staffmembers, with the result that long serving,experienced employees now need employment in ashrinking sector. For some it is not only the loss of ajob, but of a passion they have enjoyed for so long.Several organisations have tried to lessenredundancies by instigating a 4-day working week,and some smaller teams have already gone under.

‘How long can I survive like this?’

On a personal level, I am still grateful for having ajob, knowing though that redundancy looms in thebackground. The price has been a decrease in mymonthly wage which, as archaeological wages arenot great to begin with, is a significant blow. With cutbacks in personal spending, this can be made towork in the short term, but this situation is likely tochange. ‘How long can I survive like this?’ is aquestion many people I know are asking. Even beforethe recession I was frequently questioning myselfabout the feasibility of remaining employed inarchaeology, and what alternative careers werepossible. The poignancy of this question has nowredoubled.

Reinitiating backlog projects

To give in to pessimism now would be the equivalentof throwing in the towel. The industry may have beenan innocent victim in this whole sorry situation, butour actions now will determine how we arrive on theother side. The economy will recover, but how long itwill take? My money (what little is left) is on the shortand sharp route. I am no economist but it is myexperience of working with developers for nearly tenyears that tells me that these professionals will bechamping at the bit to return to the profits theypreviously experienced. Any sign that the economy islooking up may reinitiate backlogged projectportfolios with speed.

Attractive wage levels?!

Commercial archaeological organisations must alsolook to the future and to the point of recovery. Whatstate will the industry be in is a question we must askourselves. To exploit a recovering market placemeans attracting back a skilled work force, whichmay be trickier than it sounds. The alternative is torely on inexperienced staff that will take time to gain

Only those who have been living under arock or holidaying in the deepest reaches ofSiberia for the past six months would havenot noticed how bad the current economicclimate has become. These dramatic timesare not only limited to this country, but arehaving drastic effects across the world. Inthis situation, we are not alone.

Reliance on construction industry

On a more domestic scale, it is now obvious thatindustries within the historic environment, especiallyarchaeological fieldwork contractors, are sufferingfinancially to a significant degree. Vulnerability iscaused by their overwhelming reliance on theconstruction and development industries for income,two industries close to the heart of this recession.After so many years of bountiful growth and stability,the speed at which the recession has struck hasshocked many, and like other industries affected weask: ‘Should we have seen this coming?’ and ‘Was itall too good to be true?’

Tough decisions

From my position in an established fieldworkorganisation, I look across my sector and see manyscared people. Many archaeologists today are tooyoung to have been employed during the last majorrecession, while the older hands know theconsequences if things continue the way they are.Those in management have had to make many toughdecisions in a short space of time, with a clear remitof drastically cutting outgoings or facing foreclosureby the banks. In regard to staffing, the first phase was

the skills and experience required, just at a pointwhen new staff are required to hit the groundrunning. To attract the type of labour that is required,we must make sure attractive wage levels are offered.The opportunity to do this is there, if therecommendations of the IfA’s BenchmarkingCommittee are pushed forward at the right moment.This is also a suitable time for organisations to re-evaluate their staffing conditions, and see howreviews of efficiency and structure can be used aspositive tools. If done in combination with training,then previously existing skills and knowledge can beshared to create a more diverse and multi-skilledflexible work place.

Conditions at the moment are far from rosy. Manyhard choices have been made, and we all face a

tough time before things improve. It is also time totake stock, consider the position of the employer(while still keeping the welfare of the employee inkeen focus), and begin to work out how we willemerge at the other side of the recession. Hopefullytaking one more step towards the strong professionalindustry we want it to become.

In the meantime, I will be counting my penniesclosely and keeping my options in focus, with theview to riding out these tough times in the mostoptimistic way possible.

Chris ClarkeChair, Diggers [email protected] 612574

Archaeology, the economy, and me:

Chris Clarke

a view from

S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 N u m b e r 7 2 25


continued to fall (numbers in 2006 includeretrospective issues for national road projects,following the National Monuments (amendment)Act). Figures for the first fifteen weeks of 2009suggest that excavations will drop back to levels lastrecorded in 1999.

EXPONENTIAL GROWTHThe annual statistics represent various types ofarchaeological excavation. On average, testexcavations represent 49% of the annual total in theBulletin, monitoring 26%, resolution 18% andresearch 7% (Eogan J 2008). Between 1993 and 2003average excavations carried out by each directorincreased from three a year in 1993 to a peak ofeleven in 2003. This demonstrates that the increase inexcavation was partly facilitated by an increase inproductivity by excavation directors. Over the sameperiod data suggest that the proportion of excavationscarried out by directors employed by archaeologicalcompanies rose from 20% in 1993 to 71% in 2004.Rapid economic growth also led to an increase inpeople employed in archaeology – principally in the

The era of the so-called ‘Celtic Tiger’ sawunprecedented economic growth in the Republic ofIreland. Much of this was stimulated by investment inresidential property leading to construction of morethan 80,000 housing units per annum at the height ofthe building boom in 2005 and 2006 (CHLConsulting Co Ltd 2002). This period also sawsignificant private investment in commercial,industrial and retail developments, and public-sectorinvestment in infrastructure such as roads, railwaysand pipeline networks, funded by buoyant exchequerreceipts. Many of these developments requiredarchaeological evaluation and mitigation, reflected inthe increase in archaeological excavations reportedin the annual Excavations Bulletin (from 214 in 1993to the peak of 2044 in 2003). The first decline inexcavations since 1993 was recorded in 2004 andcontinued in 2005.

Data provided by the National Monuments Service ofthe Department of the Environment, Heritage andLocal Government, indicate that approvals forarchaeological excavation in subsequent years

private sector but also in public service anduniversities. Surveys revealed the exponential growthin archaeologists employed in Irish archaeology, from650 in 2002 to 1709 in 2007 (McDermott C and LaPiscopia P 2008).

SHARP DECLINENow the archaeological profession in Ireland isfacing significant challenges. The Institute ofArchaeologists of Ireland (IAI) has gathered accuratebaseline data to enable the Institute to best representthe profession. The recent IAI survey Employmentlevels in Irish Archaeology, based upon 21 responsesfrom across the profession, revealed that betweenJuly 2008 and January 2009 there was a 52%reduction in the total number of archaeological staffemployed in Ireland (www.iai.ie). Further analysisreveals that there was an 82% reduction in contractarchaeologists in this period.

FUTURE PROSPECTSThe situation is not totally bleak. Statistics from theIrish Antiquities Division of the National Museum ofIreland suggest that significant post-excavationanalysis is being undertaken, keeping archaeologistsand post-excavation specialists in employment andproviding a revenue stream for archaeologicalcompanies. The prospects for the future are harder topredict: undoubtedly the economic growthexperienced in the last 15 years was unsustainable,notwithstanding the external shock of a globalbanking crisis and recession. What is not yet clear iswhat level of archaeological activity will besustained. It will be interesting to see if workundertaken by sole-traders increases, as redundancyhas already stimulated formation of at least one newcompany.

MORE EFFICIENT LEGAL FRAMEWORK? One welcome consequence is a review ofarchaeological policy and practice currentlyunderway by the Minister for the Environment,Heritage and Local Government. This process isintended to lead to new primary legislation toprovide a more efficient legal framework for theregulation of archaeology and greater recognition ofand protection for archaeology under planninglegislation.

The archaeological profession in the Republic ofIreland was innovative in response to the boom,putting in place staff, structures and mechanisms thatensured that archaeology was not sacrificed in theface of economic development. It now faces differentchallenges and it is to be hoped that we can react ina similarly creative fashion to our changedcircumstances.

James EoganSenior Archaeologist, Irish National Roads AuthorityVice-Chair, Institute of Archaeologists of [email protected]

Eoin SullivanDirector, Gort ArchaeologyDevelopment Officer, Institute of Archaeologists [email protected]

Brian Duffy, Chief Archaeologist and Martin Reid,Archaeologist, National Monuments Service,Department of the Environment, Heritage & LocalGovernment and Eamonn P Kelly, Keeper, andPádraig Clancy, Assistant Keeper, Irish AntiquitiesDivision, National Museum of Ireland are thanked forproviding data on the volume of licence applicationsto their respective organisations.

CHL Consulting Co Ltd 2002 The Future Demand for Archaeologists inIreland. A Report to the Heritage Council and the Institute ofArchaeologists of Ireland. CHL Consultants, Dublin

Eogan J 2008 Archaeology and the Celtic Tiger. Poster presented at WAC-6 (http://www.wac6.org/livesite/posters/poster_files/WAC_154_Eogan.pdf)

McDermott C and La Piscopia P 2008 Discovering the Archaeologists ofEurope: Ireland. A Report to the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland andthe Heritage Council. IAI, Dublin

ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE DEMISE OF

THE CELTIC TIGERJames Eogan and Eoin Sullivan

An early medieval

secular enclosed

settlement at

Stonecarthy West

and Knockadrina,

Co. Kilkenny.

Excavation, in

advance of

construction of the

N9/N10 road

project in 2008

employed an

average team of 16

archaeologists per

week. Photograph:

Airshots Ltd

Happier days -

Archaeological

excavation in

advance of

construction of the

M8 road scheme, in

the vicinity of a late

medieval tower

house at

Twomileborris, Co.

Tipperary.

Photograph: J Eogan

ADCA 2004 Archaeological requirements for works on churches andchurchyards, ADCA Guidance Note 1

Brickley M and McKinley J 2004 Guidance on the standards for recordinghuman remains IfA Paper No 7

Caldon M 2007 ‘Questioning human remains’ Museums Journal July2007, 14

Church of England and English Heritage 2005 Guidance for best practicefor treatment of human remains excavated from Christian burial groundsin England, C of E, English Heritage

DCMS 2003 The report of the working group on human remains, DCMS

DCMS 2004 Care of historic human remains: a consultation report of theworking group on human remains, DCMS

DCMS 2005 Guidance for the care of human remains in museums,DCMS

Department of Constitutional Affairs 2006 Burial law and policy in the21st century

www.hta.gov.uk/about_hta/human_tissue_act cfm

Osteologists at

work in the

Centre for

Human

Bioarchaeology.

©Museum of

London

An undisturbed corner of Highgate cemetery.

Photograph: Sam Cawood


The Melbourn case

APACBE has had four annual meetings and in themeantime has been involved in casework (seewww.britarch.ac.uk/churches/humanremains). HRASheld an inaugural meeting and was then involved ina single consultation in its short history. To thesurprise of its overseers, advice was requested not onthe expected vibrant issue of the de-accession andrepatriation of human remains of overseas origin butinstead concerned an indigenous English example.Melbourn Parish Council repeated its request toDCMS of 2002 that Cambridgeshire County Councilbe advised to release from storage 60 seventh-centuryAnglo-Saxon skeletons excavated at Melbourn in2000. This time, DCMS selected three advisors fromthe HRAS panel to enquire why the Parish Councilwished to rebury the remains in a modern cemetery,whether the archaeological remains had any culturalsignificance for the cemetery and, if not, whethergeographical proximity ought to compensate for thechronological and liturgical discontinuity and/orresearch value of the remains. It appeared that thesimple application of DCMS Guidance (Section3.3.2) ruled against a cultural or genealogical casefor burial in the Melbourn cemetery but one advisorheld out in favour of the geographical propinquityand imagined spiritual significance argument. Aftersix months DCMS called a halt to this evaluation onthe grounds of lack of agreement. CambridgeshireCounty Council were informed, and wrote to DCMSon 21 February 2007 acknowledging that it wasbetter to highlight an intractable problem rather thanwaste resources trying to solve it (Caldon 2007). Inthe face of this failure, Mark Caldon of DCMSformally wound up HRAS.

The Human Remains Subject Specialist Network(SSN)

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Association(MLA) set up 25 SSNs. Hedley Swain, then of theMuseum of London, acquired funding from MLA toset up the Human Remains SSN, with 27 UKmuseums and groups represented. However, in thenext funding round this failed to receive a grant andwas left with just a poorly-populated website(www.humanremains.specialistnetwork.org.uk ) and amission ‘to provide mutual support and informationtransfer between individuals representing institutionsthat hold accessioned collections of human remains.’It has neither a constitution nor funding. It wasapproached by DCMS to review the Guidance and

Human remains: a dynamic issue

During the early 21st century there wasunprecedented activity over consultation, guidanceand the law with regard to human remains inEngland, their burial, excavation, exhumation,analysis, curation, exhibition, repatriation andreburial (ADCA 2004, Brickley and McKinley 2004,DCMS 2003, 2004, Church of England/EnglishHeritage 2005, Department of Constitutional Affairs2006, Human Tissue Act 2006). Two of theconsultation processes led to published guidance,backed by Advisory Panels to resolve any problemsthat arose. Publication of Guidance for Best Practicefor Treatment of Human Remains Excavated fromBurial Grounds in England in January 2005 led to anAdvisory Panel for the Archaeology of ChristianBurials in England (APACBE) that October. Similarly,Guidance for the Care of Human Remains inMuseums, by the Cultural Property Unit of theDepartment of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) inOctober 2005 led to the Human Remains AdvisoryService (HRAS) in March 2006. However, these twoadvisory panels had very different experiences.

suggest improvements, provided that these do notamount to wholesale revision. Members volunteeredto provide minor amendments to the Guidance, suchas including hair and nails in the definition of humanremains to promote consistency with the HumanTissue Act, but were not equipped to lead on theissue.

A new APABE?

DCMS therefore agreed that APACBE ought tobroaden its remit to deal with all periods of burial inEngland, in effect replacing HRAS. It stipulated thatthe new body must have adequate representation ofthe museums sector. The proposal was consultedupon this year, one consideration being thecomposition of the Panel. After three months therehad been 35 responses. There was broad agreementon the need for such an advisory group and the onlyreal dissention was over the representation that thePanel should reflect. A minority (four groups) felt thatthere were concerns at the overlap with advice forthe museums sector (eg SSN), but this ignores therealities of commercial archaeology in the UK.Several museums have their own archaeology armand, likewise, archaeological commercialorganisations often curate human remains. Indeed,the Museum of London is involved in every stagefrom archaeological planning and tendering, throughexcavation and processing to osteological analysis,publication and reburial or curation of the remainsseamlessly – and we are not alone.

The Human Remains SSN in its response reiteratedthat it performs the broader function relating tomuseum collections of human remains (somemuseums have different considerations because theirholdings are of a medical or pathological nature), butis very willing for museum representation on theproposed APABE panel. This view was supported by26 of the 35 responders, and is the DCMS view. Theminority who favoured museum issues beingconfined to the SSN wanted a remodelled SSN,which will need substantial funding.

A new APABE, structured to reflect multi-culturalEngland (in the first instance, as the other nationshave different legislation and organisations) and theinstitutions involved in the care of human remainstherefore seems a proposal that has wide support andshould give archaeologists, museum professionalsand others working with ancient burials the sort ofconsistent, authoritative and carefully thought-through guidance they deserve today.

Bill WhiteMuseum of London Centre for Human Bioarchaology

PS There seems to be a happy resolution of theMelbourn case, as the parish council has agreed torebury one man, one woman and one child,selected by an osteoarchaeologist, Corinne Duhig,marked with a commemorative plaque, otherskeletons to remain in archaeological storage (Ed).

An Advisory Panel forthe Archaeology of all burials in England?Bill White

31S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 N u m b e r 7 2

Competence was defined through a set of genericand specialist criteria, and registration cost £165 paacross the board and required renewal every fouryears. Registration fees tended to be paid byemployers, several of whom were police forces. Bythe end of 2008 the number of registrants wasapproaching 5000 – a figure nowhere near themaximum possible, but a meaty proportionnonetheless and representing a workable andeffective professional body.

Crude estimates suggested that almost double thatfigure was needed for CRFP to be financially viableand independent when NPIA funds tapered off. Thisfact, combined with the appointment of a ForensicRegulator and a Government interest more acutelyinclined towards external accreditation appears tohave resulted in the NPIA withdrawal of funds. CRFPceased to trade at short notice on 31 March this year.Anyone who has been concerned with setting up theIfA, its validation and disciplinary processes,committee structure, publicity, mission and the entireplethora of systems involved will appreciate just howmuch effort has been let out with the bath water.

The forensic world is now in an undefined period oflimbo. It would seem that forensic competency,including that of archaeologists and anthropologistswill be defined by a series of uncomfortably fittingISOs.

John HunterProfessor of Ancient History and ArchaeologyUniversity of BirminghamBirmingham B15 2TT

CRFP was set in the late 1990s on the back of aGovernment enquiry that sought to preventmiscarriages of justice such as the ‘Birmingham Six’.Bank-rolled by the Home Office through the NationalPolicing Improvement Agency (NPIA) it set out toprovide the courts with forensic specialists whoseexperience and competence, established by peerreview, could be guaranteed by the courts. Policeforces and barristers were able to use the register toensure that experts they commissioned were up tothe mark, in much the same way that RegisteredOrganisations and MIfA status can be used fordefining standards and fitness for purpose.

The process of validation was similar if slightly morecomplex than that of IfA.

A typical scenario.

Partly exposed

human remains

found during

building operations.

How long have they

been there? Who is

the individual? Has

an offence been

committed?

Photograph: John

Hunter


remains for scientific study, display or other relatedpurposes, where this may be required. There mighteven be an argument to disapply the need forlicensing altogether where there is no real need forthe Government to exercise site by site controls. Theneed for such controls seems harder to justify theolder the remains are, and we are therefore exploringthe possibility of allowing remains over a given age –200 years is the working hypothesis – to be exhumedwithout a licence. This is not to imply that olderremains should not be treated appropriately, and thereis potential to limit unlicensed exhumations to thoseundertaken by, or under the directions of, members ofsuitable, self-regulating, professional bodies. It wouldstill be necessary to comply with statutory conditionsto ensure that work was carried out safely, respectfullyand sensitively. The new legislation should also makeclear what does, and what does not, come within itsscope, to ensure that regulation is focused on what itis important to protect.

As a result of the scheme introduced in April 2008there will be some exhumation licences with a timelimit for reinterment by spring 2010. If there is a needto retain the remains beyond that date, applicationsmust be made shortly beforehand. We expectlicences issued prior to the new scheme willcontinue to have effect after the proposed changeshave been introduced until the remains have beenreinterred or reburial conditions have been amended.

The plan is for proposals to be presented forconsultation quite soon, supported by an ImpactAssessment looking at the costs and benefits ofreform, and a draft LRO which will show the detail ofthe proposed legislation. Following an assessment ofthe responses and any changes that need to be madeas a result, the LRO would be introduced intoParliament and be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.Thereafter, if the Order is approved, implementationwould follow, probably in spring/summer 2010.

Andrew TuckerCoroners and Burials [email protected]

The Government’s intention to amendlegislation governing burials will impact onways which archaeologists will be able toexhume human remains in future. Followingthe Government’s review of burial law in 2004,a number of problems were identified inlegislation never designed for archaeologicalneeds and the initial view was that there mightnot be a power to issue exhumation licences orother consents in circumstances where therewas no evident burial ground. On reflection itwas agreed that there was no reason why alicence could not be issued in such cases.Whether licences or directions could authoriseanything more than exhumation andsubsequent reinterment proved moreintractable. However, following discussionswith representatives of the archaeologicalcommunity, a temporary solution was foundand was announced in April 2008.

In the longer term it was clear that legislation neededamending. There was little prospect of a slot in theParliamentary timetable for primary legislation for this purpose, but a Legislative Reform Order (LRO)may offer a solution, as it enables a limited range of amendments through secondary legislation.Provisions are considered in Committee rather thanon the floor of the House, and an order is expresslydesigned to be used where it is intended toderegulate, modernise or make administrativechanges to a regulatory system rather than introducemore substantial or controversial amendments.

Meetings with archaeological representatives helpedidentify how best to improve the legislation. With thehelp of IfA and others, costs and benefits wereidentified, shaping a future package on which it isintended to invite views later this year. In broad terms,the new scheme will reshape the existing licensingregime to facilitate exhumation of human remains forarchaeological purposes and the retention of such

Burial law reform and archaeology

Andrew Tucker

Bu

rial

law

ref

orm

an

d a

rch

aeo

logy PROFESSIONAL

INSTITUTIONSBEWAREJohn Hunter

IfA members may not have heard yetof the demise of the Council for theRegistration of Forensic Practitioners(CRFP), the body that validatedcompetence to practice in theforensic arena, but it is a usefulcautionary tale for those puttingmuch faith (and resources) intoGovernment directives. The CRFPregister gave accreditation tospecialists in skills such asfingerprinting, blood spatter,accident and fire, scene of crimeinvestigation and others spheres offorensic expertise, including forensicarchaeology and anthropology.


Mortui viventes docent is the motto of thePaleopathology Association, founded in 1973 in theUnited States. It cuts straight to the chase of the aimof this short paper: to show the value of excavating,studying and curating human remains for futureresearch. It explains why so many people inuniversities and in contract archaeology are keen tofocus on cemetery excavations and analyses ofhuman remains, exploring what our ancestors can tellus about their past and how that can help us copewith the present and plan for the future. It explainswhy the public of all ages and backgrounds are keento visit museums, attend educational classes andlectures, and watch television programmes featuringskeletons. It also explains why so many students wantto study human remains at undergraduate, Mastersand PhD levels.

Ethics and respectThese groups of people today have more affinity to askeleton than to anything else excavated from anarchaeological site – ‘we all possess a skeleton andwe appear to want to know more about it’ (Roberts2009:1). Ignoring the central part of anyarchaeological site, the humans, would disregard akey part of the jigsaw puzzle of reconstruction. Thedead can teach the living about the past, have donefor a long time, and continue to do so. However,excavation, study and curation of human remainsshould always be carried out with the highest ethicalstandards and respect for the dignity of these onceliving people; to ignore these ‘rules’ is unacceptable.Furthermore, there has to be a reason to study humanremains and this must go beyond curiosity; study is aprivilege and not a right.

Tracking TBTo illustrate one way that death teaches the living I will focus on a current project that focuses on aparticular health problem. The project’s aims grewout of appreciating the modern context of theinfectious disease tuberculosis and thinking howarchaeology might help tackle the future course ofthis infection. Biomolecular archaeology of ancienttuberculosis (TB) in Britain and Europe is

Natural Environmental Reasearch Council-funded(http://www.dur.ac.uk/archaeology/research/projects/?mode=project&id=353) and concerns a re-emerging infectious disease that was responsible for1.6 million deaths in 2005 (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/index.html ). It isnot just a developing country infection but has a highfrequency today in major British cities. It is theculmination of a global history probably extendingover 3 million years in the Old World, originating inAfrica. In the past poverty, high population density,movement of people, and contact with infectedanimals were probably the main factors that enabledTB to develop (Roberts and Buikstra 2003). Humanscontract TB via droplet spread (coughing andsneezing) or through consuming infected meat andmilk from animals. If not treated, the infectionspreads to the bone, changes in the spine most oftenbeing used for diagnosis in palaeopathology.

Skeletal evidenceThe first clear historical evidence for TB dates back toChina at 2700 BC, but the first skeletal evidence isfrom Italy dated to 5800±90 BC (Canci et al 1996),and in the New World (South America) dating to AD700. In Britain the first skeletal evidence (confirmedwith ancient DNA analysis) is from the Iron Age(400–230 BC) at Tarrant Hinton, Dorset (Mays andTaylor 2003). Despite its long history TB has notreduced in virulence. Indeed, although thedevelopment of antibiotic therapy in the 1940sbrought the hope of TB’s eradication, by the end ofthe century the disease was again on the rise, and itis now considered by the World Health Organisationto be a global emergency. Antibiotic resistance, HIV,poverty, certain occupations, migration, and lack ofaccess to health care are key factors for many todaywho bear the burden of TB.

Old and New WorldsIn this project we are studying the origin andevolution of the causative agents (strains) in Britainand other parts of Europe. Using ancient DNAanalysis of bone samples from diagnosed tuberculousskeletons from different archaeological sites and dates(prehistory to the post-medieval periods), we hope tochart appearances and changes in strains of TBthrough time in different parts of Europe. This will bein relation to the impact of variables related to whatwe know about socio-cultural, economic andpolitical context at specific points in time. We areextending our research to study the relationships

between strains present in skeletons from the Oldand New Worlds, both pre- and post-Columbiancontact (late 15th century AD), by collaborating withArizona State University’s, School of HumanEvolution and Social Change. Our colleagues thereare working on ancient DNA of tuberculosis in theNew World. The ultimate aim is to contribute tounderstanding today’s problem by using data on TBbacteria strain evolution.

Two points are important here: firstly, we are indeedusing the dead to teach the living, and we may findvital information that could help develop newmedications in the future. We are not promising butwe are trying. Secondly, we are reliant on curatedskeletal remains from many sites where tuberculousskeletons have been identified, acknowledging thework of archaeologists who excavated the sites andthe bioarchaeologists who identified skeletons withbone changes of tuberculosis. We need the co-operation of museums and other institututions thatcurate skeletal remains, and we have indeed gainedmuch co-operation with sample acquisition, forwhich we are very grateful.

Curation of skeletal remains and ready acess is vitalfor such projects; as methods of analysis develop,more complex and challenging questions can beasked. We should celebrate this fact, and pursuestudies that are relevant to today’s society and itsfuture survival.

Professor Charlotte RobertsDepartment of ArchaeologyDurham UniversitySouth RoadDurham DH1 3LE

Canci A and Minozzi S, Borgognini Tarli S 1996 Newevidence of tuberclous spondylitis from NeolithicLiguria. Int J Osteoarchaeology 6:497-5-1

Mays S and Taylor GM 2003 A prehistoric case oftuberculosis from Britain. Int J Osteoarchaeology13:189-196

Roberts CA Human remains in archaeology. Ahandbook. York, Council for British Archaeology

Roberts CA, Buikstra JE 2008 The bioarchaeology oftuberculosis. A global view on a re-emerging disease.PB. Gainesville, Florida, Florida University Press

Charlotte RobertsMortui viventesdocent(The Dead Teach the Living)

Mortui viventes docent

Tuberculous spine from post-medieval Abingdon (by permission

of Don Ortner)

Adjective Number of

comments

using this

adjective

Positive Neutral/ Negative

Uncertain

Interesting 178Fascinating 118Good / Great 57Excellent 56Informative 37Amazing 27Fantastic 27Brilliant 24Wonderful 18Beautiful 12

Educational 11Insightful 10

Sad 10Emotional 9

Inspiring 6Intriguing 4

Boring 1Poignant 1

Unique 1Disappointing 1


Counts of the adjectives used in the commentsshowed that these were again overwhelminglypositive – the two commonest adjectives were‘interesting’ (178) and ‘fascinating’ (118), followed by‘good’, ‘great’, ‘excellent’, ‘amazing’, ‘fantastic’ and‘brilliant’. Negative adjectives were scarce – just one‘boring’ and one ‘disappointing’. No one seemed tobe particularly shocked or worried.

Last summer, the Wellcome Collectionstaged an exhibition of human skeletonsfrom the Museum of London’s Centre forHuman Bioarchaeology. Its purpose was toshow, from human skeletons excavated inLondon dating from the Roman period tothe 19th century, how the study of humanremains gives us a direct sense ofindividuals in the past and how they lived,and, in particular how the rough andtumble of everyday life, and the effects ofdisease and poor living conditions, can beseen from the traces they leave on bonesand teeth.

The museum world is at the moment sensitive in itstreatment of human remains. The WellcomeExhibition was clearly carefully and well designedwith this sensitivity in mind. Complete skeletons werelaid out in display cases at waist level, labels were atthe side of each case, not intruding on the skeletons,and light levels were low.

The exhibition attracted large numbers of visitors fromBritain and abroad; without being asked to comment

Reading through the comments (and drawings – quitea few of these from children) reflected the samegeneral approval. Occasional comments wereuncertain or questioning: ‘Whilst fascinating, I amuncertain as to whether human remains should beput on public display’, ‘Does no one stop to thinkand contemplate what right do we have to puthuman remains on display?’. But most werestraightforwardly appreciative: ‘Very interesting …and treated with a great deal of respect’; ‘Somethinga text book just cannot give you’; ‘I wonder what thepeople of tomorrow will say about our bones’; ‘5stars!’.

Of course, visitors to an exhibition of this kind are aself-selecting group, and should not be taken asreflecting the views of others. But if a large numberof Londoners were deeply upset or worried by theexhibition of human remains, it seems likely thatthere would have been more directly negativecomment.

What this seems to show fairly clearly is that,provided proper sensitivity is shown and anexhibition has serious purpose, most people regardthe exhibition of human skeletons as acceptable, andwelcome for the insights it gives us into our sharedhumanity and mortality. Museum professionals areprobably worrying too much about possible publicconcern.

Many thanks are due to Emily Sargent and RachelCollins of Wellcome Collection for help withpreparing this article.

Anna AldousStrategy DepartmentEnglish Heritage

Sebastian PayneChief ScientistEnglish Heritage

Number Percentage

Positive 753 94%Other / neutral 41 5%Negative 9 1%Total 803

Anna Aldous

and Sebastian

Payne

on specific issues or questions, these wereencouraged to leave their comments in a book placedin a small side-room. The Wellcome Trust has kindlymade available a copy of this book of comments.They are, of course, no more than the views of peoplewho chose to go the exhibition, and then chose toleave comments. But provided this is kept in mind,they give us some insight into visitors’ reactions.

The first and most obvious thing to emerge is that thecomments were overwhelmingly positive:

London’s Buried Bones: Wellcome reactions

Exhibiting London bodies © The Wellcome Trust


Amongst modern pagans there is plurality of beliefs,and no prescriptive scripture or requirement forcompliance to any creed. The Pagan Federation, theumbrella organisation for British pagans, contains thisdiversity and merely requires members toacknowledge broad principles of shared belief, noneof which refer to the soul or the afterlife. In terms ofattitudes to the dead, their website summarises:‘[Divinities] may include revered ancestors and, for awhile, the newly dead, who may or may not chooseto leave the world of the living for good.’

Amongst modern Druids, belief in reincarnation iscommon, or death is seen as ‘passing to thesummerlands’, from which vague otherworldancestors, or at least the recently-dead, can return atSamhain (Halloween). References in classical writersto the original Druids indicate a doctrine ofreincarnation or transmigration:

‘the principal point of their teaching is that thesoul does not perish, and that after death it passesfrom one body into another’ (Caesar);

‘you tell us that the same spirit has a body againelsewhere, and that death ... is but the mid-pointof a long life’ (Lucan);

‘among them the doctrine of Pythagoras prevails,according to which the souls of men are immortal,and after a fixed term recommence to live, takingupon themselves a new body’ (Diodorus).

Adherents of Witchcraft/Wicca also tend to believe inreincarnation, succeeding lives leading towards aperfected state and ultimate release from the materialworld.

There is a closer link between the followers ofHeathenry/Northern Tradition/Odinism/Asatru andthose they recognise as their spiritual ancestors. Inessence this is the religion of the Anglo-Saxons andtheir Germanic contemporaries, is represented inAnglo-Saxon and Icelandic literature and writers suchas Tacitus (and is now the joint official religion ofIceland). Heathenry’s focus on honourable conductand an enduring reputation gives little attention tothe afterlife. Souls go to the halls of various gods anddo not return; treating graves and human remainswith care is simply part of respect for the ancestors.

Burial and the afterlife: what do modernpagans believe?Belief that can be held about the fate of the soulinclude extinguishment, reincarnation, an afterlife inan otherworld, future re-birth or some level ofcontinuing existence in this world. The first mightrequire total dissolution of the body before the soulalso achieves dissolution, hence the need forcremation or undisturbed burial over a long period;others contain some possibility of involvement in theworld of the living and hence potential concernabout the disposal of one’s body and care of its grave.

Past beliefsIt is not necessary to rehearse here what we know offunerary practice in Britain (Lucy 2000, Parker-Pearson1999, Taylor 2001) except to say that the variety ofdepositional types and a range of material and ritual‘expense’ implies similarly varied beliefs. While thefuneral and burial was a rite of passage for the spirit, itwas also a mechanism to aid adjustment of survivors,reintegrate the community and make social statements– and these having been done, the burial itself usuallygradually loses its relevance. Intercutting of graves andre-deposition of bones in early Anglo-Saxoncemeteries suggests little care for the burials’ integrityover time, despite the initial investment.

Reasons for reburial?An undisturbed burial and slow reduction of a bodyinto its native ground, in order to retain a unity ofland and spirit, is but one view that might have beenheld by some of our ancestors. If one holds this view,then removal prevents tranquillity for the soul

[reburial would give] ... the deep peace and rest ofthe good earth, such as we (unless we prefercremation) would wish ourselves, undisturbed, orat least, replaced in the earth after anyexhumation, until our bones became the soil offuture generations. (CoBDO website)

Further, there are assertions that excavated humanremains are not being used

archaeologists ... have evidence over and abovewhat is actually required at the moment, or in thefuture, ... the remains that they have in storage, orat least some of them, are indeed surplus torequirements. ... unknown specimens which sit incardboard boxes in dark basements, because theyare just more of the same, for which no oneseems to have any practical use ....

Those of us who work with human remains will findthis surprising: new questions and new techniques,particularly in the field of ancient DNA, allowassemblages to be revisited repeatedly.

Common ground?On the other hand, Emma Restall-Orr, a leadingshamanic druid of Honouring the Ancient Dead,expresses her view eloquently

As an animist, I perceive and experience humanremains as enspirited, in other words, as stillhumming with the stories of the individual, theircommunity and their landscape. ... they retain aconnection to the living, and thus deserve theconsideration of ... those with whom they havesome relational link, whether closely throughblood or cultural commonalities, or more broadlythrough a shared landscape and long history.(Interview with Pagans for Archaeology)

And HAD’s press release on the Avebury consultation

HAD’s more broadly reaching representation ofBritish Paganisms [in contrast to CoBDO’s] informsthat there is not a unanimous call for reburial ....While there are many whose animism andreverence for ancestors fuels a visceral need torebury excavated remains, there are others forwhom the stories gleaned and the materialpresence of the ancestral remains are moreimportant than reburial.

Archaeology, though fed by the application of varioussciences, is one of the humanities. Our value of thepast we have in common with modern pagans. As anosteoarchaeologist I believe the ancient human remainsto be no more than ‘diaries’ but I want to use thoseremains to tell the stories of individuals of the past. Inthat way I honour our ancestors, whoever they wereand whatever they believed, in a truly pagan spirit.

Corinne DuhigForensic Archaeologist and [email protected] 311796

Human remains, archaeologists and pagans: any common ground?

Lucy S 2000 The Anglo-Saxon way of death. Stroud: Sutton Publishing Ltd

Malim T and J Hines 1998 The Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Edix Hill (Barrington A), Cambridgeshire CBA Research Report 112

Parker-Pearson M 1999 The archaeology of death and burial. Stroud: Sutton Publishing

Taylor A 2001 Burial practice in early England. Stroud: Tempus Publishing

Council of British Druid Orders (www.cobdo.org.uk)

Pagan Federation (www.paganfed.org)

Pagans for Archaeology (archaeopagans.blogspot.com)

Honouring the Ancient Dead (www.honour.org.uk)

Intercutting Anglo-

Saxon graves at

Barrington Anglo-

Saxon cemetery: a

richly-equipped

double burial but

lower limbs

removed by later

interments (Malim

and Hines 1998

p139)

Recently, the Council of British Druid Orders made arequest for reburial of the child skeleton from Avebury.The resulting English Heritage/National Trustconsultation has brought into the media an apparentconflict between archaeology, seen as cold science, andits insensitivity to the beliefs of modern Europeanpagans and our pre-Christian ancestors. Yet, is thisreally so? As an osteoarchaeologist and a pagan, I donot find that my professional practice conflicts with mybeliefs.

Corinne Duhig

Mike Allen with the Wor barrow bones in Salisbury and South

Wiltshire Museum

s a field and environmental archaeologist I have,on occasion over the past 25 years, wished to

augment field-collected data with material collectedby previous archaeologists and now in a museumarchive. When I requested the opportunity to processand analyse soil samples taken from early and mid-20th century excavations to recover land snails,charcoal and other soil/sediment characteristics toaugment my research on prehistoric landscapes, onseveral occasions access to these ‘unstable’,unprocessed, soil samples was denied. Had denial tosome of my requests been accompanied withcomments such as ‘the research proposed on thesamples was not considered of great enough value or


significance to warrant their processing and loss forthe archive’, I might have appreciated such refusals,but often it was because ‘they were a part of thearchive’, and ‘that the museum had a duty to curateand conserve the material in the archive’! So what isthe archive for, if not for study by later generationswith new ideas and techniques?

There were, of course, museums that did facilitate myresearch requests; and work on samples from theCurwen’s excavations around Lewes, Sussex wereanalysed as a part of work published in 1995. Wheresamples from more recent excavations at Vespasian’sCamp had been taken for land snail analysis but no

Many argue that when human bones and

other environmental evidence have been

studied they can be re-buried or discarded

as they will no longer add to knowledge.

Others insist that anything that has been

accessioned is sacrosanct and cannot be

sampled for analysis. As an environmental

archaeologist, I have seen both sides and

would like to make a case for the value of

archive material and for its proper use –

and for my ideal curator.

analyst found, the museum (Salisbury and SouthWiltshire Museum) were only too delighted. Theycould realise the original aims of the deposition andreduce the quantity of boxes stored in limited archivespace.

General Pitt RiversImagine my trepidation, therefore, when I had theopportunity potentially to examine a whole set ofNeolithic human bones from a long barrow inassociation with English Heritage-funded training andresearch, with radiocarbon dating and Bayesianmodelling. The barrow? Wor Barrow, Dorset, no less,excavated by General Pitt Rivers. The training andresearch would dovetail into impressive andgroundbreaking work on dating long barrows byAlasdair Whittle and the doyenne of radiocarbondating modelling, Alex Bayliss, and also into recentlycompleted and published research in CranborneChase by Charly French, Helen Lewis, Martin Green,myself and others.

Obtaining the bonesWe were fortunate indeed to find Jane Ellis-Schön,curator at Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. She thought like an archaeologist and her philosophywas that the archives should be available for furthereducation and research; her role was one offacilitating good and approved research on thematerial within her guardianship. An application toexamine the archives, undertake research on theexcavation records, and remove samples for AMSradiocarbon dating and modelling was welcomed.After concerted preliminary research and selection,key long bones and antlers were selected for pre-sampling examination of potential pathology. Whilstthis work was in progress the possibility ofundertaking DNA or stable isotope analysis wasconsidered, so the items were to include a number of human skulls or mandibles too.

Just what a museum should be!The agreed day of removal fell during half term, and Salisbury & South Wilts Museum was buzzingwith school children during an educational event;many had faces painted as Egyptians, and otherswere dressed, in a fashion, like pharaohs with sheetsand robes. I was in the archives hidden from view,clipboard in hand and white coat donned, searchingthe hand-made boxes General Pitt Rivers hadcommissioned to store the human bones. Afterremoving bones and placing a card indicating whathad been removed, by whom and when, I carefullyboxed up the human remains. But one of the skullson my list was not in the archive ... it was on display.No problem, said Jane Ellis-Schön, getting keys to the

display cabinet, politely parting groups of childrenand opening the case. The human skull was carefullylifted with gloved hands and popped into anappropriate box. Thus, during that moment, thegallery entertained school children bedecked inancient Egyptian attire and following a history (orprehistory) trail; a couple of university studentsreading labels and assiduously taking notes; a curatoraiding research by lending material on display, andresearcher obtaining primary material for study. ...just what a museum should be!

Learning from the human bonesPotential research and new information the humanbones can offer is incalculable. Already this project,originally just a simple one to date Neolithicinhumations in Wor barrow, offers much greaterpotential. The possibility exists for full reanalysis ofthe human remains by Martin Smith fromBournemouth University, who has recently published a book on skeletons from Neolithic longbarrows (p50). The dating may allow us to determine the longevity of use of the monument;how long, at the generational scale, did the severalphases of mortuary practices last before beingentombed in the chalk and earthen barrow –centuries, generations or decades? How long was itbetween the primary and secondary burial practices– could they have known, or known of each other?Further, the possibility of DNA and isotope analysismay allow us to examine whether they were all localor whether some lived and were brought up furtherafield – we already know that Neolithic skeletonsfound not far from Wor barrow (Cranborne lady andaccompanying children) originated from Mendip,and the Amesbury Archer from the Alps. Were thoseburied in Wor barrow all related to each other andbelong to the same extended family? Such questionswill help us to continue to make huge leaps in ourunderstanding of the British Neolithic and of ourpast. These were questions that we could notconceive were possible answering (or even asking) ageneration ago, let alone when Pitt Rivers excavatedthem in 1893-4.

So thank goodness for museum archives and forresponsible curators – without them both our, and thenext, generations would be much poorer ininformation and the lack of such remains for studywould stifle and retard our understanding of peopleand communities who lived here before us.

Mike AllenAllen Environmental ArchaeologySenior Lecturer Bournemouth [email protected]

B O N E S I N B OX E S– whatever are they for? Mike Allen

A

Worcester

Cathedral from the

north-west.

Photograph by

Christopher Guy,

© Dean and

Chapter of

Worcester

Cathedral


parish churches, where approval for the disturbance ofhuman remains can be granted under the Facultysystem, a licence has to be obtained from the Ministryof Justice to comply with the 1857 Burials Act. Thepresumption when undertaking any excavation at theCathedral is that, whenever possible, articulatedskeletons will be left in situ. However, this is notalways feasible. For example, an excavation inside theChapter House in 2003 in advance of underfloorheating and a new stone floor required digging to adepth of 600mm below the existing wooden floor inorder to lay insulation etc.

Documentary research only produced reference toone burial, ‘at the entrance to the chapter house’, in1170. In the event, the remains of the first burials tobe discovered were found at a depth of 200mm, justbelow the joists supporting the Victorian floor. Theoptions were to cease excavation and install a newfloor without underfloor heating or to lift thoseburials where the highest level of the bones was lessthan 500mm below finished floor level. Inconsultation with English Heritage and the CathedralsFabric Commission the latter option was agreed.

EARLY POPULATIONBy the end of the excavation just over 180 articulatedskeletons had been lifted, with many others left insitu. Almost all date from the Saxon period andinclude men, women and children. The discovery ofthese burials has provided an opportunity for theskeletons of a random sample of the lay population

Work on burials within Worcester Cathedral is auseful case history for illustrating the ways humanremains are treated within a tightly subscribedscenario with strict state and formal Christianoversight. The Cathedral has been a centre forChristian worship since at least the late 7th century,with documentary evidence for two Saxon cathedralspredating the present one, which was started in 1084.Documents refer to the cemetery associated with thefirst Saxon cathedral and to the Norman castle takingin part of the monastic cemetery. During themedieval period the Cathedral cemetery was themain site for burial of the population of Worcester.Therefore any excavation within or around theCathedral is likely to encounter human remains.

LICENSING SYSTEMSArchaeological work at Worcester Cathedral requiresthe approval of numerous bodies. The entire precinct isa scheduled monument, and application also has to bemade to the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England(which governs works to Anglican cathedrals). Unlike

of Anglo-Saxon Worcester to be analysed, to learnmore about their diet, health and stature.

CHILD BURIALSAn initial analysis of the articulated skeletons wascarried out by Jo Buckberry of the University ofBradford, while detailed analysis is being undertakenby post-graduate students at the Institute ofArchaeology, University of London, under theguidance of Tony Waldron. The work so far hasshown that 43% of the individuals were under 15years old when they died, a greater number thannormally found in skeletal assemblages, and therewas also a relatively large number of foetuses andneonates, reflecting Christian insistence on theimportance of treating every soul equally. Whencompleted, the information from the analysis will becombined with the evidence of coffins, stonearrangements and burial position to build a betterpicture of Anglo-Saxon burial rites.

ACCESS TO REMAINSFollowing completion of analysis the skeletons willbe reinterred in a charnel crypt to the north of theCathedral. This was constructed in 1224, when theLady Chapel at the east end of the Cathedral wasbuilt on the site of the post-Conquest monks’cemetery. The reburial will thus be withinconsecrated ground and will be carried out with duereverence and an appropriate ceremony. However,most crucially, it will still be possible to access theremains so that they can be re-studied should a

compelling case be made for this to be done.

REBURIALOne skeleton from the site has already been reburied.This was found within a stone-lined grave aligned onthe Norman entrance to the Chapter House anddated from the late 14th or early15th century.Disarticulated human bones were found in the upperfills of this grave. Although the floor of the grave waslower than the depth agreed as the limit ofexcavation, it was felt that – in this instance – thegrave should be fully excavated. The CFCE agreed,subject to reinterment of the remains within theoriginal grave. Only the lower legs were found in situbut much of the rest of the skeleton was still presentwithin the disturbed fills. Following analysis, theskeleton was laid out on the floor of the grave and ashort service of re-commital was led by the VeryReverend Peter Marshall (Dean of Worcester) beforethe grave was back-filled and the new floor laid overit. A large quantity of disarticulated human bone wasfound throughout the cemetery, reflecting the way thecemetery was used and reused over the centuries, thefamiliar pattern that is found too in parish churches.These bones will also be studied and reinterred in thecharnel crypt in due course.

Christopher GuyWorcester Cathedral ArchaeologistChapter Office8 College YardWorcester WR1 2LA

Burials below the

north-west

quadrant of the

Chapter House.

Photograph by

Christopher Guy,

© Dean and

Chapter of

Worcester

Cathedral

WORCESTERCATHEDRAL:excavating human remains in a Christian contextChristopherGuy

Reburying the human remains from Jewbury.

Photograph: Anne Grauer


quickly. However, ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups fromGateshead and Macclesfield became concerned andmade forceful representations, as a result of whichthe Chief Rabbi said that the skeletons should bereburied quickly. Study of the bones was brought to apremature end; the bones were handed over to aJewish group and, after a delay of some months, wereburied in part of the area they had come from.

Were the right decisions made? Should the burialshave been excavated? And should their study havebeen stopped like this? Recent guidelines don’t coverthis situation; but the approaches they take suggest amore general set of questions that it may be useful toconsider.

What would the individual or community that thedead person came from have wanted? On the basisof knowledge of general Jewish practice, notdisturbing burials would have been important. Thereare, however, indications (eg use of nails andorientation of the burials) that the York communitymay not have conformed with modern Orthodoxpractice.

Does any particular individual or group ofindividuals have more right to decide what happensto these human remains than anyone else? On thesame basis, it is clear that the Jewish community hascloser links with these burials than most of the Britishpopulation, and the cemetery was well looked afterbefore its abandonment was caused by expulsion ofthe Jews. Whether a very Orthodox group has abetter right to assert links with the dead than liberalJews or those of the Reform tradition, is morequestionable. Those now living in York also have aninterest created by place.

What harm or benefit is done by a particular courseof action? This question requires us to consider notonly the feelings of religious communities, but alsoarchaeologists, scientists and others who believe thatit is wrong not to study and try to understand ourpast, and possible contributions to science andmedicine as well as to archaeology and history.

Is a particular course of action reversible orirreversible? Because knowledge changes and beliefsmay change, a reversible action is to be preferred.This recognises the rights of unborn generations, andthat what appears right today may not appear so inthe future.

Applying these principles to Jewbury with the benefitof hindsight and with a present mindset, the decisionto excavate on a large scale now seems ratherquestionable. There wasn’t much doubt that the

There has been much recent soul-searching aboutwhether it is right to excavate and study humanremains. This has been triggered by the Human TissueAct 2004, a response to ways in which hospitals andmedical researchers have treated recent humanremains, and to the issue of the repatriation fromBritish museums of remains collected during thecolonial era. The issues are different for olderskeletons from British archaeological excavations, butwhen concerns are expressed we need a sensitiveand reasonable way to consider how much weight togive to them. Ignoring them is not a sensible courseof action.

Jewish cemeteryThe problem can be illustrated by a particularlydifficult and sensitive case – excavation of Jewburycemetery in York. In 1980, the City of York Councilwanted to develop open land known as Jewbury, justoutside the Roman and medieval walls. There wasdocumentary evidence that this land had been acemetery for the Jewish community in York beforetheir expulsion in 1290: a slightly later sourcedescribed it as antiquum cimiterium Judaeorum, andit is clear that the relevant land was owned at thetime by members of the Jewish community. So whenCoYC brought in the York Archaeological Trust toadvise, they in their turn contacted the office of theChief Rabbi, Dr Immanuel Jakobowitz, who advisedthat an evaluation excavation was acceptableprovided that any burials were treated with respect.

The trial excavation in 1982 showed that there werelarge numbers of well-preserved burials orientednorth-south. The Chief Rabbi’s office decided that theburials were probably not Jewish, mainly becausethey were not oriented east-west. They therefore hadno objection to excavation, again provided that thehuman remains were treated with respect andreburied. Full excavation was therefore agreed inareas due to be disturbed by development. Around400 burials were excavated. It was clear from potteryin the grave fills that most were medieval (some wereRoman). Most were coffined, there was littleintercutting, and almost no grave goods. While therewere some unexpected findings – particularly thecommon use of iron coffin nails and other fittings(not acceptable in Orthodox Jewish practice), therewas little doubt that the medieval burials were 13th-century and Jewish.

Rapid reburialAs the Home Office licence stipulated reburial withina year, plans to study the remains were taken forward

burials were Jewish and this, coupled withknowledge of Jewish beliefs about burial andrecognition of the irreversibility of excavation,suggests that we might think more carefully aboutwhether development and excavation were justified,despite the economic benefit of development.However, once the burials had been excavated, wewould probably be less ready to stop their study, asany additional harm done by this is small.

Wrong decisions?In retrospect, it appears that doubt about whether itwas really right to excavate the burials may havemade it more difficult to resist pressure to make thesecond questionable decision to stop study; and thatthis may have been reinforced by the fear of negativepublicity. Whether we would have made differentdecisions now is unknowable; but I hope we wouldnow have a clearer framework within which to weighup and try to balance different and conflictingconsiderations.

Particular thanks for information and for helpfuldiscussion are due to Richard Hall, Nick Pearson andChristine Kyriakou of YAT, to Don Brothwell and TerryO’Connor of York University, and to Anne Grauer ofLoyola University of Chicago. I am particularlygrateful to Nick Pearson, who bore the brunt ofevents. It is a tribute to him and to others involved inthe post-excavation study that so much was achievedin spite of what happened.

Sebastian PayneChief ScientistEnglish Heritage

Sebastian Payne

Lilley JM, Stroud G, Brothwell DR and Williamson MH (eds), 1994 The Jewish burial ground at Jewbury, The Archaeology of York 12: The Medieval cemeteries 3, YAT / CBA

Human Tissue Act 2004http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/ukpga_20040030_en_1

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Scientificdevelopmentgeneticsandbioethics/Tissue/Tissuegeneralinformation/DH_4102169

DCMS 2005 Guidance for the care of human remains in museumshttp://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/GuidanceHumanRemains11Oct.pdf

Church of England / English Heritage 2005 Guidance for best practicefor treatment of human remains excavated from Christian burial groundsin England.

http://www.helm.org.uk/upload/pdf/Guidance_for_best_practice_for_treatment_of_human_remains_excavated_from_Christian_burial_grounds_in_England.pdf?1245085103

Is it right to excavateand studyhumanremains?Re-examining

the issues of

Jewbury

Dougald Reilly at Angkor Wat

Human tooth cross sections and enamel fragments prepared for in-situ analysis of strontium and oxygen by Laser-Ablation ICP-MS and

SHRIMP (Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe). Photograph: Richard Armstrong


BIOARCHAEOLOGY Health, human mobility and social differentiation arefundamental to three archaeological issues ofmainland south east Asia – the nature of earlyagrarian rice growing communities, the impact of‘Indianisation’ on the formation of the state, and thedevelopment and demise of empires. Accompanyingthese cultural transformations is changingaccessibility, distribution and use of resources, oftenlinked to population movement. By employingintegrated bioarchaeological analysis of humanskeletal remains – the physical attributes andevidence of disease combined with isotopic evidencefor variability of diet and migration, gauged with areliable chronology – we can enhance understandingof temporal changes in residential behaviour, ritualtraditions, health and mobility of agriculturalcommunities in the formative stages of statedevelopment during the rise and decline of south eastAsia’s most powerful state, centred on Angkor.

NEW DATING FOR BONEOur research design utilises major advances inisotopic analytical techniques to extract culturalinformation, and the latest methods to date crematedbone. In addition to establishing a chronology forisotopic change, we will pursue a significant issueregarding poor preservation of bone for dating in

A team from the University of Sydney, led by

Dougald O’Reilly, is studying diet, mobility

and social organisation from Cambodian skeletal

assemblages c 2500 BC to the 17th century AD.

The project utilises interdisciplinary collaborations

with Rafter Radiocarbon at GNS Science, New

Zealand and the Australian National University’s

Research School of Earth Sciences to enhance

traditional archaeological techniques.

Much of our early knowledge of Cambodian culturalhistory was based on fragmentary textual evidenceand sparse references in Chinese annals from the firstcenturies AD. Early archaeological research gleanedinsights about the rise of the Khmer Empire frommonumental architecture, art and Sanskritinscriptions, while recent excavation and analysishave focused on individual sites, settlement patterns,palaeoenvironmental issues and pre-statedevelopments.

south east Asian sites and similar environmentalregions. Bone consists of a mineral fraction,bioapatite, and a protein fraction, collagen, which isthe material of choice for radiocarbon analysis.Alternating wet/dry conditions and heat can rapidlydegrade collagen; while the bioapatite fraction willappear to remain largely intact, its crystallinestructure can become contaminated with carbonatesfrom environmental sources, leading to spuriousradiocarbon ages. We are trialing techniques at RafterRadiocarbon to identify the extent of burial alterationusing techniques such as Particle Induced X-rayEmission (PIXE) analysis of elemental concentrationsof manganese to identify the extent of bioapatitedegradation. Additionally, results from recentexperiments suggest that in some specific cases, amodified chemical treatment technique might allowreliable dating of this mineral fraction of bone.

To examine residential mobility and environmentalvariability, we will use state of the art analyticalequipment and sampling procedures pioneered at theAustralian National University for laser-ablation ICP-MS and SHRIMP (Sensitive High Resolution IonMicroProbe) for in-situ strontium and oxygen isotopeanalysis. Both techniques require only extremelysmall sample sizes and permit the isotopic mappingof skeletal material at unprecedented spatialresolution, providing highly detailed records ofenvironmental change and migration.

JAR BURIALSRegional and temporal changes in documentedmortuary practices are an aspect of our research, butwe also have the exciting opportunity to investigate aheretofore unknown practice. Since 2003 I havestudied enigmatic jar burial sites in the CardamomMountains of southern Cambodia, and this intriguingresearch is incorporated into our current project. Inthe Cardamoms we find a culturally unique customof secondary internment of multiple skeletons inlarge pottery jars, which were then placed in naturalrock ledges at remote locations throughout theCardamom massif. Preliminary analysis from the firstsite to be analysed indicates its use from AD 1440 toperhaps as late as AD1630. Questions about whocreated these sites and how long the practice lastedwill be addressed by radiocarbon dating and isotopicanalysis of skeletal material for clues about residencyand diet, at two more of the estimated thirteen suchsites in the massif.

We are hoping that this integration of advancedisotopic analytical techniques with classicalarchaeological methods for physical skeletal analysiswill enhance our understanding of temporal changesin population, health, diet, and patterns of mobility ofthe agrarian communities of the 2nd and 1stmillennia BC, through to the formative stages of statedevelopment, and into the late- and post-Angkorianworld after the 15th century AD.

Nancy Beavan-AthfieldRafter RadiocarbonGNS Science, New [email protected]

B I OA RC H A E O LO G Y AND CULTURAL HISTORY IN CAMBODIANancy Beavan Athfield, Louise Shewan, Richard Armstrong, Dougald O’Reilly

The enigmatic secondary jar burials of the Cardamom Mountains,

Cambodia. Photograph: John Miksic

PIXE graph of characteristic x-rays produced by particle atom

interaction which identifies elemental makeup of the three samples

of chemically treated bone carbonate, showing major elemental

peaks. Here levels of Manganese (Mn) are highest for KVC(22), a

bone carbonate sample returning 14C ages in agreement with

associated tooth protein.

Australians on parade in Martin Brown’s

village © Market Lavington Museum


Dealing with a soldier’s bodyThe procedure for dealing with finds of humanremains from the Great War is strictly controlled inthis part of Belgium. Excavation work soon confirmedthat we had a soldier’s body rather than simply anisolated boot and at this point work stopped. Wereported the find to the local police station who, inturn informed the army. After several police visits andone from the Royal Procurator the armyrepresentative arrived to supervise exhumation.Although this work is normally carried out by theBelgian Army, in this instance they were happy todefer to our team as we had a full forensic set-up. Wehad further calls to make, informing theCommonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) inthe UK and Ypres and then the Joint Casualty andCompassionate Centre of the MoD in Gloucester.

Round-the-clock vigilOur excavation work aimed, as much as on anyarchaeological site, at gaining maximum informationabout the man, his life and death, and perhaps evenhis identity. The site was covered with a tent andfenced to prevent visitors getting too close (notentirely successfully) and an embargo on presscoverage was enforced throughout the team. Forensicrecovery of a body takes its time – longer than that

We are soon going to a military funeral. It is the funeral of aman who once probably paraded in the Wiltshire village ofone author (Martin’s) and who may have known thegrandfather of another (Richard’s). It also happens to be thefuneral for a man whose remains we recovered in anexcavation in 2008. Archaeology of Great War sites and inparticular the sensitivities of recovering remains throws upsome unusual challenges.

taken to excavate a skeleton on many sites of earliervintage. Our team worked with the constant fear oflooting – the man we found was NEVER left aloneand a round-the-clock vigil was mounted in orderthat no looting of artefacts for souvenirs at night waspossible.

Australian insignia and a live hand grenade We soon found insignia that showed the soldier tohave been an Australian, from the attacks of 1917,and thus a further layer of protocol with theAustralian Embassy was required. When excavationand recording were completed, the remains of thesoldier were taken by the Belgian Army on behalf ofthe CWGC prior to a forensic pathological anddentistry report being undertaken. After rapidconserving and recording of all artefacts, includingmicroscopy work, these too were handed over to theArmy and now reside with the Australian Embassy –the only artefact not retained being a live handgrenade found with the soldier’s equipment. Althoughpart of the original panoply of arms, after beingrecorded, this artefact was disposed of by our on-siteExplosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) cover.The artefacts not only revealed the man’s nationality,they told much about his death. Unlike many burialsthey had not been placed in a grave by grievingrelatives in a defined ritual; they spoke more abouthim – being provided by his Regiment or collectedby him.

Personal connections Many of the excavation team had a personalconnection to the Great War, often with stories offamily members and their roles in the conflict – oneeven had a relative amongst those ‘missing’ in theimmediate locality. As such, this work differs hugelyfrom work connected to a Roman cemeteryor a Bronze Age burial. At the end ofthe excavation we held a small,quiet ceremony on site toremember the man and thoseothers that had suffered inthis area over 90 yearsago.

A name on a headstoneOn returning toEngland news of ourdiscovery was releasedand we were soonfaced with emails fromAustralia from thosewhose relatives wereamongst the missing fromMessines – could this betheir relative – could they betested for DNA in efforts toidentify and bury the soldier? TheAustralian government and armyhistory unit are now heavily engaged in thenext stage – to identify the man. The Australianmilitary attaché did not want us to show images ofthe body which might be seen by children orgrandchildren. Hence you will not see a photo of theman here. Yet he was a man, not an artefact, onewith a narrative. All efforts are now being made toensure that when we attend the funeral, there will bea name on a headstone with a ceremony attended byfamily members flown out by the Australiangovernment. Otherwise, he will still be buried – as anAustralian soldier of the Great War, known unto God.Full details of this project including the recovery ofthe soldier will appear this summer in ExcavatingPlugstreet, the archaeology of a Great War Battlefield,Martin Brown and Richard Osgood (Haynes, Yeovil).

Martin Brown Richard OsgoodHistoric Environment Team, Defence Estates Building 21, Westdown Camp Tilshead Salisbury SP3 4RS

The authors, both archaeologists with DefenceEstates, are also members of the European Group forGreat War Archaeology; No-Man’s-Land. On one ofour excavations we recovered the body of an Alliedsoldier next to the old German front line nearPloegsteert Wood in Wallonia.

‘Known Unto God’ –excavating an Australian soldierof the Great WarMartin Brown and Richard Osgood

Another personal

connection – Richard

Osgood’s grandfather

served in the same

campaign and in the

same Australian Third

Division (in the

artillery). He was

wounded but

survived the

war

Artefacts found with the soldier -

his Australian insignia (a button,

collar dog ‘Rising Sun’ badge, and

shoulder title ‘Australia’). © No-

Man’s-Land Archaeology

The nearby cemetery of Toronto Avenue. Toronto Avenue is the last resting place of large

numbers of Australians – most from the 33rd Btn and killed on the morning of the Messines

attack. Our man probably served in this unit


how much new knowledge is currently being gainedfrom re-studying old collections.

Although all issues are covered, this is a practical textbook that concentrates on practical concerns. Thereis useful advice on the effects of different burialenvironments and on what to look out for duringexcavation and recording, and instructions forprocessing and packing (tough but no doubt fair –hard water can be damaging, no exposure to directsunlight, fancy boxes….). Health and safetyinstructions are fairly reassuring – risks of contractingdisease are ‘highly negligible’ except for more recentburials, but these are rather hair raising. It isinteresting and reassuring to note that the best way toestimate height is to measure the skeleton in theground rather than using mathematical models in thelab. Train and trust your diggers! When studyingdisease, we must face the paradox that bones tend toreveal what people survived not what they died from,as bone change takes time and a strong immunesystem. And data can inform us how people copedwith trauma and disease, with splints and dressings,copper alloy plates attached to joints, as well astrepanation. Her discussion of problems of age atdeath estimation unfortunately destroys some of thefaith non-scientists place in these statistics, but it isgood to be directed to non-archaeological records forback-up on ageing, at least for medieval and modernremains. The only weak point is descriptions of burialpractices, too great a topic to tackle alongside thescientific issues.

Useful too are descriptions of the relevant ‘hardsciences’ such as histological methods, radiography,ancient DNA and the stable isotope analysis which ishaving such an impact on our understanding ofmigration. There is also appreciation of archaeology’scontribution to understanding modern diseases –apparently we can’t for example blame farm animalsfor TB, as human had it first (by 5800+/-90 BC).

Looking to the future, Charlotte Roberts pleads forimprovements in curation conditions, for moredebate on destructive sampling and for betterdialogue with bioarchaeologists before reburial ispursued. Most especially she wants more access toand publication of grey literature that containsskeleton analysis, but ‘of key importance is thedevelopment of a database of curated skeletalremains in Britain’.

Human remains in archaeology: a handbookCharlotte A RobertsPractical handbooks in Archaeology No 19

CBA 2009 292pp £20

And this is how and why we should look at ancienthuman remains.

Prof Roberts has produced an authoritative guide thattakes us through ethical and religious concerns,current legal requirements in England and Wales,Scotland and Northern Ireland, ways the dead havebeen disposed of, recommended excavation andprocessing techniques, how to analyse bones, howdiseases may be recognised, other scientifictechniques and their possibilities, and somesuggestions for further research and exploration. Eachchapter ends with key learning points for studentreaders, and there are clear diagrams and other aidsto learning.

The scale of the research potential is of courseenormous. She quotes 10,516 skeletons fromSpitalfields alone, and cemeteries of all periods arebeing discovered and excavated in large numbersevery year, being one type of site it is impossible fora developer to ignore. Thus archaeologists mustconstantly balance responsibilities to the dead, to theliving and to science. In this we are fortunate for thepublic, when consulted, seem to trust archaeologiststo get this right. Long-term curation of bones is alsosupported, again fortunately, as new statistics show

A Neolithic ring ditch and later prehistoricfeatures at Staines Road Farm, SheppertonPhil JonesSpoilHeap Monograph 1 2008 84pp £10 + £2.50 p&p

To order, or for further details please contact:

Jane Robertson, Surrey History Centre, 130 Goldsworth

Road, Woking GU21 6ND (01483 518778,

[email protected]

This is a rescued publication of work carried out in1989, fortunately written by one of the originalexcavation team. The main monument consisted of asegmented circular ditch of the mid-4th millenniumBC, lined with white clay and with partial remains ofa crouched and a supine burial in the ditch, fromwhich some bones had been removed afterdecomposition of soft tissue. The preferredexplanation for this is inadvertent disturbance whenthe burial had been forgotten. There was no burial orother feature within the ring, so the monumentpresumably had some other function. The ditch fillalso contained antler picks and dog or wolf remains,and an important assemblage of Neolithic pottery.Adjacent occupation dating a millennium laterincluded a burnt mound with hearth and boiling pit,and close by was a pit alignment leading to the RiverAsh, which itself flows into the Thames. The ditchalso produced a great quantity of struck flint,generally poor quality and gathered from theimmediate locality. Refits were noted, and one canassume the mound was used as a knapping site, inthe manner of many later barrows. If forced toclassify this monument, the author plumps for a smallhenge, and it would be useful to have seen thisreflected in the title and summary (always read thefinal discussion first……..).

It is a miracle to get a 20-year-old excavation of suchan unconventional site into this clear well-presentedformat, all analyses in place and due considerationfor inevitable anomalies. It even includes some old-fashioned virtues such as fine and plentiful flint andpottery drawings. This is the first SpoilHeap venturewhich, if pursued, should bring many deserving sitesto proper attention.

People of the long barrows: life, death andburial in the earlier NeolithicMartin Smith and Megan BrickleyThe History Press 2009 192pp £18.99

Several hundred long mounds are the most commonand characteristic monuments of the earlier Neolithic(c. 4000 – 3000 BC), unevenly spread through Britainand paralleled by similar mounds in NW Europe.Recent Bayesian analysis (Bayliss and Whittle 2007)suggests the time span for burial was much shorterthan previously thought, basically 3700 – 3600 BC.Though their functions were broader the vast majoritycontain burials, and it is the burials rather than the

architecture of the mounds or other aspects of lifethat concerns these authors, both biologicalanthropologists. The burials they discuss supply thefirst significant quantity of human remains fromprehistoric Britain and, although individualcollections are described as ‘small, fragmented andpoorly documented’, together and with continuedanalysis their potential for insight into the firstagriculturalists is immense.

Exploring genetic traits for example, for familialrelationships, they show that bones that have beenrecently re-examined demonstrate quite closerelationships, and that these have considerableR

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Life and death in a Roman city: Excavationof Roman cemetery with a mass grave at120-122 London Road, Gloucester

Andrew Simmonds, Nicholas Marqez-Grant andLouse LoeOxford Archaeology Monograph No 6 2008 182pp £19.99

Work on part of a cemetery established for thenearby fortress in Gloucester in the Neronian periodand used by the succeeding colonia until the 4thcentury contained a sequence of cremation andinhumation burials plus a mass grave and two carvedtombstones. A small number of 1st-century burialsincluded crouched bodies in the native fashionalongside cremations, some in urns and

potential for ancient DNA in relation to modernpopulations, mesolithic predecessors and their NWEuropean contemporaries. Perceptions of the periodare challenged by the growing body of evidence forviolence, with perimortem fractures inflicted by axesand clubs as well as arrows wounds being far morecommon than might be expected. As there is newevidence that individuals from barrows werecontemporary with (and possibly actually were) thebuilders of Crickley Hill, this may be no coincidence.It is also puzzling to note that there are moreindividuals with disabling conditions than normallyfound in archaeological samples or normalpopulations.

Despite regional variations in the form ofmonuments, treatment of bodies is broadly similarthrough Britain. A common feature is evidence forcontinued attention to handling the bones, withvaried spatial arrangements performed over longperiods (we are reminded too of the possibilities ofantiquarian activities, no doubt often unrecorded,that have also disturbed and rearranged/removedbones). Neolithic bones were clearly protected fromexcessive damage in a terrain where wolves anddogs, known to totally destroy exposed skeletons,were common, so excarnation by exposure generallydoes not fit the evidence on many sites. Clues for thespread of gluten and lactose intolerance into modernBritain form another fascinating thread that can bestudied through the rapid spread of these earliestagriculturalists.

accompanied by grave goods, such as gaming setsand glass unguent bottles, in a very different traditionthat in this area arrived with the army in AD 49. Fromthe 2nd century the burials (64 of them) are allinhumations with few grave goods, and the site isconsidered a fairly low status area of a much largercemetery. The most significant element of the site wasa mass grave which contained a haphazard jumble ofaround 90 bodies, thought to result from theAntonine Plague of smallpox (165 – 189 AD). Theentangled skeletons, which required complicatednew recording systems to be devised, fitted thedemography of other burials on the site in sex(though with an even higher proportion of men towomen, 2.5:1) and physical attributes, but the agerange fitted a ‘living population’ rather than usual

The Black Death cemetery, East Smithfield,LondonIan Grainger, Duncan Hawkins, Lynne Cowal andRichard MikolskiMoLAS Monograph 43 2008 63 pp £10.95 hb

As part of the City’s mechanisms for coping with theplague of 1348-1350 two emergency burial groundswere opened, one on this site. Excavations of some759 burials, some in orderly individual graves butmost in mass burial trenches and a pit, enabled thefirst analysis of a large-scale cemetery of this kind inBritain. In contrast to Gloucester’s Roman plague pit(above), bodies were carefully placed and packeddensely, up to five deep, with infants fitted into sparespaces. A few were in coffins, occasionally withash/charcoal (one with fish bones: hearth rakings?).Some still had buckles for fastening underwear, andcoins, some in purses, occurred (presumably no onewanted to come too close to infected corpses). Apartfrom one prone and one flexed body, all were supineand extended. Age profiles did not mark this siteparticularly as a catastrophe cemetery, for it variedfrom normal attritional cemeteries only in that therewere few infants and few over 45. Despite braveattempts, analysis of the bones has not yetcontributed to debates on the causes of Black Death.Average heights were slightly on the low side for latermedieval cemeteries, and teeth showed dietarydeficiencies in childhood, so perhaps this was aweaker than usual portion of the population, but nodifferences were found in adults who would havebeen children during famines earlier in the 14thcentury and younger adults.

This is challenging read, with (Leverhume-backed)data so fresh it is in places hard to digest. The authorscertainly make the case for new techniques thatjustify extensive re-examination of available humanremains of this date. It will be interesting to see howimmediate results are fitted into or refined byarchaeologists approaching evidence from otherperspectives.

mortality profiles. Most had died in the prime of life,and there were no signs of violence. Two gravestones,one dedicated to a slave boy and one to a soldierwere other exceptional finds. Another interesting ifnot unexpected result of this excavation is thatisotope analysis demonstrates a range of origins forthe population, some local, some from elsewhere inBritain, some Mediterranean and two from someother non-UK source.

The monograph is set out clearly and for ease of use,in a concise version of the traditional format and withhelpful use of colour throughout. OxfordArchaeology has set the bar high and this quality ofreport is now accepted as almost standard forsignificant sites.

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women being churched after childbirth and eightchildren being baptized, all together in the smallchurch. Tables of burial fees giving prices for differentage and social groups demonstrate that somemembers of society expect more careful andtherefore long-lasting burials than others – ahousekeeper’s child under 8 buried in the commonarea was the cheapest, at 7s 4d, and a vault in thebest burying ground costing £16 16d the mostexpensive. Documentary and archaeologicalevidence are combined to give a vivid picture of thecontemporary funeral trade, which in its attitudes isenlightening for students of other periods of death,and there is a horrific picture of mortality, with nearlyhalf the population of this advanced parish dyingunder 10 years old. Numerous name plates enablevarious personal histories to be associated withgraves, the most significant being that of CharlesWesley, Methodist hymn writer, and his family. Otherevidence includes dentistry, feet malformed byfashionable shoes, TB (very common), syphilis(surprisingly rare), fist fights, autopsies, pipe smokingand the effects of corsets.

As in the Black Death report (above), interdisciplinarystrands needed to research and analyse evidence fora site of this nature are superbly knitted together andlavishly published in hard back, with (forMarylebone) plentiful use of colour andreproductions of contemporary illustrations. Thereports demonstrate just how much archaeologists arenow able to contribute to history of all periods.


St Marylebone church and burial ground inthe 18th and 19th centuriesAdrian Miles, Natasha Powers and Robin Wroe-Brown with Don WalkerMoLAS Monograph 46 2008 172pp £18.95 hb

Between the existence of a medieval and a 19th-century church a small brick one was in use here inMarylebone, 1742 to 1817, serving a relativelywealthy population. Its congregation, preservedbeneath a school playing field, is examined here. Theburials included 107 named examples, severalburials in crypts, 348 wooden coffins and 57 leadones.

The report benefits from exceptional documentaryevidence. This includes contemporary drawings,parish and burial accounts and even an eye witness(and eye-watering) description of life inside thechurch in 1807. Then, despite the parish being the‘largest and most opulent in the capital’, poorfacilities meant that at the time of the visit there werefive corpses awaiting burial lying on trestles, five

The Prehistoric Society has just launched (at its Europa conference in York on 30May) a new monograph series under SeriesEditors Mike Allen and David McOmish.This will fill a need that the PrehistoricSociety identified for good-quality books on prehistoric themes, concentrating onresearch projects and conference papers,but not single excavation reports. These willcomplement the Society’s respectedProceedings, with broader treatment of keyresearch areas. The series has a distinctiveformat; the books are published in hardcover and imaginatively designed.

Already published is From Bann flakes to Bushmills;papers in honour of Professor Peter Woodman (edsNyree Finlay, Sinéad McCartan, Nicky Milner &Caroline Wickham-Jones). This covers many aspectsof predominantly Mesolithic archaeology in Ireland,mainland Britain and north-west Europe, reflectingthe range and breadth of Peter’s own interests and theinternational esteem in which his work is held.

Next will be Land and People: papers in memory ofJohn G Evans, edited by Michael J Allen, NiallSharples and Terry O’Connor, celebrating JohnEvans’s pioneering contribution to environmentalarchaeology. Papers considering prehistoric farming,past landscapes, and how people engaged with thecountryside in which they lived required botharchaeological and environmental archaeologicalenquiry.

Materialitas: shaping stone, carving identity, edited byBlaze O’Connor, Gabriel Cooney and JohnChapman, explores the power and effect of stonethrough the meanings that emerged out of people’sengagement and encounters with its physicalproperties. Focused primarily on the Neolithic andBronze Age of Atlantic Europe it brings togetherauthors working on the materiality of stone objects,rock art, monuments and quarrying activity.

A fourth volume, on the British Chalcolithic, is underpreparation for publication in 2010.

Two volumes have already been announced at aspecial pre-publication discount of £25 (full price£35). For further details of all these titles, see‘Research Papers’, on the Prehistoric Society’swebsite, www.prehistoricsociety.org.

The Prehistoric Society will keep IfA members postedof special offers on the volumes.

Michael AllenSeries Editor

NEW PREHISTORIC MONOGRAPH SERIES

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Cotswold Wessex ArchaeologyOne element in the Government’s response to therecession has been to bring forward infrastructureinvestment where possible as part of a £1billion fiscalstimulation package. The A46 Newark-Widmerpoolroad scheme in Nottinghamshire is one such project.Originally scheduled to start in 2012/13, the revisedschedule means that archaeologists (CotswoldArchaeology and Wessex Archaeology) have chosento work in partnership.

Although the A46 scheme has been underconsideration for many years, and had recently beenexamined by Public Inquiry, the revised schedulemeans that not all of the archaeological evaluationcan now take place before construction starts. As aresult these surveys will be completed when workbegins at sites already identified for investigation. Thelogistical and programming challenge facing theHighways Agency, the Contractor – Balfour Beatty –and the archaeology team of the scheme designersScott Wilson ranges from surveys of an English CivilWar battlefield to the excavations at the Roman smalltown of Margidunum.

Cotswold Wessex Archaeology (CWA) emerged froma keenly contested tender competition as thesuccessful joint venture contractor. The partnershipbuilds on their previous experience with the schemeas individual companies and is another example ofRegistered Organisations adapting to the challengingbusiness environment by adopting new ways ofapproaching large projects that are logistically andfinancially demanding.

SpoilHeap Publications: a new monograph seriesTwo Registered Organisations, Surrey CountyArchaeological Unit and Archaeology South-East,have just launched a new monograph series, startingwith A Neolithic ring ditch and later prehistoricfeatures at Staines Road Farm, Shepperton (seereview, PXX). Two further monographs will beavailable this summer, on the Roman and medievaltown of Staines and on Henry VIII’s palace atOatlands, Weybridge. Other volumes are in hand,and they would welcome enquiries from moreorganisations. The initial impetus is for reports basedon excavations in south-east England, but widerheritage themes are not excluded.

For further details contact Jane Robertson, SurreyHistory Centre, 130 Goldsworth Road, Woking GU21 6ND ([email protected])

Student

Lesley McEwan

Honours for MembersThe recent Honours list included OBEs for strong IfAsupporters Professor David John Breeze (Hon MIfA924), lately Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments,Historic Scotland, and for Professor Ian Ralston (MIfA588 and Hon Chair 1991/2), both of them forservices to archaeology in Scotland.

Starting work on the A46 © Cotswold Wessex Archaeology

Excavation at Henry VIII’s Palace at Oatlands. Foundations of the

privy court gatehouse range, including an octagonal turret, and the

semicircular base of the bay window that lit the queen’s bedroom.

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Hal Bishop

John Bryant

Timothy Carew

Sean Kingsley

Ann Reynolds

Nick Thorpe

Helen Wickstead

Ken Wiggins

Associate (AIFA)

Susan Casey

Gregory Crees

Christopher Faine

Rachel Fosberry

Alison Hamer

Heather Hopkins

Kirsten Jarrett

Hana Lewis

Ray McBride

John McCarthy

Sophie Nicol

Matthew Parker

Oliver Pryce

Daniel Rhodes

Emma Ruddle

Michael Sims

Marc Steinmetzer

Gerard Thacker

Sean Wallis

Practitioner (PIFA)

Martin Cuthbert

Simon Davidson

John Griffiths

Anthony Haskins

Lilly Hodges

Paul Humphreys

Paul Murtagh

Diarmuid

O’Seaneachain

Fiona Pink

Michelle Statton

Juha-Matti Vuorinen

Student

David Abell

Nathalie Andrews

Stuart Barnes

Olga Bassinne

Nathan Blick

Sarah Cattell

Amber Cottee

David Cranham

Sarah Dewar

Paul Dickinson

Luise Erfurth

Gareth Evans

Elizabeth

Freshwater

Richard Grove

Sarah Irwin

Tina Jakielski

Sarah James

Robert Lee

David Mennear

Robert Moody

David Mullen

Katherine Neustadt

Constantinos

Papadopoulos

Chris Rackham

Jeremy Revell

James Rodliff

Robert Slack

Heather Smart

Charles Stonebridge

Alicia Swindells

James Walker

Gerald Wilkinson

Jemima Woolverton

Affiliate

Nicole Bailie

Thomas Bishop

Hannah Boden

Garry Chidgey

Martin Dearne

Clare Gillett

Sarah Goodwin

Sandra Hamblett

Jamillia Hawa

Robert Heron

Laura Hussey

Ashley Jillett

Barry Lane

Joanne Lathan

Lisa McCaig

Roisin McCarthy

Suzanne

McGalliard

Michael McQueen

Ruth Messer

Dennis Morgan

Philip O’Kane

Trevor Reynolds

Joanne Roberts

Ewa Rutkowska

Marie Sanders

Anna Silmon

Odele Smith

Andro Stosic

Hazel Williams

Affiliate

Alison McQuitty

TRANSFERS Member (MIFA)

Michael Court

Amanda Forster

Neil Griffin

Laurence Hayes

Helen Maclean

Peter McKeague

George Mudie

Leonora O’Brien

Richard Oram

Alex Rose-Deacon

Daniel Still

Ian Travers

Sarah Watt

Associate (AIFA)

Alisdair Curtis

Charlotte Dawson

Claire Herbert

Gareth Rees

Claire Statter

Practitioner (PIFA)

Emily Plunkett

Ashley Strutt

Matthew Town

Krystyna Truscoe

Jacob Warrender

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Ian Alexander George Shepherd MIfA 118 1951–2009

Ian Shepherd, the first local authority archaeologist inScotland, joined the planning department ofGrampian Regional Council in 1975; he waseventually Principal Archaeologist and Team Leaderfor Aberdeenshire Council, also covering Angus andMoray. Apart from four seasons of excavation on theBeaker settlement at Rosinish in the Outer Hebrides,he spent his entire professional life in this area ofnorth east Scotland, whose archaeology, historicbuildings, and landscapes he knew intimately.

Ian effectively and enthusiastically developed a sitesand monuments record and all the other componentsof a professional archaeological service for north eastScotland from scratch. His work inside the planningsystem and council extended into research andteaching, for he was a keen populariser and a seriousacademic researcher. Many new sites werediscovered during his programmes of aerial surveyfrom 1977, undertaken both to recover cropmarks inthe fertile lowlands of the Laigh of Moray andelsewhere in the summer months, and upstandingremains year-round in the upland moors. He alsoundertook fieldwork and excavations. His principaldig, with his wife Alexandra (Lekky) (MIfA 117) wasin the testing environment of Covesea Cave on theMoray coast, in use from Late Bronze Age to Pictishtimes; but he also rescued numerous Bronze Ageburials, disturbed by quarrying, ploughing or newhousing. Other archaeologists benefited too from hisadvice on projects in the region, notably RichardBradley (eg at Broomend of Crichie, Inverurie) andmyself (at Burghead).

Ian also contributed significantly to Trusts and otherinitiatives concerned with historic buildings,archaeology and heritage. These included ElginArchaeological Heritage; Kinloss Abbey; PitsligoCastle; Burghead Headland; the Museum of ScottishLighthouses at Fraserburgh; Archaeolink PrehistoryPark, Oyne; and Aberdeenshire Historic Kirkyards. Hewas also a keen extra-mural lecturer at AberdeenUniversity and beyond (including to postgraduatestudents in Cultural Resource Management atEdinburgh). He produced over 60 significantpublications, plus a huge range of leaflets and guide-books, specialist studies (particularly on Beaker burialsand Bronze Age jet artefacts), regional archaeologicaloverviews and monographs on architecture. Two

general surveys have been republished: his ExploringScotland’s Heritage: Grampian (1986) as Aberdeenand North-East Scotland (1996); and Gordon: anillustrated architectural guide (1994) as Aberdeenshire:Donside and Strathbogie (2006). Both are quiettriumphs. Co-written with Moira Greig, Grampian’sPast: its archaeology from the air (1996) showcasestheir aerial photographs of historic buildings andarchaeological sites.

He believed passionately in the importance ofScotland’s archaeology, in which he played a centralrole. He was first chair of the Association of Regionaland Islands Archaeologists, now ALGAO Scotland.He wrote cogently on issues concerning archaeologyand planning, notably on the deleterious impacts ofcertain afforestation schemes, and was a keysupporter of initiatives involving local authorityarchaeological services in partnership with RCAHMS. Ian also carried out important roles for the Society ofAntiquaries of Scotland. For almost a decade from1982 he edited the Proceedings; and from 1999 untila few months before his death, he chaired itsResearch Committee. He had an internationalreputation amongst Bronze Age specialists, and wasfor many years Secretary of the Bronze Age StudiesGroup. Ian’s knowledge of the prehistory, history andpersonalities of north east Scotland wereencyclopaedic, but this was knowledge lightly borneand that he was prepared to share with anyone.

He is survived by his mother, his wife Lekky, andtheir daughters Bryony and Sunniva.

Ian RalstonProfessor of Later European PrehistorySchool of History, Classics and ArchaeologyThe University, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT

Ian Shepherd with Lekky near Orkney, c 1970

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HMS Victory, Comment

Documents

Transcript of HMS Victory, Comment