Public Archaeology

Project Eliseg involved three field seasons (2010–12) of survey and excavation at the multi-period mortuary and commemorative monument known as the Pillar of Eliseg, near Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales. Each season incorporated an evolving range of media and public engagement activities, with digital media employed to disseminate ongoing work both globally and locally, including to those unable to access the site during the excavation seasons. One of the key strategies employed via digital media in seasons 2 and 3 was a daily video-blog (hereafter: vlog). This article presents and appraises the rationale, design, content and reception of the Project Eliseg vlog revealing key lessons in the use of digital media in archaeological fieldwork, particularly for those engaged with the archaeology of death, burial and commemoration.

Over July 13th to 17th 2015, Fishergate Fulford and Heslington Local History Society carried out an electrical resistance survey at the Sir John J Hunt Memorial Cottage Homes in Fulford, York. The project was undertaken as part of the Council for British Archaeology’s Festival of Archaeology 2015 and was entirely volunteer based.

While the results are somewhat broken up by the large number of buildings, pathways and garden elements, there are a number of geophysical anomalies across the site that probably relate to underlying archaeological features. There is clear evidence of agricultural use of the land in the form of ploughing, as well as suggestions of ridge and furrow. Other clear anomalies include a probable bank and ditch near the western end of the site and several modern services, as well as a number of high and low resistance anomalies that may be of archaeological interest.

There are no plans for further archaeological investigation at the site. However, the results of this survey may help to call further attention to Fulford’s archaeological significance and potential.

Article about the Dutch Youth Association for History (NJBG). The NJBG organizes summer-camps and other activities throughout the  year concerning archaeology, history and experimental archaeology. The article introduces the NJBG and it describes the three different workgroups; Junior workgroup (age group 9-12), WAO (workgroup archaeological research) and the WEA (workgroup experimental archaeology).

Abstract. Our paper presents the case study of a common framework that has been developed for the management of heritage resources in a peripheral and impoverished area of rural Asturias (Spain). The article further explores the potential of conceiving heritage as a common good for enhancement, preservation and public outreach purposes, considering the current crisis state of public institutions in the whole West due to the prevalence of neoliberal governmentality frameworks. Our research argues that the creation of a brand that equates the region of Asturias with a somehow pristine natural environment untouched by humans, and the public management frameworks of cultural heritage, undermine the immanent relation between communities and their heritage and renders ineffectively any attempt to achieve rural  sustainable development. We affirm that the consideration of heritage as a commons enables researchers, institutions and local communities to establish a more democratic and functional framework for the management, enhancement and preservation of heritage elements and facilitates the creation of democratic frameworks of decision making that foster sustainable development at a local scale.

K e y w o r d s:  heritage commons, rural sustainable development, cultural heritage, cultural resource management

The town of Concord, Massachusetts played a critical role in the American Revolutionary War and will forever be linked to this momentous military conflict. While this connection is understandable, Concord has a rich history of indigenous, European, and American life dating back thousands of years. The McGrath Farm site is an excellent example of this complicated and storied past. Once a portion of a farm owned by prominent Revolutionary War figure Col. James Barrett, the McGrath Farm reflects many components of Concord's complex history in its role as a site of indigenous settlement, railroad development, Irish immigrant agriculture, and World War II German P.O.W. labor. Archaeology at the McGrath Farm offers the opportunity to build on the existing Barrett family narrative while contributing new stories to Concord's diverse, multi-temporal cultural heritage.

- Desde hace décadas en los centros educativos españoles se han multiplicado experiencias didácticas o talleres de arqueología experimental. ¿Aprovechan estas actividades todo su potencial educativo? A través de una metodología de investigación mixta y por medio de un muestreo no probabilístico y no aleatorio se analizan once proyectos de arqueología experimental que se han implementado en los últimos años en las aulas de Educación Secundaria en España. El estudio de estos casos, obtenidos a través de la bibliografía, de la información hallada en Internet y a través de entrevistas con empresas especializadas, ha permitido establecer distintos patrones de actuación y categorizar los diversos tipos de actividades que se realizan habitualmente en los centros educativos. Los resultados demuestran que el grueso de este tipo de experiencias no aprovechan todo el potencial educativo que realmente tiene la arqueología experimental. La amplia mayoría de experiencias analizadas no desarrollan actividades previas, de consolidación o de evaluación de la actividad. También se detecta que muchas se limitan a trabajar la prehistoria y, por tanto, se vinculan únicamente a los contenidos de 1.º ESO (12-13 años). Se propone finalmente un modelo estándar de actuación (PAEduca) de cara a que futuras actividades de este tipo puedan alcanzar un valor educativo más significativo y valioso, tanto para estudiantes como para docentes y centros educativos. 
- During the last decades experimental archaeology workshops and experiences have multiplied their presence in Spanish schools and high schools. But, do they take advantage of their full educational potential? To answer this question a mixed methods study was designed. Different experimental archaeology projects that have been implemented in recent years in Spanish Secondary Education classrooms were analyzed. A non-probabilistic and non- random sampling was used as the study is based on the cases obtained through literature search, information found on the Internet and interviews with specialized companies. It was possible to establish different patterns of action and categorize the various types of activities that were usually carried out in educational centers. The results showed that most of these types of experiences did not take advantage of the full educational potential that experimental archaeology has proved to have. The vast majority of experiences analyzed did not introduce, consolidate or assess the experience by means of specific activities. It was also detected that many are limited to working on Prehistory and, therefore, were linked only to the contents of 1st ESO (12-13 year olds). As conclusion, a standard model of action is proposed so that future activities of this type enable students to achieve a more significant and valuable educational outcomes.

Resumen: se presenta el proyecto La Ponte-Ecomuséu, para la puesta en valor, difusión, investigación y conservación del patrimonio cultural del municipio de Santo Adriano (Asturias-España). Se trata de una iniciativa comunitaria (La Ponte), que se ha constituido como ecomuseo, integrada por profesionales de las ciencias del patrimonio, amateurs, voluntarios y vecinos. Los objetivos del ecomuseo son: diseñar un "prototipo" de modelo de gestión comunitaria del patrimonio, coordinado por la propia ciudadanía y autogestionado. Poner en valor, difundir e investigar una parte de nuestro patrimonio cultural que a día de hoy permanece en un mal estado de conservación o es desconocido por la mayoría de la población. Llegar a acuerdos para que los diferentes titulares del patrimonio cultural faciliten el acceso público a los bienes que detentan. Por último, crear oportunidades de desarrollo económico, social y cultural en el medio rural dentro de este sector. Todas estas razones nos llevan a definir La Ponte-Ecomuséu como una "empresa social del conocimiento", que a partir de la gestión integral los recursos patrimoniales busca generar actividad económica, desarrollo, transferencia e innovación de "base social". En cuanto a los resultados, se han alcanzado importantes acuerdos con diferentes administraciones e instituciones para integrar elementos dentro del proyecto de ecomuseo (Administración, Iglesia y vecinos), se han recibido miles de visitas, se ha creado un puesto de trabajo y se han incorporado socios/as, voluntarios/as y colaboradores/as. El ecomuseo dispone actualmente de una infraestructura propia, con local, equipamientos, librería, pequeña biblioteca, etc. Su gobierno recae en una asamblea de socios/as y colaboradores/as desde donde se coordinan los diferentes grupos de trabajo: investigación, educación, conservación, socialización, etc. Su naturaleza civil y comunitaria hace del proyecto una iniciativa que no responde a ningún interés institucional ni a una demanda administrativa. En este sentido nuestra experiencia supone una innovación que marca un punto de inflexión en el ámbito territorial del Principado de Asturias y abre un importante debate sobre los derechos de uso y gestión del patrimonio cultural y por ende sobre sus fundamentos jurídicos: ¿debe continuar siendo un bien "público" (gestionado y gobernado por la Administración) o debe transformarse en un bien "común" (gestionado y gobernado por las comunidades locales)? El Patrimonio puede jugar un papel decisivo en nuestro presente como factor de desarrollo, de participación y de empoderamiento de las organizaciones civiles, especialmente en el medio rural, pero para ello necesita ser redefinido.

This paper investigates the use of 3D immersive virtual environments and 3D prints for interaction with past material culture over traditional observation without manipulation. Our work is motivated by studies in heritage, museum, and cognitive sciences indicating the importance of object manipulation for understanding present and ancient artifacts. While virtual immersive environments and 3D prints have started to be incorporated in heritage research and museum displays as a way to provide improved manipulation experiences, little is known about how these new technologies affect the perception of our past. This paper provides first results obtained with three experiments designed to investigate the benefits and tradeoffs in using these technologies. Our results indicate that traditional museum displays limit the experience with past material culture, and reveal how our sample of participants favor tactile and immersive 3D virtual experiences with artifacts over visual non-manipulative experiences with authentic objects.