Community Archaeology: Themes, Methods and Practices

Community Archaeology is an assessment of the aims, results and validity of the broad spectrum of community archaeology initiatives taking place today. The project arose from a shared belief in cooperation between professional and non-professional archaeologists and the belief that archaeology does not have to take place in private between consenting companies. The 15 papers presented here are startlingly and pleasingly diverse, drawing on the expertise and experience of student archaeologists, academics, professionals, amateurs, educators and independent practitioners. A number of interesting common themes emerge, including general theoretical reflections on the nature and significance of community archaeology, education (which highlights the common concentration on excavation within community archaeology and the concomitant neglect of post-excavation work), funding and sustainability, namely the dichotomy between one-off or medium-term projects that are funded and long-term projects that tend to be staffed by volunteers. As well as the difficulties involved, the collection also highlights the pleasures and emotional dimensions of engaging with material remains of the past.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Introduction: thinking about, talking about, and doing community archaeology (Gabriel Moshenska and Sarah Dhanjal)
2. Community archaeology: conceptual and political issues (Rob Isherwood)
3. Performance or participation: the relationship between local communities and the archaeological domain (Patricia Reid)
4. Why community archaeology? (Christopher John Tripp)
5. Post-excavation processing: a case study (Don Cooper)
6. How STOP started: early approaches to the metal detecting community by archaeologists and others (Suzie Thomas)
7. Community archaeology: a catch-all strategy? (Justin Hughes)
8. Aimhigher and Deserted Medieval Villages (John Knowles)
9. The Stanwell Mothers Project: reaching archaeologists and communities (Trudie Cole)
10. The use of archaeology as alternative education (Helene McNeill)
11. Community archaeology and human osteology: the Sedgeford experience (Susannah Baldry, Charlotte Burrill, Martin Hatton and Hilary Snelling)
12. ‘Mind the gap’: archaeology and adult education (Hilary Orange)
13. Community archaeology projects and Devon’s heritage: recent approaches and challenges (Sean Hawken)
14. Shoreditch Park Community Excavation: a case study (Faye Simpson)
15. Does archaeology matter? (Don Henson)