Interpreting Stratigraphy 
- Forthcoming Events

INTERPRETING STRATIGRAPHY MEETING IN LONDON (7th SEPTEMBER, 2002) -

Archives, ‘grey literature' and archaeological audiences

OUTLINE

In line with our meeting in the setting of the newly opened London Archaeological Archive Research Centre, a number of the following papers will consider the role of archaeological archives in general and, within this, questions concerning access to, and the manipulation of, site information. Since the implementation of PPG16, we are all interested in the ‘grey literature' generated by evaluation work, either because we produce it in our commercial work or because we want to read it for its research potential. Here we will consider its burgeoning volume and how circulation of such evidence might be enhanced beyond curators and commercial sponsors. Finally, we will look at general questions such as public involvement in the discipline.

In the course of the day, we also hope to be able to see the London archive ‘in action' at first hand.

PROGRAMME

• 10:00 Registration and Tea / Coffee
• 10:20 Chair for morning session
• 10.30 Methods for the effective recording of theodolite data on archaeological sites for stratigraphic reconstruction - Damian Green
• 11.00 Integrating excavation archives from different contexts - Reuben Thorpe
• 11:30 Is there a place for ceramic building material in evaluations and archives? - Kurt Hunter-Mann
• 12.00 Artifacts, ecofacts and stratigraphy: critiquing approaches to integration through AMS dating - Craig Cessford
• 12:30 Lunch
• 13:50 Chair for afternoon session
• 14:00 PPG16 and its contribution to research objectives - Deirdre O'Sullivan
• 14:30 The electronic dissemination of ‘grey' archaeological reports using XML - Christiane Meckseper
• 15.00 Public Involvement in Archaeology - Bruce Watson
• 15.30 The Archive Research Centre - John Shepherd and Gus Milne
• 16.00 Tour of London Archaeological Archive Research Centre

ABSTRACTS

Methods for the effective recording of theodolite data on archaeological sites for stratigraphic reconstruction

Damian Green

Very often on an archaeological site, a theodolite is used to record position data for the corners of building elements and points which the site surveyor deems necessary. Points are also taken using a theodolite for the edges of stratigraphic units. This data is stored in the datalogger of the theodolite as a list, and it can be problematic to later make sense of it and to recognise which data represents which stratigraphic unit. This paper proposes methodical steps for the recording of theodolite data so as to be useful for 3D stratigraphic reconstruction systems such as STRAT, or indeed for any later stratigraphic interpretation. Visualisations are presented showing the improvements introduced when one follows these steps.

Integrating excavated evidence from projects in the 1970s and 1990s

Reuben Thorpe

This paper presents work being undertaken by myself and Chris Cumberpatch to relate excavations undertaken in the 1970's by Harry Lane, a mate of Wheeler, with more recent projects, for example that from Chesterfield carried out by NDAT. This is being done with a view to an integrated publication but also has much to teach us about changes in fieldwork practice, allowing interesting comparisons between the excavations and the archives of different periods to emerge.

Is there a place for ceramic building material in evaluations and archives?

Kurt Hunter-Mann

Ceramic Building Material is a common find on many archaeological excavations, but the use made of this data varies considerably. Much of the CBM recovered from evaluations is not kept, and often the discarded material is not recorded either. Its inadequate study is symptomatic of the diminished research value of many excavation reports and archives, not just evaluations. However, CBM can be analysed properly, and this information can contribute to stratigraphic analysis - provided the will is there.

Artifacts, ecofacts and stratigraphy: critiquing approaches to integration through AMS dating

Craig Cessford

One of the explicit aims of the research excavations at Catalhoyuk, a Neolithic tell site in Turkey, is the full integration of artifactual and ecofactual data. This occurs at a number of levels including individual contexts, features, buildings and phases at the site. Recent AMS dating of the site has raised fundamental questions about this approach. It suggests that much of the material at the site is residual. Whilst this is unsurprising it has shown that the degree of residuality varies by context type and within contexts by material type. If this is true then it poses the question can we meaningfully discuss artifactual and ecofactual assemblages by phase, a major approach at many sites, and can we compare different material assemblages at the level of the context. It will be argued that the results indicate that a much more nuanced approach to the integration of artifactual and ecofactual data is required.

PPG 16 and its contribution to research objectives - the case of Wallingford

Deirdre O'Sullivan

Neil Christie, Ollie Creighton and myself are starting a new project at Wallingford this summer and we are currently pulling together information on the various archaeological interventions which have taken place there since the 70s. This work was undertaken by a number of different organisations, mostly the Oxford and Thames Valley units, with reports then deposited in the SMR. In particular, we wish to discuss whether work done in a PPG 16 context can make a serious contribution to our overall understanding of the development of the town, and what minimum standards and research questions need to be in place to achieve this.

The electronic dissemination of ‘grey' archaeological reports using XML

Christiane Meckseper

The talk looks at the usability of the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) for the electronic publication or dissemination of grey reports. The grey reports produced by ARCUS (Archaeological Research and Consultancy at the University of Sheffield) are taken as a case study to show the way reports can be marked up in XML. A very brief introduction to XML is provided and its advantages and disadvantages for the field of archaeology are discussed. XML would be a useful and economic tool for the publication of field reports as it would allow practitioners to selectively download separate sections of field reports which are of particular importance to them. Archaeology-specific element would also allow a better searchability of reports on the web. However, it is acknowledged that XML is still a technology in its infancy and also that it is beyond the financial capabilities of many small commercial units to implement a system of electronic publication. It is recognised that national archaeological institutions will also have to accept electronic versions of field reports in order for them to be formally recognised and be able to be built into the financial framework of a commercial project design.

Public involvement in archaeology

Bruce Watson

Archaeology has never been more popular, witness the success of National Archaeology Days, Meet the Ancestors, Time Team etc.. Yet how do we reconcile this interest with the twin constraints of commercial tenders and Health and Safety? Based on my recent experience of running a large rescue project (the subject of a recent Time Team programme) and an urban evaluation which was also a community /educational project, I want to outline how each project addressed the issue of public involvement.

BOOKING

The fee for the Interpreting Stratigraphy Conference, to be held at the London Archaeological Archive Research Centre on Saturday 7th September 2002, is £10.00. Price includes tea/coffee but not lunch: reasonably priced food is available at a variety of places near the conference venue. Please make cheques payable to The University of York and return to the address below, if possible by 1st September, including your name, address and, if appropriate, the organisation for whom you work.

Interpreting Stratigraphy

c/o Andrew Westman/Sadie Watson

MoLAS

Mortimer Wheeler House

46, Eagle Wharf Road

London. N1 7ED

For further information please contact Andrew or Sadie at the above address or email/telephone:

andreww@molas.org.uk Tel: 0207 410 2276

sadiew@molas.org.uk  Tel: 0207 410 2264

FORTHCOMING PUBLICATIONS

It is hoped that the proceedings from two Interpreting Stratigraphy conferences will be published shortly (Cambridge 2001 and York 2002). Details will be announced in due course.

Contact details

For further information please contact 

Steve Roskams
Department of Archaeology 
University of York 
King's Manor 
York YO1 7EP 
Tel: (01904) 433936 
Fax: (01904) 433902 
email: spr1@york.ac.uk 

GENERAL NEWS

Visit the CBA Briefing page for a complete digest of all forrthcoming archaeology conferences and meetings.
 

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