Archaeology in Great Britain

A small selection of useful links

• CBA guide to UK archaeology online: the most comprehensive listing for the UK.
• Council for British Archaeology (CBA): The CBA works to promote the study and safeguarding of Britain's historic environment, to provide a forum for archaeological opinion, and to improve public interest in, and knowledge of, Britain's past. Information on its history and policies, and on fieldwork, courses and conferences. Links to British Archaeology magazine and the Young Archaeologists' Club.
• English Heritage, English Heritage (the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is the national body created by Parliament in 1984 charged with the protection of the historic environment and with promoting public understanding and enjoyment of it. Historic Scotland is the equivalent for Scotland, and Cadw for Wales.
• The British Museum, One of the world's great museums. The website gives the usual information about access and facilities, along with a guide to the collections, classified both under departments and world cultures. There is also COMPASS, a database of some 3000 objects from the Museum's collections. You can search by keyword, look at the Object of the Month, and take a Virtual Tour.
• Archaeology Data Service: The main purpose of the ADS is to preserve archaeological data in digital form, but it also makes most of it available as an on-line database which can be searched free of charge. Most of the holdings are from the British Isles (material from Southern Ireland is currently rather sparse), but there are also some foreign holdings.
• RESCUE: The British Archaeological Trust. Founded in the bad old days of the 1970s to help stem the tide of destruction. Increasing acceptance of archaeological investigation as a precondition of development has not solved all the problems, they maintain: 'RESCUE believes that archaeology in Britain has lost its sense of purpose. Through increasing bureaucracy and the constraints of the contracting system, the importance of archaeology to society has been eclipsed by the administrative demands of planners and the financial needs of developers.'
• Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS): The Museum of London has its own Archaeological Unit/Consultancy Service. The website gives details of the services provided, latest discoveries, and MoLAS publications ranging from glossy books to academic monographs, including the extremely useful Archaeological Site Manual.
• The Time Team: Channel 4 TV series which follows an archaeological dig from the first spade-cut to the finding of artifacts and structures. Most of the boring bits between are edited out, but they do show all the disappointments when things don't turn out. Download the theme tune, order the book, join the club, and discuss in the forum.
• Meet the Ancestors: archaeology series on BBC TV which aims to reveal 'the people who wore the brooches, who cooked in and broke the pots, who built and lived in the castles', even to the extent of carrying out facial reconstructions of skulls which are found. Includes live chat with the presenter after each programme.
• Archaeological and historical journals with indexes or tables of contents online.
• E-mail directory of archaeologists in the United Kingdom.
• Lindum Heritage Lindum is the old Roman name for Lincoln, based on an earlier Celtic name which is probably identical in meaning to Dublin: Dark Pool. Lincolnshire is sometimes regarded of as the forgotten county of England, but the truth is that it has an enormous amount to offer in the areas of archaeology and history Lindum Heritage is a company specialising in archaeological tours and courses. Examples of activities are a tour of the Lost Medieval Villages of Lincolnshire, a summer Training Dig (open to everyone), and a four-day family archaeological holiday.