Autumn 2003 Number 50 The ARCHAEOLOGIST Institute of Field Archaeologists SHES, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 227, Reading RG6 6AB This issue: tel 0118 378 6446 fax 0118 378 6448 CELEBRATING email [email protected] website www.archaeologists.net 21 YEARS OF THE IFA The (Field) Archaeologist at 21 p10 University of Wales Lampeter 21 years of Chairing IFA p12 – 21 Looking forward p22 21 years of science in archaeology Theoretical Archaeology Group p34 Wednesday 17th - Friday 19th December 2003 Registration forms available from our website www.lamp.ac.uk/archaeology/tag/index.htm Contact: [email protected] C ONTENTS 1 Contents 2 Editorial 3 View from the (director’s) Chair Peter Hinton 4 IFA on the move Alison Taylor 5 From the Finds Tray 7 Archaeology in Parliament: responding to the APPAG report 9 Archaeology and the Party Wall Act Mike Dawson 10 The (Field) Archaeologist at 21 Alison Taylor page 3 12 Memories: Peter Addyman 13 Memories: Brian Davison 14 Memories: Richard Hall 15 Memories: Tim Darvill 16 Memories: Ian Ralston 17 Memories: David Start page 9 18 Memories: Diana Murray 19 Memories: Jez Reeve 20 Memories: Sue Davies 21 Memories: Deborah Porter 22 Looking forward: Peter Hinton 23 Health and safety: construction skills certificate scheme Mike Dawson 24 The Archaeology Data Service Julian D Richards page 26 26 Oxford Archdigital 28 Herefordshire online Miranda Greene 29 Training for practitioners in landscape survey: an English Heritage initiative 30 Bringing old timbers back to life Douglas McElvogue 32 Subterranean secrets below the Isle of Wight Garry Momber 34 Science pages: The Centre for Archaeological Science: 21 years of science in archaeology page 34 Justine Bayley 37 Science pages: Archaeomagnetic dating: glass-making sites at Bagot’s Park, Staffordshire Paul Linford and Christopher Welch 38 The archaeology of buildings Robina McNeil 42 Archaeology on the Web Mark Bell 43 New members / Members news 44 More members news Autumn 2003 Number 50 1 Birthdays bring on nostalgia so readers must forgive find some pictures! Does nothing change? But an the backward-looking slant of a large chunk of this impressive publication output was nevertheless TA. maintained, even though we have not yet achieved View from the (director’s) Chair the Journal that we still confidently plan. Talking to past Chairs of IFA I was struck by how recurrent were the themes – sorting out internal But how can I really complain? In this issue, our Peter Hinton organisational matters, broadening our appeal to hyperactive Maritime Group, always reliable for a the whole archaeological profession, taking on an good story and good pictures (photography is expanding range of issues and challenges, not to obviously much easier underwater) sent in two mention trying to cut through the meshes of pieces I could not resist, and our IT-minded bureaucracy that can sometimes bore us to a colleagues responded nobly to the plea for standstill. Nor of course ever having enough money explanations of their work even I could understand. for half the things we want to do. None of these To keep us fully rounded (note the eternal pleas for problems look like going to go away, so we just us to appeal to an ever-widening circle of our A few weeks ago IFA was tipped off that there By encouraging a feeling of connectedness with have to take some comfort from realising that there profession) our Buildings Group shows just how were two days left to make a submission to the the past we can help to promote pride in our never was a Golden Age, and that our short life has broad and fascinating their interests are. Finally, 21 Labour Party National Policy Forum on its neighbourhoods, community sustainability and actually seen quite a lot of progress. years is a long time in the world of archaeological Enhancing the Quality of Life draft. On this occasion, citizenship. By showing that all our families science, so I asked the Centre for Archaeology (who the response had to be short, focused on a few key were at one stage or another immigrants, we can I was struck too, by the positive can-do attitude of are just a bit younger than us) what they reckoned points, and very quick. It also had to react to a realise that we have roots and experiences in so many of our fresh-faced Chairs. They were all their major advances had been. document that showed more concern with the common. Through conserving the past we can sure they could actually make some big differences natural environment than the historic, and inform a retain and develop traditional rural industries – could even create a united profession of policy making process in which one of our Time Team and craft skills such as thatching, and we can archaeologists. We could also run a publication friends, Tony Robinson, has considerable influence. revitalise our cities with a blend of old and new programme, though the roll-call and turnover of Alison buildings. By promoting access to the historic editors shows this is not a job with great life- [email protected] Did we get it right? Is this what IFA members want environment we can enhance tourism by visitors expectancy. Going back over TAs, most of which us to say? Feedback on this, and Alison’s summary form Britain and overseas. And we can enrich came out under purely voluntary editorship, it is Please can you all make a note of the new address: of what we should be saying to the All-Party education: by encouraging learning about the the familiar refrain throughout – please send IFA, SHES, University of Reading, Whitenights, Parliamentary Group (p6), will help us with our past, we develop understanding of the present interesting articles, please meet deadlines, and please PO Box 227, READING RG6 6AB? next submission. and improve our planning for the future. ‘We tend to think of the environments of Britain But to realise these goals we need to make in terms of separate ‘natural’ and ‘built’ changes. elements. In fact our entire landscape, urban and • We need to streamline and simplify – but not rural, has been shaped by people interacting weaken – the legislation that protects our with nature over many centuries. We have a historic environment, bringing it into line with historic environment – the physical evidence for our international obligations, and making it past human activity that we see, understand and clear where it is obscure, open where it is feel. It includes sites, monuments, landscapes, secretive, and strong where there are loopholes buildings and settlements, as well as our • We must require all national government appreciation and perception of them. departments to ensure that they truly understand the needs and potential benefits But too few people understand that the of the historic environment, and to be environment must be managed in a joined-up responsible for assessing and reporting how way. As Lord McIntosh has said Great progress their policies may affect it IFA founders: Inaugural Meeting of Council, December 1982. L to R present: Tatton-Brown, Cleere, Carver, Wacher, Hobley, Barker, Fowler, has been made over the past 20 years in recognising • We should give local authorities a statutory Musson, Davison, Mercer, Addyman, Reynolds, Bradley inset: Farley, Baker, Heighway not shown: Coles, Pryor (The Field Archaeologist No 1) the important public interest in taking firm action responsibility for providing historic to protect the natural environment. We now want to environment services that maintain a record Notes to contributors make similar progress to protect the historic of heritage assets, inform sustainable planning Contributions and letter/emails are always welcome. Short EDITED by Alison Taylor, IFA, environment, which has significance for all of us. decisions and make the past accessible to articles are preferred, and must be less than 1000 words. They SHES, University of Reading, residents and visitors alike, through museums, should be sent as an email attachment, which must include Whitenights, PO Box 227, We understand and explain this historic galleries, schools and practical opportunities captions and credits for illustrations. The editor will edit and READING RG6 6AB environment through archaeology – and we to get involved shorten if necessary. Illustrations are very important. These are protect it through conservation. We need to do • And we need to ensure that those practising DESIGNED and TYPESET by best supplied as originals. If sent digitally they must be on CD, these things because the past is important, and archaeology and conservation are adequately Sue Cawood as TIFFs or EPS, not JPGs, scanned at a minimum of 300dpi at because archaeology and conservation are useful trained and resourced for the work they are the size they are expected to appear. More detailed Notes for PRINTED by Charlesworth – they have very significant potential for social, entrusted with – so that the citizens of Britain Contributors for each issue are available from the editor. inherit the historic environment they deserve. cultural and economic regeneration. Editorial 2 The Archaeologist Autumn 2003 Number 50 3 IFA ON THE MOVE (but not far) applicants for membership only 17 could be approved, mostly because references had not FROM THE FINDS TRAY arrived and she had not been able to use her Alison Taylor normal gentle persuasion. Two lessons from this: please do try to get in references when asked (it’s Of course, what has really engaged our energies very simple now on email) and, if applying, over the last few weeks is not responding to check your referee is willing (and then make sure governments etc, but the horrors of moving house. it gets done). ‘Whose Find is it Anyway?’ Treasure, Metal detecting, At long last we have left the ‘temporary’ wartime Archaeology and Conservation – the life of detected finds accommodation, where we have been based since Trade in illicit antiquities after recovery.