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Archaeological Archives: Serving the Public Interest?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Nick Merriman  and
Hedley Swain
Nick Merriman
Affiliation:
University College London
Hedley Swain
Affiliation:
Museum of London
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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to highlight the neglected role of archaeological archives in Cultural Resource Management in particular and in the discipline of archaeology in general. Through reference to a major recent survey of the size, condition, usage and future prospects of archaeological archives in England, it is argued that the neglect of archives leads to fundamental questions regarding the purpose of archaeology in general. Why are archaeological archives generated and kept ‘for posterity’? If they are worthy of retention, how can they be better used and integrated into the discipline? It is argued that there is a need to recognize the ‘ex situ’ archaeological resource as a concept and that archaeology should recognize that the study of this resource should be a major area of activity alongside the generation of new information through fieldwork.

Le but de cet article est d'attirer l'attention sur le rôle negligeable joué jusqu'au présent par les archives archéologiques dans la gestion des ressources culturelles en particulier et dans la discipline archéologique en général. Les résultats d'une enquête récente concernant la taille, l'étendue, les conditions d'utilisation et les possibilités futures des archives archéologiques en Angleterre, prouvent que qu'elles sont negligées et ceci soulève des questions fondamentales concernant le but de l'archéologie en général. Pourquoi les archives archéologiques sont-elles produites et préservées pour la posterité? Si ces archives valent la peine d'être préservées, comment pourraient-on les utiliser et les intégrer plus largement dans la discipline? Les auteurs montrent qu'il est nécessaire de reconnaitre le status ‘ex-situ’ de ces ressources archéologiques. L'archéologie doit reconnaitre que l'étude de cette ressource est une zone d'activité majeure qui devrait être conduite en parallèle avec la constitution d'informations nouvelles produites par le travail de terrain.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Ziel dieses Beitrages ist es auf die vernachlässigte Rolle archäologischer Archive insbesondere bei der Verwaltung kultureller Ressourcen und in der Disziplin der Archäologie im allgemeinen hinzuweisen. Dies geschieht in Bezug auf eine vor kurzem vorgenommene weitgehende Begutachtung der Größe, des Zustandes, des Nutzens und der zukünftigen Perspektiven archäologischer Archive in England. Es wird argumentiert, daß die Vernachlässigung der Archive zu grundlegenden Fragen bezüglich des Sinn und Zwecks von Archäologie im allgemeinen führt. Warum werden archäologische Archive angelegt und ‘für die Nachwelt’ aufrechterhalten? Wenn sie es wert sind aufrecht erhalten zu werden, wie können sie besser genutzt und besser in die Disziplin integriert werden? Es wird argumentiert, daß eine Notwendigkeit besteht diese ex situ – archäologische Quelle als ein Konzept anzuerkennen und daß die Archäologie erkennen sollte, daß das Studium dieser Quelle eines der hauptsächlichen Aktivitätsfelder zusammen mit der Erzeugung neuer Information durch praktische Arbeit sein sollte.

Keywords

accessarchivescostmuseumspublic archaeology
Type
Articles
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , 1999 , pp. 249 - 267
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 Sage Publications 

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