Cross-sector approach to capitalise on archaeology in Scotland

[BAJR]

The way Historic Scotland supports and funds archaeology projects across the country is to be strengthened.

The heritage agency has completed a review of the scope of the archaeology work it commissions and how it supports external projects across the country.

The recommendations will position Historic Scotland to take on an increased role in leading the archaeology sector and will see the creation of a dedicated forum to represent the sector as a whole and influence related policy.

Director of Policy Andrew Fleming. said: ?Archaeology offers us such huge potential to interest people in our past. It is so much more than excavations and this review will help Historic Scotland fully recognise the excellent work already being carried out and develop better ways of supporting archaeology and research across Scotland.

?We are really fortunate as Scotland has an outstanding legacy of physical remains of our past. We are constantly learning more and revising our opinions about how our ancestors lived. Having a tangible link to life thousands of years ago is an incredible resource that we need to appreciate and celebrate.

?The expertise we have access to is astonishing an I hope that in taking forward plans for greater partnership working and the setting up of a forum specifically looking at archaeology we can ensure we are able to identify where investment can be most effective and what further work is needed.

?Last week the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop unveiled the remains of an ancient stringed instrument which had been found on the island of Skye. That project has uncovered a wealth of fascinating information but it is also a wonderful example of a great many people and organisations coming together to advise, fund and generally support the excavation and post excavation research. By working together we are changing the way that people regard their history and celebrating our shared history.?

Holding a review was a key performance target for 2011-12 and involved interviews with colleagues in Historic Scotland, as well as a number of partner organisations and has produced 11 key recommendations have been put forward.

Eila McQueen, Director of Archaeology Scotland, said:

?Archaeology Scotland welcome the review. We have a positive relationship with HS that we want to continue. There are exciting and challenging times ahead and I welcome the developing role of leadership from Historic Scotland and believe that we should all get behind that.?

Archaeology Review recommendations

1. Archaeology in Scotland has enormous potential. Many, many talented and committed people are involved in different ways. A great deal of innovative work is taking place.
   
2. The sector would benefit from input from Historic Scotland to provide more co-ordinated leadership, real partnerships and effective policy. There is a need for a long-term strategy for archaeological resources within Scotland involving all stakeholders that is aligned with the overall desired outcomes and vision for the historic environment.
   
3. This long-term strategy should, in the first instance, be developed by Historic Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, working closely with stakeholders and partners within the sector as well as those who ?consume? archaeology. Historic Scotland is ideally placed to carry out this leadership role because their staff possess the depth of knowledge, experience and specific archaeological skills required.
   
4. The long-term strategy should be developed in the context of the wider review of Historic Environment policy and the outlook for public expenditure.
   
5. In developing a long-term overall strategy HS should:
   
   a) With relevant stakeholders, identify future priorities, in particular how the output from archaeology can be made accessible even more readily and quickly for the purposes of education and interpretation and public display as well as for academic consumption.
   
   b) Build a clearer picture of the size of the archaeology sector in Scotland and who is involved including as much information as possible about numbers, skills, qualifications, experience, purpose and demand and consider future scenarios for its sustainable development.
   
   c) Identify options for measuring the impact of the voluntary sector in supporting and providing community archaeology, and the relationship between the public and voluntary sectors in this area.
   
   d) Consult local government, the development industry and private sector archaeology companies about the operation of developer-led archaeology and its place in the wider strategy and consider the need for any changes in the framework, e.g. legislation, within which they operate.
   
   e) Ensure all the various funding streams for Scottish field archaeology are identified and co-ordinated as far as possible so that all funders, including HS, are clear about funding priorities, the potential funding leverage and their criteria in line with the overall strategy so that the sector gets the maximum value from all the funding available.
   
   f) Work with Higher Education institutions, the careers service and the Institute for Archaeologists on a long-term strategy for attracting and training recruits to the profession, in particular at post graduate level, and preparing them for relevant employment in the sector in line with HS strategy and Scottish archaeology requirements such as SCARF run by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and other mainstream projects.
   
   g) Examine the scope for better marketing of Scottish archaeology to domestic and international audiences, working with VisitScotland and other agencies, and communicating achievements and potential.
   
   h) Examine the scope for generating more economic value from Scottish archaeology, including from commercial activity on HS sites.
   
   i) Ensure that innovation, particularly in using new technology, is supported and good practice shared and adopted.
   
6. HS should establish an Archaeology Forum for Scotland to provide advice in the development and implementation of the strategy and on funding priorities. A key ongoing task for the forum could be to ensure that the strategy is kept live by keeping up-to-date with latest research in Scotland and elsewhere. The forum could be committee in format and size.
   
7. As part of the drive to secure maximum value from and raise the profile of Scottish archaeology, HS, in its leadership role, should support the work of the committee currently being led by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and Archaeology Scotland to make 2015 a Year of celebration of Scottish archaeology and the work of the University of Glasgow and others in hosting the major European Archaeology Association conference in the same year.
   
8. In order to develop the overall strategy HS should appoint a senior leader with an appropriate mix of skills to a new role of Head of Archaeology Strategy. At the same time HS should consider how the wealth of archaeological expertise within the organisation could be used most effectively and the scope for a rolling programme of secondments to and from the organisation.
   
9. HS should look at the scope for more synergy, in relation to its own estate, between its collection and conservation work and its archaeology function.
   
10. HS has a key role to play in investing in the whole of the historic environment, including archaeology. HS should consider aligning the management of the archaeology investment programme with its other investment programmes and the estate and properties in care of Scottish Ministers.
    
11. HS should, over the course of the next 12 months, pursue the completion of all outstanding publications of HS funded works.
    

:face-approve:

[Unitof1]

if anybody says that list of tripe reminds them of the Ahnenerbe I think that they should be shot and then it should be pointed out that they have managed not mention anybody called bruce which proves that they are british. What I want to know is why has key recomendation 5 got 8 more key recomendations when all the other key recomendations dont have any extra subclauses to arrange.

I also wonder if

1. Archaeology in Scotland has enormous potential. Many, many talented and committed people are involved in different ways. A great deal of innovative work is taking place.

is in any way a key recomendation. And could the "Many, many" be shortened to manys or is it manies.

2. The sector would benefit from input from Historic
Scotland to provide more co-ordinated leadership, real partnerships and
effective policy. There is a need for a long-term strategy for archaeological
resources within Scotland involving all stakeholders that is aligned with the
overall desired outcomes and vision for the historic environment.

Did scotish heritage nationalists really write that its like they are taking control. So dominant, shoulders back, stake hold in., So it turns out that scotish histryonics have been crap all along.

3.This long-term strategy should, in the first instance, be developed by Historic Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, working closely with stakeholders and partners within the sector as well as those who ?consume?
archaeology. Historic Scotland is ideally placed to carry out this leadership role because their staff possess the depth of knowledge, experience and specific archaeological skills required.

I though key note 2 had sorted out the long term stratergy

4. The long-term strategy should be developed in the context of the wider review of Historic Environment policy and the outlook for public expenditure

there it is again long term thingy, couldnt it have just been one key recomendations with possibly a few sub clauses a bit like 5.

Bloody hell 5 is all about the blo0dy long term stratergy what is a bloody long term stratergy is what I want to know and how long is long-cant be bothered to read the 8 points because they cant be as inportant as the kep points.

6. HS should establish an Archaeology Forum for Scotland to provide advice
in the development and implementation of the strategy and on funding
priorities. A key ongoing task for the forum could be to ensure that the
strategy is kept live by keeping up-to-date with latest research in Scotland
and elsewhere. The forum could be committee in format and size.

oh good will there be tea and biscuits I like the more co-ordinated leadership, real partnerships and effective policy shown with the "The forum could be committee in format and size" I like a bit of could. oh beat me with it

7. boldocks to the long term stratergy its all about 2015! thank salmonds it could have a forum by then and it just might be committe sized which is about this big and they just might be able to suppotrt this other committe of people from other commitiess with the name scotland in them
fcuk 8 its now got an overall stratergy is that an overall stratergy over the long term stratergy its surly going to need another committee butty no its a strong leader

9. At the same time HS should consider how the wealth of archaeological expertise within the organisation could be used most effectively and the scope for a rolling programme of secondments to and from the organisation.

plwew even though I fully endorse the hitler view of your archaeology is anybodies I am just going to put it down that 9 is not a sentance or two possibly a gerund or that google should have a scotish nationalist git translator.

I dont really care about 10 but its probably the one with most pensions in it and does involve nazi gold sold by english gorden brown banks that rightfully belongs to the scotish peoples which was descovered when archaeologists undertook excavations before drilling for oil was undertaken .

and as for key point 11 I dont give a toss about stupid report writing and whats 1 year got to do with the overall long term stratergy which presunably will be a committie or five forums under a leader who is stronge and presumably seconded from somewhere.

All in all the overall long term stratergy is to try and get some lazy gits to produce their reports this year for which they have all ready done a runner with the excavation money and then its 2015 get some bunting out and celebrated archaeology in a scotish way which is better than celebrating scotish in an archaeology way or have I got the long term stratergy the wrong way round which is to say bact t0o front sorry hopefuly you have the overall picture.

[Marcus Brody]

Nurse, he's out again...

[Unitof1]

Eila McQueen, Director of Archaeology Scotland, said:

?Archaeology Scotland welcome the review. We have a positive relationship with HS that we want to continue. There are exciting and challenging times ahead and I welcome the developing role of leadership from Historic Scotland and believe that we should all get behind that.?

translates as: the review is meaningless rubbish

[Dinosaur]

Nurse, he's out again...

He's brightened my otherwise grim day though

[Unitof1]

f) Work with Higher Education institutions, the careers service and the Institute for Archaeologists on a long-term strategy for attracting and training recruits to the profession, in particular at post graduate level, and preparing them for relevant employment in the sector in line with HS strategy and Scottish archaeology requirements such as SCARF run by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and other mainstream projects.

dont worry what ever this mean will never happen as its part of the long term startergy and also mentions something called the institute of archaeologists and picks on something called a post graduate but then draws out this gem which must have been written by the same moron or is it manys of moron commities with manies forums all under the seconded leader

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/inde...arf.htmand what ever it is is due out now(hint popssible part of a previous over all long term stratergy)

ScARF’s ambitious aim is to involve everyone in Scottish Archaeology in assessing what we know and where the most significant gaps are in our knowledge,
in the hope that opportunities will be found to undertake research which will strengthen the framework of our understanding of the past as approached through
archaeology. Inevitably, the work is at a fairly strategic level, looking at broad areas of knowledge rather than finely detailed aspects.

it appears that any day now framework strengthaninging is about to happen.


yes framework like as promised in

d) Consult local government, the development industry and private sector archaeology companies about the operation of developer-led archaeology and its place in the wider strategy and consider the need for any changes in the framework, e.g. legislation, within which they operate.

framework, e.g. legislation (just for you if you didnt know what legislation was before an e.g.) although for youthose who dont care scarfe stands for Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (SCARF)

which gives us this equation framework, e.g. legislation <maybe not the same as>Research Framework and to help work that out we need

http://www.socantscot.org/scarf.asp?Menu

and the only thing that I can see is that this key recomendation 11 is one of those self fulfilling whatits

11. HS should, over the course of the next 12 months, pursue the completion of all outstanding publications of HS funded works.

is that all about these reports expected "early in 2012 possibly march".

But we have passed april fools day, not much sign of the promised web pages sorry reports, sorry research frameworks but possibly not e.g legislation. but there is a forum which about covers everything. All though bajr has some compertition from this lot: http://www.socantscot.org/forum.asp or maybe not

presumably this or is it that forum has to move over to allow the new or is it other forum to take over. Its all part of the long term stratergy well that the over view startergy I think. These scots know how to get their monies worth or is it money, money.

[BAJR]

Must admit that I can't possibly comment. but to be honest, some of this does not even make sense (the key points - not Unit, who makes more sense than some)

Historic Scotland is ideally placed to carry out this leadership role because their staff possess the depth of knowledge, experience and specific archaeological skills required.

that will explain the culling of archaeologists who actually do any archaeology - hands up all those who still dig...? / still have a job?

working closely with stakeholders and partners within the sector as well as those who ‘consume’ archaeology.

Eh?

There is a need for a long-term strategy for archaeological resources within Scotland involving all stakeholders that is aligned with the overall desired outcomes and vision for the historic environment.

Should that not be are aligned, give the plural stakeholders? And I am glad we worked out the need for something.

HS should look at the scope for more synergy,

I think we should all give that a go sometimes once we work out what it means. chortle...

[Kel]

Should that not be are aligned, give the plural stakeholders?

Nope, cos it's the long-term strategy that needs aligning rather than the stakeholders.

I think the key phrase is: "Holding a review was a key performance target for 2011-12". Performance target achieved.

Oh I'm cynical before that first coffee sinks.

[P Prentice]

i like it - and i cant wait for it to be devolved to england

[Unitof1]

Should that not be are aligned, give the plural stakeholders? And I am glad we worked out the need for something.

that somethings is here. I think that it is about overalls. I worked this out by breaking this down

overall desired outcomes and vision for the historic environment.

into overall desired, overall outcomes, overall vision, overall historic, overall environment. I think it works. I must admit that I have fought the desire for years to ware an overall on site but thinking about it now that its been pointed out, are they such a stupid thing really? You "could" maybe get some with safety flashing on them and some with pockets at the knees which you "could" put padding in to protect the knees. What I have learnt about overalls is that if you ware too many undercloths it can lead to excessive croch rub which can lead to beauty dimples if you are hairy but with the use of powders and silk this can be reduced I imagine. I quite like the idea of being an overall vision, "could" have the catchphrase overall historic, presumably the curartors would be overall environmental which we could shorten to to overall mental although I dont see why they would need an overall, maybe overall outcomes but then what would that be. Maybe its an overall stratergy or overall framework but like lets not pretend that long term overalls can last forever. Possibly one problem with an overall is that you are asking it to cover everything so that when one of your designer knee pad pocket gets ripped do you throw the whole thing away, cut the legs off and ware it as a jacket