Matt Leivers and Andrew B. Powell with contributions by Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger and Sarah Simmonds.
The first two parts of this Research Framework for the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site have provided an overview of the current state of knowledge about the cultural heritage of the whole of the WHS: the Resource Assessment has summarised its unique archaeological and historical resource; and the Research Agenda has articulated some of the wide range of questions that remain to be answered. These questions relate both to those characteristics which imbue the WHS with its Outstanding Universal Value, and to its wider archaeological and historical contexts.
This third section, the Research Strategy, provides a structure for advancing the Research Agenda for the next five to ten years. It does so first by outlining a set of core principles under which future research within the WHS should be conducted; and secondly by offering a set of strategies which underpin these principles and provide direction and guidance to those co- ordinating, undertaking, monitoring and funding the research, and to other stakeholders.
The Research Strategy, therefore, has as its key aims:
There are four principles which should underpin the conduct of all research undertaken within the WHS. While these are, in general terms, of wider relevance to archaeological research, the OUV of the WHS gives them particular weight and significance.
The unique resource of the WHS demands that any research, whether using intrusive or non-intrusive methods, should be of the highest quality and undertaken in accordance with the principle of best practice. Where appropriate this should aim to exceed industry-accepted minimum standards, as established by national bodies and set out in professional codes and guidance (see Appendix 1), or standards as enshrined in local and national legislation.
Intrusive methods of archaeological investigation, whether in the field or on materials in museum archives, have varying levels of impact on the archaeological resource of the WHS. However, unlike other impacts, such as agriculture, development and other processes, which continually reduce and degrade the resource, archaeological research can and should enhance it.
In one sense, the archaeological resource is finite. In another, it is growing, as new surveys and excavations reveal previously-unknown sites or increase knowledge of known sites. Sustainable research can enhance its value by advancing our understanding of it; both established methods and the development of new research techniques can substantially increase its potential to provide knowledge, by refining methods and opening up new avenues of enquiry.
It is essential however to carefully balance the potential furthering of understanding against any adverse or destructive effects of the work undertaken (Strategic Objective 2.7).
The planning of research projects which propose to impact directly on the archaeological resource (either by excavation or other non-repeatable methods of investigation) need to have sound research objectives consistent with these principles of research, and to justify their methods as being the most appropriate for the task at hand.
The WHS offers a particularly important resource for researchers, as reflected in its OUV, a fact recognised since the earliest antiquaries started studying the monuments now within it. Its potential has been a significant catalyst for the development of archaeological practice, not only as a test-bed for new methods of fieldwork (both intrusive and non- intrusive), but also for new techniques of scientific investigation and analysis, the refining of chronologies, and the development of new theoretical approaches to understanding the past.
Research in the WHS should continue to inspire innovation in the investigation of archaeology and cultural heritage, wherever appropriate and sustainable.
The results of all research projects need to be easily accessible and available to the widest possible audience. Research that does not lead to publication or the deposition of datasets in accessible repositories does not meet the requirements of best practice. Consequently it should be a requirement that the results of all research undertaken in the WHS be made available without undue delay. All reports for fieldwork – whether interim or final – must be lodged with the HER at the earliest possible time.
The OUV of the WHS implies that the understanding and appreciation of the archaeological remains is of interest and significance to different audiences. The investment of the WHS with a range of aesthetic values and diverse significance to a variety of communities predates its inscription.
Clear communication and public engagement should be central to any research project. Public engagement (where this would be of some benefit) should be at all stages of a project, and should be followed by prompt and appropriate dissemination of the results of the research through publications and other media.
The public’s appreciation of the WHS may also be promoted (where appropriate and with suitable guidance) through its participation in the research process itself. This will provide a better understanding of how the evidence is gathered and upon which an informed understanding about the past is based, given that there are widely variable public perceptions about the origins, purposes and current significance of the WHS, its landscape and the monuments within it.
In order to progress research in accordance with the core principles outlined above, it is necessary to establish a number of strategies which provide researchers and other stakeholders with a practical framework for the planning, conduct and dissemination of research.
Research projects undertaken within the WHS should conform to agreed procedures in their planning and conduct.
In order to ensure that research projects in the WHS embody the principles outlined above it is important that researchers take all necessary steps to consult with and, where required, obtain permission from the appropriate bodies. There is a set of basic steps which researchers should follow in the development and conduct of their projects, although the precise steps necessary will vary from project to project.
A wide range of stakeholders have interests in the conduct of research projects in the WHS. Even where no formal permissions are required, researchers should take those interests into account when planning, developing, implementing and disseminating their projects.
The policy regarding the use of metal detectors laid out in the 2001 Archaeological Research Agenda for the Avebury World Heritage Site should be maintained across the WHS as a whole (AAHRG 2001, 90–1). In summary, this policy recommends that:
Also, research within the WHS is diverse in its scope and practice, being undertaken by a wide range of individuals and organisations within the contexts of academic enquiry, commercial development, and site management and protection. As such, different forms of research may require different levels of permissions as they fall under different regimes of statutory and non-statutory control.
The main stakeholder organisations and their roles are:
WCAS should be the main point of contact when undertaking investigations within the WHS, as it offers advice at all stages of investigation, including the planning of projects, consultation of the WSHER as part of background research, the production of project designs, the determination of appropriate methodologies, and the dissemination of results.
Early contact should be made with ASAHRG whose diverse membership, which includes professional curators, academics and freelance researchers, many with past experience of investigation, provides an unparalleled knowledge- base about the WHS along with a platform for discussion and feedback.
ASAHRG would also provide prospective researchers with contact information for the relevant statutory and other organisations, including English Heritage, National Trust, museums etc., and any other landowners whose permission would be needed.
In order to ensure the development of high-quality research projects consistent with the research principles outlined above and the appropriateness and sustainability of results, eight strategic objectives are identified:
1.1 There should be provision for sufficient and appropriate long-term storage space for finds and archives resulting from research projects.
1.2 Research undertaken within the WHS should be preceded by consultation with WCAS and ASAHRG, and any other relevant parties; and appropriate permissions, both statutory and non-statutory, should be acquired at an early stage from the relevant body and landowners.
1.3 Research projects should be preceded where appropriate by a written Project Design that is consistent with the Principles of Research outlined above. This should be seen and discussed by all relevant stakeholders. It should contain clear and well-defined research objectives and a methodology that reflects how these objectives will be obtained.
1.4 Project designs should specify where any project archive will be deposited, following consultation with the receiving institution, and should include a commitment to submit an OASIS (Online AccesS to the Index of archaeological investigationsS) entry and digital data and final reports to the WSHER.
1.5 Project Designs should refer to this Research Framework, as well as to other regional and national research frameworks. These frameworks are not prescriptive; well-reasoned research projects that are beyond their current scope can contribute to their updating and revision.
1.6 All research should have adequate funding in advance of the start of the project, including that needed to cover post-excavation analyses, publication and archiving.
1.7 All personnel undertaking research in the WHS should be suitably qualified and have the necessary skills to undertake the project set out in the Project Design or have sought qualified guidance from people with those skills.
1.8 Collections-based research projects should deposit their results, including analyses, with the museums to ensure that future researchers have full access to them, so reducing the risk of repetition of destructive analyses.
Appropriate research methods should be employed, consistent with the principles of best practice and sustainability.
A wide range of techniques, archaeological and non- archaeological, has been employed in the investigation of the monuments and landscape of the WHS, as well as their aesthetic, artistic and communal values. Recent years have seen rapid advances in the areas of remote sensing and survey, and different forms of scientific analysis. It is recognised that the most appropriate methods of investigation will be determined by the specific questions being asked, and that some of the research themes outlined in the Agenda may require the further refinement of the strategic objectives listed below, or the development of new ones.
The Resource Assessment has described the wealth of data, in many different forms (including finds assemblages and excavation archives), which have been collected over decades, indeed centuries of investigation. Much of this data would benefit from re-analysis in the light of more recent research and new theoretical perspectives, using appropriate techniques of investigation and dating, and applying new standards of research. It is recognised that intrusive and non-intrusive methods provide very different types and levels of knowledge, and that certain questions may only be answered by employing invasive techniques, whether fieldwork methods, such as excavation, or various forms of artefact analysis.
2.1 A concerted effort should be made to compile a full inventory of all unpublished archives from past fieldwork events within the WHS, and to establish their location and contents. This process would be facilitated by the establishment of a single digital repository and the provision of adequate facilities for the storage of archives and finds.
2.2 Research making use of existing data should be encouraged, and their potential to help answer new research questions should always be considered during the formulation of research programmes before interventions to acquire new material are planned.
2.3 Opportunities should be taken to re-examine the results of past investigations, such as geophysical surveys, documentary research, aerial photographs, landscape surveys etc.
2.4 Consideration should be given to the re- examination and re-opening of antiquarian and other previous excavation trenches, which still may yield valuable new information with limited additional impact.
2.5 The re-opening of earlier trenches can help to mitigate their past negative impacts, by allowing fuller recording and the recovery of material previously not considered significant; by accurately recording the extent of the earlier intervention; and, potentially, by enhancing the visual character of the monuments.
2.6 Where research projects requiring intrusive techniques are of a general nature, ie, not specific to the WHS, and could equally be undertaken outside the WHS, the WHS resource should be preserved.
2.7 Any new excavation needs to be clearly targeted and should be the minimum necessary to answer the research questions.
2.8 Different areas of the WHS vary considerably in their vulnerability to archaeological impacts owing, for instance, to the scale or quality of previous works, or other human and natural impacts. Monuments that are at risk of degradation or are actively being damaged may, where suitable, provide an appropriate resource for a particular area of research. A list should be maintained of sites most at risk, as a GIS layer in the WSHER. Enquiries to relevant bodies for research opportunities should be directed to this list wherever appropriate.
The effective management of information – its acquisition, organisation, curation, presentation and dissemination – should be at the core of all research undertaken in the WHS.
A huge body of data – archaeological, geological, environmental, and historical – has been accumulated by past and current research, and it is being continually added to. Much of that information is held and is accessible to everyone in the WSHER, maintained the Wiltshire County Archaeology Service (WCAS), which contains records of sites and monuments (designated and non-designated) and is maintained using a digital mapping system (GIS) underpinned by a comprehensive curated dataset.
The coherent and integrated management of information relating to the WHS requires the designation of a single, definitive digital repository (Strategic Objective 3.3), ideally web-based and accessible, which will also provide links to research data at other locations on the web. Such a repository will:
In order to achieve the effective management of information, five strategic objectives have been identified.
3.1 The Wiltshire and Swindon Historic Environment Record (WSHER) should be the central system for managing information and data within the WHS.
3.2 The WHS GIS dataset should be held in the WSHER.
3.3 A plan should be formulated to identify the scope of existing digital data; what a suitable repository for it might be; who should be responsible for its maintenance; and how it should be funded.
3.4 The WHS GIS layer should be enhanced by including backlog projects, by pulling in all relevant spatial data, and by creating links to digital and physical archives (eg, archaeological, documentary, museum collections) and grey literature etc.
3.5 The prompt submission to the WSHER of summary or interim reports of all interventions and research should be a condition for any statutory permissions that are required to undertake work within the WHS, and best practice should include completion of an OASIS form. The same standards should apply to all research projects even when statutory conditions and consents are not required.
This Research Framework will remain current for a period of no more than 10 years, in parallel with the WHS Management Plan, after which it will be revised and updated.
While the establishment and maintenance of a central repository within the WSHER, which is continually updated for information about the WHS, will facilitate the planning, conduct and dissemination of research, it is intended that the Research Framework will be revised and updated after a period of between five and ten years. This will involve:
The form which these revisions will take remains to be decided upon, but the provision of more complete digital datasets called for in this document may provide the most effective method.
4.1 The development of a system is required to keep the Research Framework current, and to highlight research addressing the Research Agenda. This is currently intended to be in the form of an annual review of work undertaken within the WHS, to be carried out by a sub- committee of ASAHRG.
4.2 The development of effective means for the future presentation and synthesis of the resource is also required, alongside regular updates through ASAHRG in the form of reviews, workshops, meetings and annual updates. The next version of the Research Framework is currently intended to be a web- based resource, probably in the form of a wiki with limited-write access.
Part of the Research Frameworks Network