Past Preservers is proud to be sponsoring the Public Dissemination of Archaeology Award.

The Awards showcase the very best in UK and Irish archaeology through five categories: Archaeological Innovation, Public Dissemination and Presentation, Learning, Training and Skills, Early Career Archaeologist and Public Engagement and Participation, with winners of these individual awards being considered for the Outstanding Archaeological Achievement Award.

All categories consider a range of cross cutting themes that are designed to show how archaeology relates to wider society, health and wellbeing, and place. The shortlist was decided by a judging panel made up of representatives from across the sector, chaired by Jeannette Plummer Sires, Anthropologist, Archaeologist & Museum Curator and founding member of the European Society of Black and Allied Archaeologists (ESBAA).

The winners will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Ireland’s National Monuments Service in partnership with the Office of Public Works, held in Dublin Castle on Tuesday 29 November.

Support for the awards is provided by Historic England, National Monuments Service Ireland, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw, Department for Communities Northern Ireland, the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (ALGAO:UK), the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland (IAI), and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

The Outstanding Archaeological Achievement Award is sponsored by AOC Archaeology Group, and individual awards are being sponsored by the Royal Archaeological Institute, Past Preservers, Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS), and University Archaeology UK. 

Neil Redfern of the Council for British Archaeology, said “We’re so thrilled to be able to recognise the archaeological sector’s achievements over the last year through our Awards. There is so much to celebrate, from contributions to knowledge development and research, work with local communities, to the dissemination of archaeological knowledge and exciting innovations. We are also keen, as always, to promote and reward high professional standards, a principle which underpins every aspect of the Awards. Thank you so much to all those who nominated projects and individuals for this year’s Archaeological Achievement Awards – we received a huge variety of high-quality entries which made shortlisting a true challenge for our judges. Huge congratulations to all our shortlistees, we can’t wait to celebrate during our ceremony in Dublin in November”. 

The full shortlist is as follows:

Early Career Archaeologist

• – Fernanda Acosta Ballesteros of Archaeology Scotland
• – Jennifer McCarthy, commercial archaeologist based in Cork, Ireland
• – Matthew Mark Bamborough Research Assistant to the Ravensburgh Castle Hillfort Project
• – Megan Schlanker, archaeologist for MOLA and Chair of the CIfA Early Careers SIG
• – Tabitha Gulliver Lawrence, from Colchester Archaeological Trust
• – Victoria Sands from Colchester Archaeological Trust

Archaeological Innovation

• – Automated Site Discovery Using Deep Learning by ArchAI Ltd
• – The Uist Virtual Archaeology Project by UHI Outer Hebrides and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

• – Crafting the Past: Shared Histories by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland’s Dig It! project, Immersive Minds and Jonslundsskola
• – The Seaford Head Project by Archaeology South-East and UCL

Public Dissemination or Presentation

• – Cissbury Goes Digital by National Trust, Worthing Museum and South Downs National Park Authority
• – The World of Stonehenge exhibition at the British Museum
• – The Uist Virtual Archaeology Project project by UHI Outer Hebrides and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

• – Scotland Digs 2022 by The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland’s Dig It! 
• – Transforming the Roman Townhouse for wider audiences to enjoy by Dorset Council.

Engagement and Participation

• – Crafting the Past: Shared Histories by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland’s Dig It! project, Immersive Minds and Jonslundsskola
• – Y Heritage Make A Splash! by MSDS Marine

• – Lost Inverleal: A’ Lorg Baile Bhlàir by Ullapool Museum Trust
• – Bristol’s Brilliant Archaeology Programme 2021-22 (BBAP) by Bristol Museums Archaeology Team
• – Wessex Hillforts and Habitats by the National Trust

Learning, Training and Skills

• – OASIS V Rollout Support Workshops by MSDS Marine and Ashtree Heritage
• – UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Material Culture (CEAMC) part of UCD School of Archaeology, University College Dublin
• – Wessex Hillforts & Habitats by the National Trust.

You can find out more about the shortlisted projects here. 

About the Archaeological Achievement Awards

Formerly known as British Archaeology Awards, the awards have been expanded and renamed to include the Republic of Ireland and the UK. Along with these changes the award categories have been revised to showcase the very best of archaeological activity across the British Isles and island of Ireland.

As a central event in the archaeological calendar, the purpose of the Archaeological Achievement Awards is to advance the study, practice and dissemination of archaeological activity in all its aspects and to celebrate its impact and legacies.

The awards seek to  promote high standards of archaeological practice in the service of the public. The judging criteria aim to showcase how archaeology provides value for society and our environment, and how we  create a positive impact from the work of archaeologists. The challenge of archaeology is that many of the ways of undertake our investigations are destructive. What we touch and how we interpret it can enrich and sustain society, but it can also damage and offend. The awards reflect a collective belief in the value and sensitivity of what we do and encourage work founded on ethical practice, expertise and restraint, based upon shared standards.

Find out more about the Archaeological Achievement Awards here.

About Council for British Archaeology

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) is the UK’s leading archaeology charity, working throughout the UK to involve people in archaeology and to promote appreciation of the historic environment, through widening participation and understanding. 

Founded in 1944 to promote archaeology in the aftermath of the Second World War and the opportunities arising from the rebuilding of our towns and cities, the CBA today takes the form of a membership organisation, bringing together institutions and individuals to create a unique forum for the British archaeological community. The organisation is represented nationwide by twelve CBA Groups and 80 Branches of the Young Archaeologists’ Club. The CBA holds an annual programme of events, including their flagship event “The Festival of Archaeology”, which takes place in July and a monthly online “This is Archaeology” lecture series. CBA also publish “British Archaeology” magazine, an award-winning bi-monthly publication focusing on archaeological endeavours around the UK.

Find out more about Council for British Archaeology

Website: https://new.archaeologyuk.org/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Archaeologyuk/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/archaeologyuk 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archaeologyuk/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CouncilForBritishArchaeology