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Centre for Applied Archaeology

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CAA Projects

CAA is involved in variety of short and long-term projects across the world. The tabs below provide short overview of our selected projects. This list is nor comprehensive. Our collaborations are dynamic and our international portfolio is ever growing.


survey of the historical cities of Ancient Merv

European Projects

People, Places and Stories
CAA is a partner in PPS, which is an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership prtoject. PPS project focuses on the capacity building of heritage communities as a socio-cultural space for creativity, learning, participation and inclusion. More information on theperoject: https://pps-eu.org/

DELPHI

CAA was a partner in DELPHI - "Development of Continuing Professional Development for Heritage Interpretation to facilitate Lifelong Learning for Social Inclusion and European Cohesion" a new Erasmus + project, launched in November 2018, that trained cultural heritage interpreters to draw on Europe's values and identity at a local and regional level. The target group included cultural heritage interpreters, but was aimed at Europe's diverse communities, developing a qualification framework in line with EQF, using blended learning, providing training materials and a validation system for its learning outcomes. For more information on this project see www.delphi-eu.org and for more information on the CPD course contact the German Institute for Adult Education.

Heritage Values Network

CAA and the UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage completed a collaborative European project. The project  initiated a European, cross-disciplinary dialogue between heritage practitioners, researchers and policy makers on 'heritage values' through the conduct of three networking workshops. The collaborations under this project were exceptionally valuable for CAA and other partners involved. 

With: Leiden University, Eindhoven University of Technology, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, University of Barcelona

PROMOTE
CAA was a partner in Erasmus+ project PROMOTE - PROmoting and validating key competences in MObility and Traineeships in Europe. The project worked on promoting and validating social, personal and organisational key competences such as entrepreneurship, civic competences and learning to learn with the help of an innovative, self-directed learning approach at the interface of higher education and business. For this purpose the PROMOTE consortium, consisting of six universities, two networks, six business partners and two public entities, developed a holistic and rich open learning environment for teams of trainees (students) and staff from enterprises. More details: https://promote-eu.org/

EDUCCKATE

The project developed an innovative mentored internship scheme between entrepreneurs and students and recent graduates who presented new ideas. The project, supported and directed by the European Commission's DG for Education and Culture, was aimed at supporting larger European agendas in skills exchange to support tomorrow's entrepreneurs in Culture and Creative sectors. This 'Knowledge Alliance' pilot project, which was launched in February 2013, was co-ordinated by CAA (UCL) on behalf of a consortium of 11 partners from 7 countries. Please see our dedicated EDUCCKATE page for more information

EU CoE support to the promotion of cultural diversity in Kosovo

In 2010-2011, CAA staff and principal consultants took part in two different activity areas of this joint EU CoE project, Capacity Develolpment and Education and Public Awareness. The former fed into the publication of guidelines on how to conduct archaeology in the context of development, and the latter created the first university module on Cultural Heritage in Kosovo. For more information see the Cultural Diversity in Kosovo website.

With/for: DGIV, The Cultural Heritage and Technical Assistance Division, Council of Europe

Monitoring Heritage Conventions

The CAA has been a member of the Council of Europe's Expert Group on Heritage Convention Monitoring since 2007. Since then, two separate pilots have been carried out, on the the European Convention for the Archaeological Heritage (Valletta 1992) and the European Convention for the Architectural Heritage (Granada, 1985), which was carried out in light of the Faro Framework Convention for the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (2005). For more information see the Council of Europe's website. This work was undertaken in order to update the on-line monitoring tools used by the European Heritage Network (HEREIN). For more information see the HEREIN website.

With/for: DGIV, Cultural Heritage and Landscape Division, Council of Europe

European Heritage Days

In 2010, the CAA evaluated the 2009 Chapter of the European Heritage Days, an event sponsored by the Council of Europe and the European Commission, which involves the 50 signatory states to the European Cultural Convention. Sites and houses that are not normally accessible to the public are opened up. Visit the European Heritage Days website for more information.

With/for: DGIV, Cultural Heritage and Landscape Division, Council of Europe

Heritage Management UK

The Twin Monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow: World Heritage Site UK candidate

The Twin Monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow candidate World Heritage Site 2011 included the churches of St. Peter Monkwearmouth and St. Paul, Jarrow, which still contain considerable standing Anglo-Saxon components, and the significant(though buried) known archaeological remains of the accompanying monastic complexes.

The buffer zone includes land and institutions managed by major stakeholders such as the National Glass Centre, Sunderland University, Bede's World Museum, Port of Tyne, Shell Mex, and the two city councils. CAA ran Partnership workshops to facilitate discussion of issues of site governance and management, stakeholder participation, and information management. New material was commissioned for the Management Plan and Nomination document. The CAA then edited and updated the nomination document and carried out a comprehensive redrafting of the structure and much of the content of the site management plan, integrating a great deal of new material in time for submission in late 2010. See the Wearmouth and Jarrow website for more information.

With/for: The Wearmouth-Jarrow Partnership

The Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site Management Plan

In 2008, the CAA was commissioned to edit and complete the third Hadrian's Wall WHS Management Plan (2008-2014). Kirsty Norman worked spent a period of 6 months working with the project team, coordinating the writing, editing, and design of the Plan.
The third Hadrian's Wall WHS Management Plan can be viewed on the Hadrian's Wall website.

With/for: Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd.  

Cloister Gallery, Dorchester on Thames

Our Principal Consultant for Heritage Interpretation and Museum Design Chris Hudson received a commendation for Best Permanent Exhibition in the 2006 Museum and Heritage awards for a display of medieval stonework salvaged from the original abbey building.
View the Heritage Interpretation page for more information.

Whitehawk Camp Community Archaeology Project

The CAA (Archaeology South-East) is working with strategic partners to deliver remedial field work and an effective management plan for the site of this early Neolithic Scheduled Monument. The project will involve community engagement with a view to focusing primarily on protecting the site and an enhanced level of interpretation to the wider public.

With/for: Brighton and Hove City Council / East Sussex County Council / English Heritage / Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society

Woking Palace Community Archaeology Project, Surrey, UK

A long term community project involving the undertaking of standing building survey, historical research, field excavation, geophysical and topographical survey on a royal medieval moated site. The 2009 phase of work will concentrate on topographic and geophysical survey.

With: Woking Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Surrey Archaeological Society, Surrey County Archaeological Unit and Quaternary Scientific, University of Reading.    

The South Downs National Park, Hampshire and Sussex, UK

A major Landscape Character assessment project for the designated South Downs National Park. The CAA was also commissioned to provide specialist advice relating to the development of the historic and built environments.

With/for: Land Use Consultants on behalf of Hampshire County Council


International Heritage Projects


World Heritage Site of Merv, Turkmenistan

The Ancient Merv Project is run by the Institute of Archaeology (co-ordinator: Tim Williams). The CAA supports this venture through providing expert advice and helping with the development and implementation of holistic site management methodologies, including:

  • Community involvement
  • Conservation
  • Education 
  • Research and training.

The CAA is currently co-ordinating the writing of the WHS Management Plan for Merv, which is also one of the sites nominated for the UNESCO Silk Roads serial and transnational WHS (see below).

With/for: Ministry of Culture, Turkmenistan and World Monument Fund / Getty Conservation Institute. 


Serial and transnational World Heritage Site nominations: the Silk Roads

The CAA, in collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology, is currently providing expert advice and assistance with the development of a framework for serial WHS nominations along the Silk Roads.

With/for: WHS UNESCO, Paris.


Red Fort, Delhi, India

  • On-site management
  • Building conservation - archaeology
  • Interpretation 
  • World Heritage nominations. - Assistance in development of workshop.

The CAA provided assistance with the development of a Management Plan for Red Fort. This including advice regarding:

With/for: CRCI / Archaeological Survey of India


World Heritage Site of Gao, Mali, Africa

The CAA offered practical assistance at the WHS of Gao, Mali. Including:

  • Advice on the conservation of the excavated palace building of temporary shelter
  • Suggestions for interpretation and education strategies with local schools and museum.

With/for: Patrimoine Culturelle of Mali.


Jericho, Palestine     

The CAA acted as consultants for the development of a Management Plan and interpretation scheme for Tell-es Sultan, Jericho, in preparation for this site's entry onto the UNESCO tentative list (2012).

With/for: MOTACH-DACH / UNESCO


Niuheliang, Liaoning province, China   

The CAA provided advice on site management and conservation options for the site of Niuheliang. This work was undertaken in collaboration with the International Centre for Chinese Heritage and Archaeology and the Institute of Archaeology.

With/for: International Centre for Chinese Heritage and Archaeology


Public Archaeology in the Cyclades, Greece

In May 2009 the CAA co-hosted a meeting with the UCL Heritage Studies Group. Stelios Lekakis of Athens University and Monumenta reported on an ongoing public archaeology project on the island of Naxos.

The CAA supports this early but important development in public archaeology in Greece, and is in discussion about possible future collaboration.

See the link to the Public Meeting programme for more information.


Hili Archaeological Park, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

A team composed of CAA heritage and conservation specialists and archaeologists from ASE began work at the Hili Archaeological Park, a site which forms part of the proposed WHS in Al Ain, UAE, in December 2009. This was a collaboration project with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Cultural and Heritage.

Hili is an internationally important site and consists of a concentration of previously excavated Bronze Age tombs, Bronze and Iron Age settlement sites, Iron Age and Islamic era water management systems (falaj) as well as extensive evidence for the wider archaeological landscape derived from recent geophysical and topographical survey. CAA-ASE's work to date has involved archaeological impact assessments of the site and condition assessments and conservation strategies for the site's excavated remains. Detailed advice has been provided to the park's design team, with further input into research strategy, mitigation and conservation expected in the near future.

With/for: Abu Dhabi Authority for Cultural Heritage  


Teachers Handbook: Earthen Archaeology

The CAA Education and Outreach Team developed a teacher's handbook for earthen archaeological sites. This book is intended to:
- support evidence-based learning
- design on-site educational activities that can be undertaken, prepared and/or followed up in the classroom by using Resource and Activity sheets. These are developed incrementally over time when research progresses.

See our Education and Outreach page for more information.

With: Monumenta


Beirut, Lebanon

The CAA took part in post-excavation and reporting on one of the largest programmes of Urban Rescue archaeology ever undertaken. This involved the study of houses, baths, and harbour of Beirut, ranging in date from Iron Age to Hellenistic to Roman, Byzantine and Islamic Beirut - within the context of post-war reconstruction.