EAA 2024 – Doing good with archaeology

The beneficial role of archaeology as a pathway to wellbeing and happiness is well documented and widely acknowledged; be it for mental health, social cohesion, or personal empowerment. But what is it that makes archaeology such a powerful force? And how do we best make use of the healing potential of our discipline? Moving beyond the discussion whether there can be established clinical evidence for the beneficial effect of archaeology or whether any mitigating effect is only perceived as such by the practitioner, I want to argue that archaeology is a sort of healing magic. As such it is not only the magical invention of personal and collective origin myths. It is also a practice resembling traditional approaches to both physical and spiritual healing and recovery. I will come across practices such as chanting, trance, herbalism, meditation, fetishism, prayer, etc. and investigate their significance (or possibly uselessness) as an explanatory framework for the healing magic of archaeology. My paper is not meant to be understood as a presentation of conclusive wisdom, but more as a fumbling quest for new avenues towards a deeper understanding of what makes archaeology such a powerful therapeutic force – and what we can use it for.

Archaeology can contribute to address societal issues by actively engaging communities through a range of programmes. Among these are Archaeology-Based Wellbeing Interventions (AWIs), which explore how engagement with the past can make a difference to wellbeing, producing outcomes such as socialisation, happiness and self-esteem. AWIs aim to achieve a wellbeing impact on the participants by engaging them with a variety of programmes based on archaeology, including excavations, walks in the historic landscape, photographic sessions and other craft workshops. This contribution proposes an in-depth reflection on the different forms and dynamics of interaction in AWIs and how they can impact on inclusiveness, equality, connection and cohesion. The analysis is based on the quantitative and qualitative data collected during the programme ‘ArcheologicaMente’, delivered in Vignale (Italy) in September 2023, and the ‘ΑρχαιοΛογικά’ programme, delivered in the Xeros Valley (Larnaca district) between October and December 2023.

The two case studies have been carried out within the framework of research project ‘Linking community archaeology and wellbeing in the Mediterranean’ (LOGGIA). Funded by the European Union as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, LOGGIA has worked with local communities and vulnerable groups on programmes based on the historic landscape and assessed how archaeology practices can contribute to community wellbeing.

This paper will provide a strategic overview of the issues facing the heritage and archaeological world in relation to the wellbeing agenda. Wellbeing might usefully be thought about in two key ways, direct: that is the subjective wellbeing of how a person or community is doing, and indirect: that is working with the social determinants of health and wellbeing. Where has this agenda come from and how is it being approached? Expanding this further one might articulate Wellbeing as an individual issue (how does one feel things are going), a collective issue (how well is a community or area doing), and a population level issue (how well are policies affecting change for the country as a whole). Each is focussed on what difference we can make and all are relevant to how we approach wellbeing. Each is related to life satisfaction and how one is affected by the social, economic and environmental context of daily life.

Wellbeing is therefore a complex issue seeking simple solutions for implementation. The two most common questions appear to be ‘what works’ and ‘how to measure it’. With these questions in mind this paper will provide examples from the UK and consider how this can be applied within commercial archaeology. Through these examples it will highlight the kinds of opportunities that exist for improving local wellbeing and the challenges and evidence that exist for measuring this in a meaningful way.

While a still young but growing body of literature has begun mapping the positive effects on mental health and general wellbeing which engagement in archeological activities is proving to have (see e.g. Everill and Burnell 2022; Sayer 2023), the literature on the positive effects of metal detecting as archaeological practice is yet scarce. This scarcity stands in stark contrast to the self-reported positive experiences of practitioners in e.g. Denmark (Dobat et al 2022; Dobat and Dobat 2020) and the UK (Dobat et al 2020; Dobat et al 2022; Winkley 2016).

In this paper, we contribute to this burgeoning field through an ethnographic exploration of the Danish VETEKTOR Buddy program. The program engages military veterans in archeological metal detecting activities by providing them with the necessary gear and an experienced mentor from the Danish hobby archeology community. The paper hones in on the veterans’ own experience of engaging in archeological activities by specifically exploring the relationship between their embodied sense of engaging in the hobby and their past military training, identity, and bodily and intellectual proficiencies and aspirations. We also explore how the sense of meaning and purpose the veterans derive from the hobby is connected to their experience of being engaged in “the world’s biggest archeological citizen science projects,” as several of them refer to the registration system, DIME.

Wellbeing has risen as an important contribution of heritage to society, a reason for governments to support heritage and as target for volunteering programmes. Over the last decade impressive research has demonstrated measurable improvements in wellbeing for many groups through engaging with heritage. Yet wellbeing among heritage professionals is not better than societal averages, and in many professional contexts it is worse. There are many contributors to this circumstance, including precarious employment and poor working conditions. How can a profession which struggles with its own wellbeing be expected to improve wellbeing for those that engage with it?

Bearing in mind recent research demonstrating that most ‘workplace wellness programmes’ have no benefit, this paper will address these issues in two ways. Firstly, drawing on data from sources such as ‘profiling the profession’ it will explore the wellbeing pressures on different parts of the sector, and consider where current wellbeing programmes sit within that. Secondly, it will consider if there are any lessons from our understanding of how heritage improves wellbeing in other contexts which would help professionals within the sector.

Feeling ‘useful’ to and valued by oneself, family, friends, and society has been shown to have a dramatic impact on mental and physical health of older people. This research focussed on people over the age of 60 as these represent a poorly documented but growing constituency. While younger people, military veterans and those who have sought assistance for their mental well-being have already been the subject of study in archaeological settings, older people have not despite large numbers supporting archaeology and heritage projects. There have been no studies investigating whether taking part in archaeological projects has an impact on older participants’ feelings of ‘usefulness’ and how this could help us better understand the extent and potential benefits for older people’s mental well-being.
A two-stage approach was developed, although its implementation was constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in force during this project. This study sought firstly to examine and quantify the volunteering opportunities available through archaeological organisations in England to provide context for the project, and secondly by conducting a series of focus groups to explore the concept of usefulness from those who have participated in archaeological projects. From the focus groups four broad themes were identified: Fulfilment; Connectivity; Health Impact and Ageing.
Although the study was limited in scale, participants overwhelmingly reported beneficial impacts on mental well-being as a result of taking part in archaeological projects. As a pilot study this work revealed important insights that if multiplied have implications for those 60+ age-group communities across the country, and for the development and support of archaeological and heritage-based projects and their contributions to well- being. Collaboration with the health sector could have a huge impact on health and well- being and could frame how community organisations feed into the discourse and build on the agenda for health and well-being in communities.

Developments and construction works can transform, reshape, and create new communities in both urban and rural settings. The archaeological works associated with developments can also contribute to this impact on communities, especially in instances of significant archaeological findings. On the one hand, development-led archaeology can impact communities through a loss of heritage, to which there is a sense of belonging or ownership. Place attachment should be considered in these instances as the archaeology and archaeological engagement can present opportunities to help mitigate the loss. On the other hand, new archaeological discoveries can create new narratives and ties to the past. Engagement with the archaeological works can therefore help to build a sense of community and shared heritage for locals.

Whilst development-led archaeology has an obligation to provide public benefit, what constitutes meaningful engagement and appropriate/proportionate techniques are only just being examined in this setting.

This paper will synthesize my doctoral research into community engagement in the Scottish developer-led archaeology sector, and consider how community engagement can impact national, European, and global sustainable development goals. This paper will be composed of a variety of case studies and examples to demonstrate a breadth of activities across Scotland. In doing so, it becomes possible to explore how different engagement techniques can impact individuals and communities, and generate values such as (and not limited to) educational, social, health and wellbeing, and cultural. Ultimately, this paper will explore rationales behind developer-led archaeological sites delivering community engagement, showing awareness of key legislation and policies for communities building. By framing the discussion from the communities’ perspective, this paper will highlight the benefits of community engagement in developer-led archaeology that can be derived for individuals and the communities themselves.

How can engaging with the archaeological landscape of Stanton Moor in the Peak District positively impact social sustainability, well-being, and our human rights in terms of access, while also ensuring sustainable conservation of the cultural and natural resources of the moor?

To answer this, this paper will reflect on and explore the complex, multi-faceted landscape that includes several sites across the moor. Most of these sites date back to the Bronze Age, with the Nine Ladies Stone Circle being particularly significant for this study. Stanton Moor serves as an area of recreation, a working agricultural zone, and a place of spiritual importance.

However, challenges arose when a local quarrying company sought to reopen sites on the moor. Vocal opposition led to the establishment of a protest camp at Nine Ladies Stone Circle in 2000, which persisted until 2009. While this camp exemplified social activism, it also faced issues related to antisocial behavior, substance abuse, and alcohol consumption during solstices.

Stanton Moor has the potential to be an empowering and inclusive space where diverse individuals can engage freely with its archaeological, spiritual, and natural aspects, ultimately contributing to their well-being. Nevertheless, improvements are necessary in terms of accessibility, engagement, and sustainability. Updating the 2007 management plan is crucial to protect valuable elements while allowing people from various backgrounds to enjoy the moor.

In summary, managing Stanton Moor in a sustainable and inclusive manner—balancing conservation and accessibility—will be discussed and compared with relevant case studies to chart a sustainable path for the future.

The power of Archeology as a politically and socially active science is unquestionable.

Far from descriptive/analytical studies, Archeology is a tool of great action capable of entering into the debates of the present world. Continuous, non-stop “progress” – new techniques, new analytics, specialisation within specialisation, impact indices – dominate much of the discipline, but at some point along the way, do we put the brakes on all this and stop to think about what direction we are going in or how far we want to go? Reflections that go beyond mere academic transfers or the safeguarding of a common heritage. We study people, communities, elites, minorities, marginalised…, or at least the materiality/non-materiality left by these groups throughout history. So, we have a great responsibility on our hands. But does all this really have an impact on the communities living in the territories we research? In this paper we intend to do our bit to our possibilities as a science based on what we have been doing in the framework of Agrarian Archaeology in the study of local/rural mountain communities in the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula.

In our research we have focused on these communities as the protagonists of their own history, active agents with a capacity for agency who have deployed various strategies to face up to different historical challenges. These diachronic approaches lead us to work or live in rural spaces that are still inhabited. This interaction makes us militant in the face of the problems that these territories are going through, seeking an agency that allows us to counteract the dominant discourses, to generate actions of co-construction of knowledge by integrating ourselves into the very communities in which we live and of which we form part as human capital and socialising agents of the territory.

The commercial cultural heritage team within Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd was commissioned to create and implement a heritage trail around a small town in Wales (UK). The client had announced their intentions for the trail in their Town Regeneration Master Plan. Arcadis and our client recognise the importance of the social impact and value of connecting communities and visitors to local heritage. The effective communication and display of an area’s heritage can create positive perceptions and pride in a local area. It can add knowledge and understanding about the past and is vital to destination marketing and contributing to local economies.

The trail created several challenges including deciding on which heritage assets would be incorporated into the trail. This was achieved by engaging with local stakeholders and then planning a logical and accessible route to connect assets. Not all assets could be included, and this caused some controversy amongst local groups. Those that were included consisted of assets representing the medieval history of the town, its civic life and its links to rugby and brewing. The challenges for the implementation of the trail included raising awareness about the trail and how and where it would be advertised.

Previously, the client had created a heritage app which was unsuccessful but there was still a possibility that something similar could be used for the trail. It would be important that the technology used be easily maintained, was future proofed and user friendly. If it was to succeed, planning permission, and listed building consent, would be required for new heritage boards, signs and QR codes for the route. The client welcomed our proposal and is now taking the ideas and trail route out to additional stakeholder engagement.

In my free time from my work at the museum, I am passionate about educating non-native-speaking children and teenagers about archaeology and related subjects focused on their native cultures. The idea is simple – to socialize and cultivate kindness through learning. With narratives, games, and practices from archaeology, kids are able to see themselves as part of an ongoing human story that connects them to their culture, heritage, and the wider world. I believe that introducing kids to the benefits of archaeology at an early age can have a positive impact on their lives and contribute to building better societies.

With the rise of conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war, educating ourselves and others about archaeology has become more crucial. In my group, there are kids from countries with ongoing conflicts, and yet they come together and stay united for the purpose of learning. I am confident that learning about archaeology can contribute to shaping better societies. Through learning about archaeology and its implications for cultural identity and social cohesion, we can build a better world for current and future generations.

Archaeoinformatics, as is determined the study of computational and digital technologies under the perspective of achieving and proposing holistic models for analysing, archiving, and disseminating archaeological data, show the way both for supporting a holistic cultural resource management, whether in the public or the private sector, as well as for the community of people’s active participation.

As a result, the growing dynamics of new practices and procedures, for the participation of the wider society in issues of integrated cultural heritage management, as is crowdsourcing, has now clearly made the concept of public archaeology visible and real, thus constituting a leading scientific trend of our days.

As innovation spurs the creation of value to communities through the development of new experiences, services and processes, the museum sector has already shown the way towards this direction. In the post-covid era, museological approaches are determined by the rapid innovations that have taken place and have been accelerated under the COVID-19 conditions as a catalyst and consist of rapid changes in accepting and implementing digital innovations, thus redefining the experience as well as the creative participation of the public, and are crystallized in the latest achievements and challenges.

Are these the future trends for safeguarding collective memory?

Ukraine appears to be a bright, illustrative case for many discussions on the social impact of archaeology and cultural heritage studies. This is mainly due to the relevance and strategic importance of Ukrainian cultural heritage, as revealed by the ongoing war. However, other features of archaeological practice are also worth noticing as they shape Ukrainian society in many ways. Here, archaeology appears to be a romanticized adventure and a resort for many social groups. It has the power to bring social and cultural awareness, shaping a positive attitude toward our country and history. Paradoxically, it frames archaeologists and rarely societally respected and acknowledged experts and widens the gap between scholars and governmental institutions. Introduction to archaeology often occurs in school or university clubs, serving as the first exposure to cultural history for many young people. These clubs provide a tangible connection to the past and form a behavioral model for protecting and preserving national heritage. They shape the relationships between professional archaeologists and their environment in a very special way. Following the work of youth archaeological clubs, NGOs often emerge, acting as intermediaries between the local and global archaeological communities and between public engagement efforts and academic scholarships. These platforms create opportunities for dialogue and collaboration among diverse communities. In areas with relatively unstable cultural support (such as Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv, and Odesa), the study of archaeology holds particular value and is a space of freedom and cultural responsibility.

The significant number of professional archaeologists or individuals involved in archaeology within the military underscores the interconnectedness of cultural consciousness, heritage preservation, and national security. This talk aims to expand on intertwined features of public engagement, cultural awareness, social responsibility, and the romanticized image of archaeologists in the modern Ukrainian cultural background.

The Neozoik Foundation is a non-profit foundation based in Pančevo, Serbia, established in 2021 with the mission of raising awareness about archaeology and cultural heritage to address educational and media disparities within the public sphere. Comprised of enthusiastic young experts and students of archaeology and related disciplines, Neozoik focuses on grassroots efforts to provide youth with accessible and free activities both online and in person. One of primary initiatives involve organizing free workshops for elementary and secondary school students in underdeveloped areas of Serbia. These workshops, conducted in rural with limited cultural resources and low quality of life, offer children hands-on experiences in archaeological research. So far, Neozoik has conducted five workshops in several rural places across Serbia, including Bela Palanka, Blace, Starčevo, Zvezdan, and Donji Milanovac.

These projects introduce participants to archaeological methodologies through the analysis of materials sourced from nearby sites. Additionally, students engage in discussions about the importance of their local heritage, issues related to illegal digging, and the societal significance of archaeology. These workshops instill a sense of pride and ownership in the students, empowering them to advocate for the preservation of their local heritage, that way contributing to the broader discourse on promoting inclusive practices within archaeology. Furthermore, the Neozoik team maintains ongoing engagement with participants through several social media profiles, providing the children with continuous support in deepening their interest in archaeology and its popularization.

Since 2004, the Meta3Lab of the University of Siena has been carrying out archaeological excavations at the site of Vignale-Riotorto (LI). Over the course of two decades, the research initiative has become a dynamic training ground that has shaped the expertise of numerous students. In addition, the community archaeology project ‘Uomini e Cose a Vignale’ (People and Things in Vignale), started in 2009, has tried to go beyond the usual public outreach activities by carrying out evaluations of the project’s impact on the area and archaeology-based wellbeing interventions.

Students have always been actively involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of these activities. However, the long-term impact of archaeological excavation experiences on the education and attitudes of former students has never been assessed. Can a university excavation be evaluated not only in terms of its scientific publications, but also in terms of the impact it has on its alumni? And how deep is its influence on the working practices of students now working as archaeologists or in other fields? This paper uses a mixed-methods analysis to explore the perspectives and experiences at Vignale of more than 80 students who participated in the project for more than one season.

In the project Archaeology and Natural Science: science teaching and cultural history, the Museum of Copenhagen collaborates with teachers and students in elementary school to develop new methods in science teaching. The purpose of the project is to explore the potential of working with archaeology and natural science in 7th and 8th grade in elementary school to strengthen the students’ STEM competencies and their scientific, general, and democratic formation, by involving them in professional archaeological and scientific work at the museum. The students work hands-on with authentic archaeological material and use scientific archaeological methods alongside the museum’s professional archaeologists. The project work with an interdisciplinary approach and emphasize involvement and cocreation with participants in the development process.
The aim is to develope a well proven and sustainable teaching format in a reliable teaching environment, all with the purpose to encourage students interested in an education and a career within the natural science subjects, as we provide the opportunity to interact with, get inspired from, and learn from the archaeological methods and role models. Together, the authenticity aspects and the pedagogical methods create different, yet secure learning situations, where students who are not normally interested or actively participating in learning activities, are fully focused and immersed, and express enthusiasm for succeeding.