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$CBA SMA\SMA 2002.PDF - Council for British Archaeology$




individual associateship with a newsletter from late 1976, which should enable many to become better informed on CBA affairs and help to overcome a 'major problem, that of communication with the "grass roots". This proposal was endorsed by the meeting of Group representatives in November, which otherwise your representatives found disappointing, as few firm proposals were forthcoming and not all Groups were represented. Of the major matters reported last year, "Archaeology and Government" is now in the background as a basis for future discussions on the organisation of British Archaeology. Group reorganisation is proceeding, despite unresolved difficulties in some parts. We have formally lost Berkshire, where former members seem to be satisfactorily becoming associated with Group 12. But there seems no reason why members cannot also be members of Group 9, and we are happy to continue to publish appropriate reports in the Newsletter and to invite Berkshire speakers to the conference. While the establishment of a British Archaeological Institution has been deferred, preparations for a certification scheme are actively in progress. Aimed at the fulltime but unqualified field worker, the serious spare time archaeologist and the graduate wanting a career in field archaeology, seven certificates are envisaged, which can be taken in isolation or as a series leading to a diploma. Syllabuses will be laid down by a CBA examining board. Most pleasing to report are 'the better relationships of the CBA with the DoE, particularly the twice-yearly meetings of the CBA officers with senior DoE officials. It is hoped that DoE funds for archaeology can be maintained at the present level in real terms. The CBA sustained a great loss by the sudden death of Derek Allen, Hon. Treasurer, in June 1975. Peter Fowler resigned as Hon. Sec. in July after four years fruitful work, and has been succeeded by our Trevor Rowley, to whom we offer congratulations and good wishes. Barry Cunliffe has agreed to be nominated a..; President in July 1976 in succession to Nicholas Thomas, so that CBA9 can claim that its members are taking a large share of responsibility at national level. The Group.Executive has met twice and dealt with a variety of issues'. UnfOrtunately last year's Newsletter incurred a financial loss, kindly covered by the Oxford University Department for External Studies, but this year there must be a rise in subscriptions and a realistic price for the Newsletter. The Report Conference again had an attendance of over a hundred. A useful innovation was an open discussion of what were then the major CBA issues, which was most informative to the Group CBA Executive representative. Outstanding during the year was the revival of the Autumn Meeting, at Bedford on 22 November, through the efforts of David Baker and Alan Ross. While the Group AGM in the morning, postponed from May, was attended by the "faithful dozen", it was heart warming to be present in the afternoon with some 200 others to hear stimulating papers from James Dyer, Chris Young, David Miles, David Hall and Peter Jarvis, on topics ranging from tbe prehistory of the Chilterns to the industrial archaeology of the South Midlands. While it is doubtful whether 1975, as hoped, was the year of the Regional Groups, and our own role is not yet clear, the forthcoming conference and Newsletter 6 should provide sufficient justification for our continued existence and efforts will continue to be made to improve our internal communications. ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATION The Berkshire Archaeological Journal, vol.67 1973-4. Berkshire Archaeological Society £2 Free to members. 1975. Principles of Publication in Rescue Archaeology. Department of the Environment. October 1975. Archaeological Publication - W.J. Fowler. It has been an interesting experience for this reviewer to have these two publications come to his notice in quick succession. The first roused misgivings whether this latest volume of a long established county journal was as relevant to the present archaeological situation as it should or could be, while in the second these misgivings were seen defined as part of a scholarly analysis of the whole publication problem, with suggestions to remedy the situation. Of the. 103 impeccably,produced pages of' - BACJ vol. 67, no fewer than 61 are taken up
4 by the full report, with specialiSt appendices, of the Late IA, RB, AS site at Upton Nervet, excavated in-1961-3. This is not a site of outstanding significance and careful excavation yielded uncertain results. One wonders first at the time lag, and whether the BAC will ever, under present conditions, be able to come up to 'date and, secondly, at the interest of the majority of readers in the detail given. Is it necessary, for instance, to devote a whole page (59) to a bone report which says all in the first sentence - "The small amount of material, involved does not Allow assumptionito be made..."? The rest of the page is occupied by such items. as: "E. Trench, layer 5: cattle? fragment of a large long bone" on two lines. It is no criticism of the-author, who excavated meticulously and prepared the report over years, in the days before we were aware of an archaeological crisis, to suggest that such.datailed publication in such a journal is out of place today. Beyond that, one .wonders how long subscribers in general will be content with a traditional journal in which, for one reader at least, only 8 pages on a C19 Reading ironworks really brought the past to lile.' And how many new - subscribers will be attracted by such presentation? -The DoE Report, prepared by a Working Party of the Ancient Monuments Board Committee for Rescue Archaeolo-gy under. Professor Frere, restates the responsibility of an excavator to publish and to conserve the significant material and records and, in the present publication crisis, eaused,not least by soaring costs, goes on to exRmine principles and to suggest the basis for an overall policy. This is primarily for the DoE and concern3. rescue archaeology, but it is offered "as a guide for directors of excavations and excavating and publishing bodies" (p.1) and the Working Party considers that "the distinction sometimes drawn between rescue and research excavation has become unreal" (p.9). Four.levels of record are distinguished, of which Level III, full illustration and description, with finds lists and drawings and specialist analyses, has been the normal aim of publication. This could well become an economic impossibility and the recommendation is that Level IV, synthesised descriptions with only supporting data should be the objective in future, provided that essential conditions are fulfilled, namely chat all the original material is readily accessible in an archive and' that Level III data not generally published should be available on request in a limited circulation. (p.3). This is not the place to discuss the means suggested to achieve these conditions, but other relevant points noted are that publication should be as speedy as possible, that publication of evidence alone is not enough (p.3) and that interim reports "serve obviously valuable purposes" (p.4). This last is one of the main justifications of this Newsletter. Another of the reasons noted for the publication crisis is that "more excavation is being done without a corresponding increase in the media of publication" (p.1). There is therefore all the more reason for making existing publications more effective. It is hoped that editors and editorial committees of our long established journals will heed the suggestions of the Frere Report, which the DoE has circulated widely, particularly the value of "good, firm editing", and early guidance' to contributors, in effecting economies. Otherwise "there is danger that very shortly availability of these traditional and established publication media will become restricted because of sheer inability of the national and local societies to support the balance of the cost (after DoE grant) through membership subscriptions and voluntary editorial services." (p.7) One dislikes crying "Wolf" and repeating the word "crisis",,but the danger iS real. RECENT APPOINTMENTS - BERKSHIRE - Miss Susan Read - Assistant Archaeologist, Reading Museum; Roger Kent - Conservation Officer, Reading Museum; Grenville Astill - Direetor, Berkshire Archaeological Unit; Julian Richards - Field Survey Officer, Berk.- shire Archaeological Unit; Noel Green.- Honorary Administrator, Berkshire Archaeological Unit. MILTON KEYNES,- Bradwell Abbey Field Centre Bob Zeepvat OXFORuSHIRE - Don Benson left Oxford Department of Museum Services to become Director of the Dyfed Archaeological Trust; Mrs. Kirsty Rodwell has left the Oxfordshire Archaeological Unit.
Page 2 and 3: 40. c 6 4 /qt./Zee-4'dt COUNCIL FOR
Page 6 and 7: 5 A FUTURE for PREHISTORY in the CH
Page 8 and 9: A point, incidentally, also noted b
Page 10 and 11: 9 Decade No. of Deaths Decade No. o
Page 12 and 13: , been ; Nor ! the 11 tionally favo
Page 14 and 15: I 1177.71
Page 16 and 17: 15 It is hoped that this combinatio
Page 18 and 19: 1 ditches 17 1 ble 1 from 'platform
Page 20 and 21: 19 There is little opportunity for
Page 22 and 23: 21 The pitched stone foundations of
Page 24 and 25: 23 The range was of secondary build
Page 26 and 27: 25 tral platform is cut into by thr
Page 28 and 29: 27 the site of an earlier building
Page 30 and 31: 27 the site of an earlier building
Page 32 and 33: 29 sunken roads to the SE; also cry
Page 34 and 35: 31 The village contained two manors
Page 36 and 37: . 33 , ing the County and District
Page 38 and 39: 35 Medieval and Post-Medieval Super
Page 40 and 41: 37 and unrelated sites is inevitabl
Page 42 and 43: . _____,_, Inliit1 39 II II II Il I
Page 44 and 45: 41 MILTON KEYNES DEVELOPMENT CORPOR
Page 46 and 47: 43 Scalen M t Roman Circular 'Build
Page 48 and 49: 45 \ t .. s". :-. :..'s . 15 i I: A
Page 50 and 51: - large 47 HERN'S CLOSE Excavation
Page 52 and 53: 49 building at its E. end was a sto
Page 54 and 55:
51 Building 4 Traces of a timber bu
Page 56 and 57:
53 remaining N. half of the W. side
Page 58 and 59:
55 EARTHWORK SURVEY Much of the rid
Page 60 and 61:
57 A detailed survey of the site co
Page 62 and 63:
59- Old Rectory and from there it m
Page 64 and 65:
61 THE OXFORDSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL C
Page 66 and 67:
ABINGDON BARTON COURT FARM 1972-75
Page 68 and 69:
65 ly rare. Oyster shell is common
Page 70 and 71:
67 beetles from them are dung beetl
Page 72 and 73:
69 The graves cut into underlying p
Page 74 and 75:
I i i - Ecv. Oxford, The Hame Main
Page 76 and 77:
73 over lm. Other buildings and a g
Page 78 and 79:
' 75 WALLINGFORD CASTLE, ABS Site I
Page 80 and 81:
. tion 77 for the National College
Page 82 and 83:
. Mrs. 79 C.B.A. 6 MEMBERSHIP 19757
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