The City of Edinburgh Council’s Post

Through the analysis of archaeological plant remains, a study offers insights into the process of plant domestication across various regions worldwide throughout the course of human and societal evolution. In The Guardian: https://ow.ly/k2to50RwslG In PNAS: https://ow.ly/Ypsw50RwslH

The new (2023) 'State of the Archaeological Market' report has been released by FAME. I always find these reports make for mixed reading, however, when comparing the economical growth of the sector as outlined in this report compared to the well documented wage crisis in UK archaeology the contents are particularly galling. Of the 35 organisations who participated in the survey the following points can be made: 1) Most respondents have reported an annual turnover of more than £1 million for their organisations since 2020-21. 2) The average revenue per employee in 2022-23 was £63,780. 3) Charge-out rates (the rate at which the client pays for the provision of archaeological staff) rose by an average of 7.9% in the year to March 2023. Looking forward the majority of respondents expected their charge-out rates to further increase in the year to March 2024. 4) The trend of skills being lost and the persistent skills shortage in the workforce has continued with the areas of fieldwork, PX analysis, and heritage advice being particularly affected. What this paints is a picture of a sector where money is certainly being made; in a sector where the average wage is less than 25k per year archaeological staff are bringing in almost 3 times their perceived value; the cost of said services is increasing for clients; however the staffing structure remains increasingly fragile with a continued loss of experienced and skilled staff whilst at the same time demand for practitioners to have an ever-increasing set of skills is itself increasing. - If these facts are true then why are UK archaeological wages still so low? - Why do archaeological employers demand more in terms of professional behaviour and complex skills year-on-year and yet do not reflect this in wages or quality of employment? - Why, when the market continues to make a profit are we hearing the same old tired excuses from archaeological employers when it comes to staff remuneration? These are questions which the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers must answer and for which Prospect union must push. Question your employer today, join a union, fight for the right to be paid what you are truly worth. #archaeology #heritage #CIFA #Prospect #employment #wages #actyourwage

Here is the new State of the Archeological Market Report, compiled by the Federation of Archaeological Managers, which provides a helpful insight into British commercial archaeology

New archaeological discoveries at Pömmelte provide insights into life at the 3rd millennium BC circular enclosure The 3rd millennium BC (Bell Beaker Culture) circular enclosure (ring sanctuary) at Pömmelte is often called the German Stonehenge. Between 2018-2022 large-scale archaeological excavations focused on the surroundings of the sanctuary, leading not only to the discovery of houses contemporary to the enclosure, but also of an Early Bronze Age (Únětice Culture) mega settlement with more than 100 houses. Current excavations are now adding more detail to a complex ritual and settlement landscape. Not only could new houses of the Bell Beaker Culture be detected; a variety of scientific methods applied to the finds provides inter alia insights into what people ate and drank at Pömmelte. More information: https://lnkd.in/ef6FmDaz

A portrait of the past: What is the Archaeological Atlas of France? 50,000 archaeological sites in France - from prehistory to the present day - have been listed for the first time in a new atlas. https://lnkd.in/gmepEXYZ

Larget-Than-Life - Q - Do you refer to archaeological data for colour for your re-creations? A - Archeological and academic insights do provide a working hypothesis. However, I focus on the stylistic qualities of Helenic statuary and adopt a palette and composition which evolves from a personal interpretation.

Evidence for phases of humidity in the arid interior of South Africa during the last 70 000 years is now emerging. This review considers the significance of these findings for the region’s important archaeological record. https://buff.ly/3xe3vMN

Historic England have recently published updated guidance on the reburial of archaeological sites as an appendix to the 2016 Preservation of Archaeological Remains guidance. See appendix 5 ⬇️ Headline takeaways are that reburial schemes need: - An assessment of significance (of the material being reburied) - A condition assessment (state of preservation of the materials) - An assessment of impacts (threats and risks to the materials being buried) The guidance also includes a separate checklist to guide you through these steps, as well as 4 case studies to show how the process works in practice. Of course, you can continue to consult with your friendly neighbourhood Science Advisor in your region about this stage of your project. The updated guidance can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eRuUfSUg

New Chapter: Scientific Methodology for the Study of Corrosion Mechanisms, Morphologies and Cracking in Archaeological Copper-base Objects Omid Oudbashi, Russell Wanhill Book: Current Approaches, Solutions and Practices in Conservation of Cultural Heritage https://lnkd.in/dzMxC8NS

The coasts, islands, reefs, waters and skies of the Great Barrier Reef have been cared for and shaped by First Nations peoples for thousands of years. Our new paper summarises our latest understandings of Great Barrier Reef Indigenous archaeology and occupation of associated reef and continental islands. https://lnkd.in/gEFYTASa