Is this the time to pursue a course in archaeology? The word from the field that reaches the Current Archaeology offices is that graduates are disillusioned with their prospects: jobs are scarce, competition is fierce and projects are poorly funded. What’s the point? Archaeology is a fascinating and diverse subject that is hugely enjoyable to [...]
Is there a future in studying the past?
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Studying archaeology
Into the Light – CASPAR at UCL
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
Don Henson, Director of CASPAR (Centre for Audio-Visual Study and Practice in Archaeology) explains how an innovative new centre at the Institute of Archaeology, University College, London, aims to move archaeology into the 21st century. Archaeology has long been a popular subject for television and radio. Although the relationship has been controversial at times, archaeology [...]
Distance Learning – Anytime Anywhere
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Getting started, Studying archaeology
Distance learning can offer a valuable route into archaeological study for those who are unable, or just don’t want to, commit to a traditional academic course. Whether you wish to gains recognised qualifications or just learn more about a topic that interests you, distance learning can be ideal. Here two experts in distance learning and [...]
Want to be a Digger? – entering the world of commerical archaeology
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Getting started, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, Head of Communications, Wessex Archaeology offers us his insight and tips on getting onto the earchaeology career ladder If you want to be an archaeologist, what do you need to do to get that first job? Most entry-level jobs are in professional practice, usually as fixed-term contracts doing fieldwork, so you [...]
Under the Microscope – Archaeological Conservation
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
From Chinese bronzes and Ango-Saxon burial goods, to children’s workshops and international conferences, a conservator’s life is never dull. Dana Goodburn-Brown takes us through a typical day. On a typical day, the morning starts with an e-mail session: picking up reminders for work to do, responding to queries, putting my own out, lobbying for financial [...]
Best Career Ever? – Sports Archaeology
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
Archaeology and football are not mutually exclusive: Archaeologist Jason Wood visits Liverpool’s Anfield stadium to show how sport, history and heritage interests work together. In my first year at secondary school I won an essay competition. The question read: ‘Imagine you are an archaeologist in the year 3000. Describe and interpret your discoveries resulting [...]
Academia – the Professor’s point of view
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
Ian Haynes, Professor of Archaeology at Newcastle University, discusses the challenges in providing students with a thorough archaeological education and discusses how new programmes at Newcastle are rising to the task. While universities are inevitably feeling the bite of this current recession, for students, graduates, and colleagues in higher education and the heritage sectors, many [...]
A Growing Field – Environmental Archaeology
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
Environmental archaeology provides a landscape context for the archaeological activities on sites. This may be reconstructing how whole regions looked in the past – what today is open grassland may once have been covered by a forest, or the sea; or unravelling the activities of the people who lived there in past centuries, what they [...]
Mastering the Past – Studying Archaeology
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
A look at what an education in archaeology involves for prospective students There is no denying archaeology is a topic that continues to grow in popularity; just turn on thetelevision and have a look at an evening’s schedule – there will be at least one programme (probably more!) on archaeology. Certainly, it is an increasingly [...]
Choosing a Field – Specialisms in Archaeology
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
The field of archaeology covers the full extent of human existence, through time and across the world. Small wonder it has spawned so many sub-disciplines, theoretical and practical. We look at some of the choices. There is more to archaeology than scraping away with a trowel or brushing dust from ancient hieroglyphs. The word ‘archaeology’ [...]
Ethnoarchaeology
May 11, 2012 By Filed Under: Advice, Careers in archaeology, Education Advice, Specialisms, Studying archaeology
Ethnoarchaeology is the study of past societies, focusing on material remains, rather than culture. Sometimes known as anthropological archaeology, it can provide insight into how people in the past may have lived, especially with regard to their social structures and religious beliefs. By looking at the way in which different social groups live and behave [...]
Ten top tips for getting into archaeology
April 30, 2012 By Filed Under: Getting started
Joe Flatman, author of the award-winning book ‘Becoming an archaeologist’, tell us his 10 top tips for getting into archaeology.
Digging A Future
March 23, 2011 By Filed Under: Advice, Fieldwork advice
Archaeology graduate Emma Watts-Plumpkin left university in the summer – but not before being bitten by the digging bug. Here she recalls her experiences, from rooky through to old hand. When you have never been on a dig before, it can be quite a daunting prospect. My first excavation was in my initial [...]
Personal Dig Checklist
March 21, 2011 By Filed Under: Advice, Fieldwork advice
When you are about to embark on a dig, it’s a good idea to double check you have everything you might need – below is a quick checklist with the essentials. Travel and Money Preparation: Travel tickets and insurance Maps, directions and phone numbers Appropriate jabs and medications Packing for Projects – essentials Functional [...]
Digging Binchester
March 21, 2010 By Filed Under: Advice, Fieldwork advice
Former CA Editor Lisa Westcott spent an inspiring week in the trenches, brushing up on her digging skills and meeting volunteers. Last summer, I decided to go undercover as a volunteer on an excavation. It had been quite awhile since I had been out digging, and I felt shockingly out of practice: it was [...]
Survival Guide to Volunteer Excavation
March 21, 2010 By Filed Under: Advice, Fieldwork advice
Are you heading out on a dig this season? If so, congratulations! Volunteers are an essential part of the excavation season – without their help, many digs would not be able to finish the scheduled work. Whether you are there to fulfil university requirements, on a holiday with family, or wanting to learn something new [...]
Student Digs
March 21, 2010 By Filed Under: Advice, Fieldwork advice
For students doing an archaeology degree, compulsory field school experience is on the cards. Phoebe Scrivener, archaeology graduate from Sheffield University, tells you what to expect. When you are out in the field, anything can happen: expect everything from being stranded on the highest summit in the Peak District during a torrential hailstorm, to helping [...]
Five Top Tips for getting your first job in archaeology
November 16, 2009 By Filed Under: Getting started
Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, Head of Communications, Wessex Archaeology tells us his 5 top tips for getting your first job in archaeology
Want to be a digger?
November 16, 2009 By Filed Under: Getting started
Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, Head of Communications, Wessex Archaeology tells CA what do you need to do to get that first job.
