What do you mean by community archaeology? What is the difference with public archaeology? Can school kids do it? Does anyone know any community archaeology projects in urban areas?
I am a student looking into community archaeology and would be interested in peoples thoughts.
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For me, there is no appreciable difference between the two i.e, when is the community not the public? I`m one of those who believes that the public should be involved as much as possible and as a fundamental-informed. I think that as a discipline, we collectively underestimate the value and potential of public engagement. I came to archaeology from a background of psychology related community work and at roots level, archaeology has an awful lot to contribute in so many social contexts. I just don`t think that we chew the potential over enough.We seem to be happy to churn out the usual patronising and uninspiring crud when confronted with Joe public. That said, there are some inspiring public archaeology programs out there I`m sure. Thing is-I`ve been away from public engagement for so long I can`t help you find them! Mister Hosty?
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Is it anything like care in the community?
deep
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Look up the Sedgeford project (Norfolk) which is supposed to be a all-equal democratic people's dig (which apparently means you
all have your say then you do what the director says anyway...) and claims to be a community based project. All the locals are supposed to have been involved from the start. I think they have a website.
There is also the work at Old Scatness, Shetland, which is part Bradford university dig and part community based - locals get to dig free. Locals do other stuff theretoo, there is a "livinh history" thing and so on.
Neither of these are urban however. There was something called the Sandwell Archaeological Project in Birmingham.
Community archaeology is one way of getting grants....
Kids are a problem, even for local societies, partly because of insurances for under-16s, and partly because you have to have police cheecks and all that stuff done if you work with kids. We have occassional YAC days at the dig I'm involved with (they bring their own minders) and they are the most nerve wracking days of all!
