British Archaeological Awards 2016: Winners to be announced on July 11

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

The British Archaeological Awards announces winners across five major categories at the British Museum on July 11

The countdown is on for the British Archaeology Awards, the bi-annual prize rewarding the best British archaeology projects of the last two years.

Now in their 38th year, the independent awards are nominated by the archaeology community and embrace a variety of professional and community-led archaeology projects that engage the public in the variety and wealth of Britain’s archaeology.

Large development led excavations, like Oxford Archaeology’s significant Westgate excavation and the spectacular Crossrail discovery of a medieval graveyard in London, rub shoulders with University backed major research projects like the Silchester Town Life project and Dig Great Manchester.

Important Community archaeology projects include the Whithorn Trust’s Hearth Home and Farm Project in Dumfries and Galloway and the Battles, Bricks and Bridges Project in Co. Fermanagh while teaching and education projects are represented via projects exploring the history of the Picts in Scotland and the Scots in Ulster.

“The entries this year reflect the incredible wealth and range of archaeology that is going on across the UK, the quality and expertise of our world-leading archaeologists, and the ever increasing fascination of the British public with the history and archaeology of their local area,” says BAA Chair, Deborah Williams.

“Increasingly archaeologists are responding to this interest by developing new ways to help people to take part in research and excavations, start up community projects, and share and understand new discoveries - and this shines through in our shortlisted entries.”

The books shortlist sees a three-way battle between beautiful tomes covering the story of the Welsh slate industry, the history of St Kilda and the latest CBA-sponsored book on the theories surrounding Stonehenge.

Archaeological innovation is acknowledged through a new recording app developed by crowdfunding archaeological outfit Dig Ventures, National Geographic magazine’s coverage of London’s archaeology and the University of York’s multimedia innovations in research and interpretation.

The announcement, which takes place at the British Museum on July 11 and also includes an Outstanding Achievement and best Archaeological Discovery Award, marks the start of the Council for British Archaeology’s annual Festival of Archaeology, which sees hundreds of events take place across the UK from July 16 – 31.

The shortlisted projects:

Best Archaeological Project

Silchester ‘Town Life’ Project, University of Reading

Ulster Scots Archaeological Services Project, AECOM/The Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd

Westgate Oxford, Oxford Archaeology


Best Community Archaeology Engagement Project

Battles, Bricks and Bridges, Cleenish Community Association and Killesher Community Development Association

Dig Greater Manchester, Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford

Whithorn: Hearth, Home and Farm With Dig TV, The Whithorn Trust


Best Archaeological Book

St Kilda: The Last and Outmost Isle, Angela Gannon and George Geddes, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

Stonehenge: Making sense of a prehistoric mystery, Mike Parker Pearson with Joshua Pollard, Colin Richards, Julian Thomas and Kate Welham, Council for British Archaeology

Welsh Slate – Archaeology and History of an Industry, David Gwyn, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
 

Best Public Presentation of Archaeology

The Picts: a learning resource, Forestry Commission Scotland

Secret History, London’s Lost Graveyard : The Crossrail Discovery

True North Productions for Channel 4, Under London, National Geographic magazine

Best Archaeological Innovation


Digital Dig Team, DigVentures

Internet Archaeology, University of York

POSTGLACIAL Project, University of York

The winners of the 2016 British Archaeological Awards will be announced at a ceremony at the British Museum on July 11, compèred by archaeologist and TV presenter Julian Richards. 

Find out more about the awards at www.archaeologicalawards.org.uk.  Follow the awards on twitter @BAAWARDSUK and Facebook/British Archaeological Awards.

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art558012