BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY -A GUIDE TO THE ARCHAEOLOGYOF CONFLICT

:: November 2005 ::

(Cover Image © T.L.Sutherland 2004)

Prepared By

Tim SutherlandDepartment of ArchaeologicalSciencesUniversity of BradfordBradfordWest YorkshireBD7 1DP

With Contributions OnHuman Remains By

Malin HolstYork Osteoarchaeology LtdFox & Hounds CottageTockwith RoadLong MarstonYork YO26 7PQ

TABLE OF CONTENTSCONTENTS

PageAcknowledgements v1.0 INTRODUCTION 12.0WHAT IS BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY?13.0 WHY IS THE ANALYSIS OF SITES OF CONFLICT IMPORTANT? 3

3.1 THE USE OF CONFLICTS FOR PROPAGANDA AND MISINFORMATION 43.2 BATTLEFIELDS AS MEMORIALS 53.3 BATTLEFIELD TOURISM 73.4 RE-ENACTMENT 83.5 FOCI FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES 83.6 VIEWS OF THE NATIONAL BODIES 93.6.1 The Battlefield Trust 93.6.2 English Heritage 93.7 BATTLEFIELDS AND THE MEDIA 10

4.0

A BRIEF BATTLEFIELD HISTORY

4.1 INTRODUCTION 114.2 CASE STUDIES 134.2.1 Pre-Twentieth Century Archaeological Investigations 13

5.0

WHY MIGHT A SITE OF CONFLICT BE DISTURBED 14

5.1 WHAT LEGISLATION IS THERE IN PLACE TO PROTECT HISTORICBATTLEFIELDS?155.1.1 English Legislation 155.1.2 Scotland 185.1.3 Wales 185.1.4 Northern Ireland 18

6.0

IDENTIFICATION OF SITES OF CONFLICT

6.1 EVIDENCE FOR CONFLICT 186.2 HOW LARGE MIGHT A BATTLEFIELD BE 196.3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF BATTLEFIELD SITES 19

7.0METHODS OF EVALUATION20

7.1EARTHWORK SURVEYS217.2GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY217.2.1Metal Detector Survey217.2.2 Fluxgate Gradiometer or Magnetometer 227.2.3Electrical Earth Resistance Meter237.2.4Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)237.3 FIELD WALKING 237.4 DESK TOP ASSESSMENTS 23

8.0 ARTEFACT IDENTIFICATION AND BATTLEFIELD SIGNATURE 24

8.1 INTRODUCTION 248.1.1 The Impact of Local Geology on Artefact Preservation 248.1.2Excavation of Artefacts248.2 THE SIGNATURE OF A SITE OF CONFLICT 258.3A LACK OF ARTEFACTS: AN IMPORTANT NOTE268.4 ARTEFACT DENSITY 278.5MAPPING ARTEFACT LOCATIONS27

9.0HUMAN REMAINS FROM SITES OF CONFLICT28

9.1THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN REMAINS FROM SITES OF CONFLICT289.2POSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES OF SKELETAL DISCOVERY

289.2.1Mass Graves299.2.2 Exposure on the Battlefield 299.2.3Human Remains in Pits299.2.4Other Burial Contexts299.3LEGISLATION REGARDING HUMAN REMAINS