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24dash.com - Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:17 GMT
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PR Newswire (Press Release) - Fri, 17 May 2013 15:21:06 GMT
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Heritage Daily - Fri, 17 May 2013 15:16:28 GMT
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The Ratification of the Treaty of Munster, Gerard Ter Borch (1648) : Wiki Commons

Historical artefacts can be used as a powerful tool to reinforce group identity and forge a nation-state, but their use can have adverse consequences such as the oppression of minorities.

A diagram is used to summarise the complex identity relationships between states and nations. The power of historical artefacts derives from the duality of their nature; they are both a concrete proof of an historical fact and the basis for an abstract construction of meaning. Three case studies are used to provide examples of the use and abuse of archaeology.

From the earliest pre-historic times to the present day man has formed groups which transcend family as a way of organising and regulating society. These groupings, whether Iron Age tribes, Athenian city states or modern nations, have been bound together by many factors such as territory, language and culture. Since the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia the nation state has become the main entity through which international relations are organised; even with the development of supra-national bodies, and the changes wrought by globalisation, the nation state has remained pre-eminent.

The decline of the nation-state as the foremost way in which international relations are conceived has been much debated but, like Mark Twain, rumours of its death appear to have been exaggerated. Whether it is in Scotland or the Balkans, national groups, using the rhetoric of nationalism, seek independent nation status as the pinnacle of self determination; alternatives, such as greater autonomy within the existing state, are seen as a lesser status.

The terms ‘nation’, ‘state’, and ‘nation-state’ are often regarded as synonyms; this is incorrect and, whilst recognising their limitations and contested nature, for the purposes of this paper the definitions proposed by Smith will be used. A ‘state’ is a public institution exercising a monopoly of coercion and extraction within a given territory; a ‘nation’ is a cultural and political bond uniting a single political community. A ‘nation-state’ exists where there is complete congruence between the territory of the ‘state’ and that of the ‘nation’.

Using case studies of National Socialist Germany, Israel, and Bosnia, which show different aspects of how archaeology is used, this paper will explore the importance of associating individual identity with a nation. The tensions between archaeology as an academic discipline, the political milieu, and the use to which it is put, will be explored. The role that identification plays in building and maintaining stable states will be discussed.

Possessing the Past – Full Article – Click Here Written by Dr Peter Buxton

Dr Peter Buxton studied medicine at Corpus Christi College Oxford and is now a non-practicing consultant radiologist. Along the way, for reasons that are not entirely clear he obtained an MA in Physiology, an MA in Archaeology and an MA in International Relations and Strategic Studies. In 1998 he won the British Computer Society Prize for Innovation and in 2005 he was awarded an OBE for services to military radiology and telemedicine. As well as his archaeology writing, he is widely published in radiology and telemedicine. He has recently contributed a chapter to a book on strategic leadership – In Business and Battle.

HeritageDaily : Archaeology News : Archaeology Press Releases

 

Incentive Travel & Corporate Meetings - News - Fri, 17 May 2013 14:58:37 GMT
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Greek Reporter - Greece News - Fri, 17 May 2013 14:57:27 GMT
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… last month, sparking opposition from a local heritage group. Fenland District planners said archaeology and wildlife surveys would need to be… 2013-05-16T12:43:06Z BBC

The San Diego Union-Tribune - National - Fri, 17 May 2013 14:44:59 GMT
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redOrbit - Science - Fri, 17 May 2013 14:10:04 GMT
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ScienceDaily - Fri, 17 May 2013 13:21:12 GMT
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Wessex Archaeology - Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:49 GMT
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The British explorer, Daniel Hughes, is climbing Mount Everest in an attempt to raise £1m for Comic Relief.

NBCNews.com - Fri, 17 May 2013 12:09:40 GMT
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24dash.com - Fri, 17 May 2013 11:42:10 GMT
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Heritage Daily - Fri, 17 May 2013 11:05:01 GMT

Royal Navy Colossus Class light fleet aircraft carrier HMS Ocean (R68) at Sasebo in Japan during the Korean War (library image) [Picture: Public domain]

The MOD and Westminster Abbey will formally mark the bravery and dedication of those who fought in the Korean War over 60 years ago.

A parade and muster of veterans, and a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, will take place in London on Thursday 11 July 2013.

Some 100,000 British troops served on the Korean Peninsula, many of them National Servicemen, as part of a United Nations force after North Korean troops invaded South Korea in June 1950. They fought with conviction for peace alongside servicemen from the United States of America, Canada, Australia, India and many other UN member states.

An armistice was signed on 27 July 1953, by which point over 1,000 British servicemen had lost their lives and some 1,060 taken prisoner by the North Korean forces. Most famously, nearly all those in 1st Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment (now part of The Rifles) were killed or taken prisoner during the Battle of the Imjin River in April 1951.

Mark Francois, Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, said:

Sixty years on the Korean War remains an international conflict in which Britain played a significant role and one that should never be forgotten.

The commemorations to mark the 60th anniversary will, I hope, be a fitting way for the nation to give thanks to both the veterans and those who paid the ultimate price in a bitterly fought campaign.”

Approximately 500 British veterans of the Korean War will march from Horse Guards to Westminster Abbey, remembering those involved in the campaign. A dedicated service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey will follow.

Representatives of the British Korean Veterans Association will attend a General Assembly of the International Federation of Korean War Veterans Associations in Seoul from 23 to 27 July 2013, and a Korean War Commemoration Day at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on 27 July 2013.

Contributing Source : Defence News HeritageDaily : Archaeology News : Archaeology Press Releases

Farming UK - Fri, 17 May 2013 10:51:48 GMT
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Heritage Daily - Fri, 17 May 2013 10:34:52 GMT
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Image Credit : WikiPedia

An archaeological reporting scheme which helps the marine aggregate industry report historical finds from the seabed will benefit from a renewed funding deal between The Crown Estate and the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA).

The Marine Aggregate Archaeological Reporting Protocol, set up by the BMAPA and English Heritage in 2005 and operated by Wessex Archaeology, will receive £60,000 from The Crown Estate over the next three years as part of the organisation’s Marine Stewardship Fund, which has provided funding to support the scheme since 2009.

Under the reporting protocol, employees across the marine aggregate industry are able to help protect the UK’s submerged heritage by reporting finds to Wessex Archaeology which then consults a range of internal and external experts who ensure items are correctly identified and recognised for their historical value. Where the finds are considered to be significant, such as military remains, additional management measures can be introduced by industry operators to ensure that sensitive sites are able to be protected.

The protocol was developed in in 2003 for BMAPA after a guidance note produced in partnership with English Heritage identified a need in identifying and understanding finds of archaeological importance external to the environmental assessment process when operating dredging areas. The guidance note highlighted that knowledge of an aggregate area’s historical significance could be enhanced by an understanding of any artefacts and archaeological deposits within and beneath the seabed. The archaeological protocol was developed to ensure that any finds of potential archaeological importance discovered during all the UK marine aggregate industry’s operations could be reported to heritage experts so their significance could be assessed. This is a model that has since been adopted by other marine sectors such as the offshore renewables developers through The Crown Estate Offshore Renewables Protocol for Archaeological Discoveries scheme.

Since the launch of the protocol this knowledge has improved with many interesting finds reported, most recently this has included a Single Sheave Snatch Block formally used to move cargo on and off ships as well as a variety of cannon balls and cutlery issued to the army during World War II. Over the seven years in which the protocol has been operating, over 880 individual finds have been reported by industry staff. Some of these relate to archaeologically significant items such as Palaeolithic hand axes from off Great Yarmouth and aircraft crash site material.

In addition to the reporting system, the scheme also includes an awareness programme which involves Wessex Archaeology visits to wharves and vessels in Britain and on the continent to raise awareness of archaeology and the protocol among industry staff.

Fiona Wynne, Stewardship Manager at The Crown Estate, said:

“The protocol highlights the responsible approach being taken by the British marine aggregate industry to minimise its impact on the historic marine environment. We are pleased to have been able to continue our support for this worthwhile project, which will not only enable us to support our tenants in their activities but also help us understand more about the seabed we manage and the heritage it contains.”

Mark Russell, Director of the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association, said:

“Staff working in the industry at wharves or on board dredgers can encounter archaeological finds during their day to day work, so the existence of this single protocol is critical to ensuring any items of potential interest are reported consistently. This in turn allows their significance to be assessed by heritage experts. We are delighted with The Crown Estate’s continued funding, without which it would not be possible to continue running the protocol.”

Euan McNeill, Director, Coastal and Marine at Wessex Archaeology said :

“The on-going use of the protocol has greatly enhanced our knowledge of the archaeology in the areas where dredging is active and has led to some finds of international importance, such as the Palaeolithic artefacts from off the east coast and raised awareness of important material such as that from aircraft crash sites from World War II. We are delighted to have the continuing support of the Marine Stewardship Fund in enabling this important work to continue.”

Contributing Source : The Crown Estate HeritageDaily : Archaeology News : Archaeology Press Releases

Salisbury Journal - Fri, 17 May 2013 10:18:03 GMT
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