Trowel and Error

Trowel and Error: A Public User Needs Survey for Archaeology is the most comprehensive study in 25 years exploring how people across the UK engage with, value, and access archaeological information. 

Led by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) in partnership with MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology), and funded by Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, and Cadw, the project gathered insight from more than 3,100 people, including archaeologists, students, volunteers, heritage professionals, and members of the public.

Building on the original 2001 Publication User Needs Survey, this research examines how digital technology, social media, and shifting audience expectations are transforming the way archaeological information is shared. The findings offer a detailed picture of what people look for in archaeological communication today, and how the sector can make its work more open, relevant, and accessible.

[A]rchaeology, it's not just a bit of broken pot. Or a, you know, a bone. It's what it says and it what it starts the process within ourselves, looking at it and thinking about it and just being in touch and also that fantastic feeling that one has that you know there's people been doing this for 10s of thousands of years and...what am I worried about?" - Workshop participant

This webpage hosts the full report, public summaries, and the supporting appendices.

 

Summary Reports

 

 

Main Report and Appendices

 

 

A summary of the original PUNS project can be found here: Jones, S., MacSween, A., Jeffrey, S., Morris, R. and Heyworth, M. 2003 From the Ground Up The Publication of Archaeological Projects: a user needs survey. A summary, Internet Archaeology 14. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.14.4.

 

Workshops

 

Recently, we wrapped up a series of workshops as part of the ‘Trowel and Error: a Public User Needs Survey for Archaeology’ project. These workshops were designed to engage a diverse audience and explore how various groups interact with archaeology. 

We held 16 workshops with 290 participants from all walks of life, including both archaeology enthusiasts and newcomers. We made special efforts to reach out to groups that are often underrepresented in archaeology discussions. 

The workshops were filled with interactive and creative activities like icebreakers, collages, and storyboards, which helped us gather valuable insights. We've created a video to share some of the fascinating collages made by participants, reflecting on their personal relationship with archaeology. 

 

 

Our Funders and Collaborators 

PUNS2 is led by CBA working in partnership with MOLA. The project is grant funded by Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, and Cadw, and is being undertaken as part of the 21st Century Challenges in Archaeology project (21 CAP).