深夜亚洲福利久久

Last Chance to See? Protecting the (surviving) Archaeology of European Peatlands - Ben Gearey

2 Jun 2023

Discussing peatland archaeology on World Peatlands Day

鈥淧olicies of proactive management of wetland resources, both archaeological and natural historical in the broadest sense, require formulation鈥�the continued division between bodies concerned with the 鈥榚nvironment鈥� and those dealing with so-called 鈥榟eritage鈥� remains a serious problem鈥︹��

Paul Buckland (1993; 522)

 On World Peatlands Day - expect lots of tweets and blogs about biodiversity, carbon, ecology and hydrology. All critical 鈥榚cosystem services鈥� but don鈥檛 forget the archaeology: a Neolithic trackway (See figure 1), the wooden stems apparently as fresh as the day it was built 6000 years ago, or a slightly more recent (still 2000 years old) Iron Age example (See Figure 1), which looks like it could still bear the weight of a full grown adult (it couldn't鈥�). For these and the other wonderful structures excavated at Edercloon, Co. Longford (for more information, ), it was the last chance to see, excavate, record and preserve by record before the construction of a road cutting through this area of drained peatland. 

The (above) remain almost as true as they did nearly three decades ago: 鈥楬eritage鈥�, more often  than not, is still separated into 鈥榗ultural鈥� and 鈥榥atural鈥� - although essentially they are different sides of the same ecosystem services coin. Further complicating the clutter of terms and definitions; heritage is often divided into 鈥榯angible鈥� and 鈥榠ntangible鈥�. These days, we are more likely to use the ungainly expression 鈥榯angible cultural heritage鈥� to refer to physical archaeological remains, but until fairly recently, archaeology always seemed to be in a battle to sit anywhere at the 鈥楥onservation Table鈥� much less to jockey for a position amongst 鈥榚cosystem services鈥� (, for example). 

In the meantime, more sites have been . Others are threatened by . It might be the last chance to see, to try to halt processes of degradation and destruction, and to preserve in situ many such deposits and sites. 

Some progress has been made and in certain ways, we seem to be heading in the right direction - the incorporation of the 鈥�鈥� into the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Peatlands Programmes marked a turning point. This has been followed by the launch in the UK of the , with its requirement for archaeological monitoring of peatland restoration groundworks and the publication of Historic England's . Natural England have produced an detailing practical aspects of archaeological monitoring for peatland restoration. In Scotland, the Archaeological Association of Local Government Archaeologists has also produced on the same. 

These are important resources and initiatives. But more needs to be done. Every European country has legal frameworks in place for the protection of heritage, many of which are underpinned by the . How these are applied (or not) to programmes of peatland restoration/rehabilitation appears at present to be very uneven (if at all鈥�). Any ground disturbance, whether this is to extract peat to burn, or to extract peat to reprofile a ditch for re-wetting,  can impact in situ deposits. Projects and personnel need to take into account the implications for the successful future survival of known (and unknown) archaeological remains. Peatlands present a particular set of challenges and problems, but the frameworks, the knowledge, and the organisations are available to support and assist. 

The introduction and implementation of appropriate measures should mean that for peatlands undergoing rehabilitation, it is our last chance to see, or to have to excavate any new sites. This is what archaeology is about: preservation in the ground for future generations. On World Peatlands Day: don鈥檛 forget the archaeology.

Figure 1: Iron age and Neolithic trackways at Edercloon (Cathy Moore, CRDS Ltd)

For more on this story contact:

Dr Ben Gearey, IPeAAT Principal Investigator