Twilight over England Archaeological excavation in England 1938-1945

Tim N.L. Evans*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article examines the location and context of archaeological investigations in England between 1938 and 1945. The analysis of sources, including national inventories and contemporary journals, dispels any notion that archaeological practice was suspended during World War II, despite the absence of some leading practitioners, and reveals that a surprising amount of salvage and research fieldwork took place. Fieldwork was primarily in the south of the country; it reflects pre-war investigative trends, contemporary knowledge, opinion of the archaeological resource, and the increased threat of war-related construction work, but also the impact of immediate post-war concerns such as housing and infrastructure. Although primarily undertaken by established excavators employed by the Ministry of Works, a substantial amount of rescue work was carried out by small groups, local societies, and individuals often outside State funding, which reflects an independent culture of fieldwork that continues to the present day.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)335-359
Number of pages25
JournalEuropean Journal of Archaeology
Volume19
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2016

Keywords

  • Archaeological historiography
  • British archaeology
  • Excavation practice
  • History of archaeology
  • World war II

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