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Primary fieldwork by Greaves and Bristol staff at the site of Çaltılar has established that this was a pre-Classical settlement of considerable importance in poorly known highland Lycia, SW Turkey. Greaves worked with Turkish local government partners to establish a €250,000 European Union-Turkey funded Inter-Cultural Dialogue project that incorporated this site and others into a comprehensive heritage education service for an extensive rural region of SW Turkey. Engaging with beneficiaries which included 1) Turkish local government bodies, Fethiye museum, local communities and schools and 2) an international and UK public, involving the region's large tourist industry, by means of education programmes, web sites, seminars and exhibitions in Turkey and the UK, this project has raised awareness of the region's early history and the need to protect it from looting.
Research into maritime and experimental archaeology at Exeter has played a major role in transforming how museums connect modern communities with their seafaring heritage through experimental archaeology and the innovative approach of `construction-as- performance' (full-scale construction of a boat undertaken in front of the public using experimental archaeology). A major project held at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC), supported by an AHRC KTF, has demonstrated the value of experimental maritime archaeology in engaging the public with the past. In addition to greatly increasing their visitor numbers, this project received considerable regional, national and international media coverage, and has given the NMMC the confidence to undertake subsequent projects and so develop their own research capacity. The impact of the Exeter/NMMC project is also reflected in how the `construction-as-performance' concept has been adopted elsewhere. Exeter's workstream in the EU-funded OpenArch project, for example, introduced staff from open air museums in mainland Europe to the Exeter/NMMC approach, and as a result Exeter staff were invited to take part in a boat reconstruction in Finland. Such was the success of these early projects, the British Museum, NMMC, and an open air museum in Italy have commissioned further reconstructions using `construction-as-performance'.
Research by Irene Lemos and Robin Lane Fox on Euboean culture and its dissemination across the Mediterranean has provided cultural, pedagogical, and economic benefits to a range of users. Archaeological investigation by Lemos has contributed to a radical reconfiguring of views of the Iron Age of Greece and of links between Greece and the Near East. Lane Fox integrated this archaeological evidence with research into landscape and mythographic traditions in a monograph Travelling Heroes. The main beneficiaries of the research have been, internationally, readers of Lane Fox's book, viewers of the BBC television programme Greek Myths, and visitors to exhibitions in Athens and Switzerland; within Greece, the people of the village of Lefkandi; and in the UK, the BBC, which has gained revenue from the sale of the TV programme to other broadcasting corporations.
Research at the submerged town of Pavlopetri in Greece has stimulated improved management and conservation of a key site of marine cultural heritage. It helped to forge a new policy against uncontrolled industrialisation of the Vatika bay, reducing potential environmental damage, and has informed the development of national governmental policy on the protection and presentation of submerged sites in Greece.
Utilising pioneering technological advancements in underwater scanning and improved visualisation processes, the research also helped an offshore engineering company to improve its product development and changed the way archaeologists and the public visualise, interpret and understand marine cultural heritage.
Through an internationally successful documentary (viewed by approximately 15 million people) that used state-of-the-art CGI technology, public awareness and policy engagement with underwater archaeology (and the environmental issues related to its preservation) have been enhanced and, locally, Vatika and the Laconia region have seen increased tourism and transformed community involvement.
The University of Bradford's internationally renowned research in North Atlantic archaeology at Old Scatness, Shetland has provided a sustainable legacy for the region, enhancing awareness of Shetland's past. This innovative heritage project is a partnership between the University and the Shetland Amenity Trust and has been critical to new developments in heritage presentation on the islands. The heritage project at Old Scatness pioneered a blend of site preservation and reconstructed buildings combined with an interpretive approach that provides visitors with a stimulating and interactive experience. The consideration of what was a hitherto unknown archaeological area as a World Heritage Site demonstrates the international significance of the research and its impact.
Oxford Brookes Archaeology and Heritage (OBAH) offers research, and consultancy services in archaeology, heritage and the ancient environment. OBAH undertook four major excavations on behalf of the Government of Bahrain between 2009 and 2010. The impact of OBAHs excavations and reports were instrumental in (a) the sites excavated being designated national monuments, protected under law, and (b) underpinning a UNESCO World Heritage bid by Bahrain in 2010. Pearling and its cultural landscapes in Bahrain was awarded World Heritage status at the 36th meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in June 2012.
The Caistor Roman Town Project has transformed understanding of one of East Anglia's most significant archaeological sites and has informed the management strategies of the site's principal stakeholders (South Norfolk Council, Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Museums Service and the Norfolk Archaeological Trust) in relation to presentation and interpretation. The project epitomises `citizen science', engendering sustained community involvement in archaeological research (c. 230 volunteers contributing over 35,000 hours), including the establishment of a charity that has enabled the volunteers to develop and support further community archaeology initiatives in the region. More than 15,000 visitors to excavations over 12 weeks and widespread coverage through internet, print news and television have broadened international understanding of archaeology and the site.
The University of Southampton's long-term archaeological research at Avebury forms the basis upon which national and international heritage organisations such as the National Trust and UNESCO manage and preserve one of the most important prehistoric landscapes in the world. Local councils have used the research findings to inform their own policy and planning decisions. Research disseminated through museum exhibitions, public engagement events and publications has resulted in increased public interest and understanding of the site, stimulating greater tourism and local economic benefit.
A research project, embedded in the local community, unearthed multiple Iron Age treasures that have rewritten our understanding of the Iron Age to Roman transition in Britain. The discoveries directly inspired the South East Leicestershire Treasure project (SELT), which raised £934k funding (including 651K from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)) for a major programme encompassing museum redevelopment, travelling exhibitions and a suite of learning resources. SELT initiatives have been enjoyed by over 270,000 members of the public, who through it have gained fascinating insights into our distant past. The find has also inspired a huge sense of community pride in a Leicestershire village and underlined the value of university involvement in local archaeology. The project was another important factor in the recent award of a Queen's Anniversary Prize.
University of Huddersfield research into new interdisciplinary methods for systematic archaeological examination has led to significant advances in the identification and subsequent conservation of historic battlefields. The work has influenced policy and practice at English Heritage, informing key changes in its National Heritage Protection Plan, and has been used to help safeguard famous sites such as Bosworth and Hastings. It has also shaped policy in other countries — including Belgium — where it has been described as "the basis for the development of a governmental vision" regarding battlefield sites — and has raised wider public awareness of battlefield archaeology through high-profile media engagement.