False past horizons34 The ethos surrounding this particular site was to try to open up the whole process to the wider public without affecting the commercial development. To help achieve this, L – P Archaeology devised a dedicated project website using a content management system which provides the historical background of the area, and shows the excavation process including photographs, videos and educational resources. The company’s IT staff has also been developing the Archaeological Recording Kit ( ARK) to aid the online distribution of raw excavation data from Prescot Street, including plans, artefacts and context records. In providing access to this archaeological data and not just interpretation-heavy narrative, ARK encourages feedback from the public. It also means that an ongoing excavation is open for analysis long before the final publication is produced. Site staff working at Prescot Street are encouraged to make regular contributions to the website through a blog- style journal, focussing on their thoughts and interpretations as they work. Photos and videos of activities on site are added at least three times a week, and members of the public are free to link their own images of the area via the photo sharing website Flickr. The company has also been experimenting with video production as a tool for communication and site supervisor, Anies Hassan, has written, filmed and edited four short thematic videos that document various aspects of the excavation. These videos are available to view on their website and include a general introduction to the Prescot Street dig, the in- situ conservation of a Roman cremation and the excavation of two Roman inhumations. Video can act as a great archive resource for professional archaeologists, and early examples of this practice came from the Çatalhöyük research excavations in Turkey in the mid nineties. It can also help inform others from outside the profession by providing a window into the reality of onsite work. However, some people would prefer a more hands- on experience of archaeology in addition to a virtual one, and an outreach and education policy has also been developed to meet this demand. The Mudlarks, a local metal detecting society, were invited to participate on the dig, and local schools are able to take part in object-handling sessions of the artefacts that have been found during the excavation. L – P Archaeology has also created a working partnership with Public Archaeology MA students at University Mudlarks metal detecting in partnership with archaeologists

False 35past horizons College London who have helped produce the downloadable activities and worksheets available on the Prescot Street website. The day- to- day activities involved with commercial archaeology are rarely seen by the public. TV programmes such as Time Team and Meet the Ancestors do help to make archaeology accessible, but the public never gets to witness the pre- excavation research, the daily grind of wielding a mattock, shovel and trowel, or the endless paperwork, photography, survey, drawing and fi nds preparation that accompanies any archaeological excavation. Archaeology also uses its own jargon, which can create barriers to understanding relatively straightforward concepts such as contexts, features and artefacts. These barriers can be lifted by reaching out to the public using the endless possibilities that the internet offers. Engaging with people on many levels opens up exciting avenues for the future, and will undoubtedly present a more accurate picture of the rigours of commercial archaeology to the public without taking away the sense of discovery, excitement and adventure that makes archaeology so special to all of us. ? ARK, the Archaeological Recording Kit is an opensource, standards compliant, web- delivered system for the creation, storage, manipulation and publication of archaeological data and media. ark. lparchaeology. com/ 8 Villa Magna represents a unique opportunity to implement the ARK system from the earliest stages, at a site of international importance. www. villa- magna. org/ 8 Çatalhöyük web site designed for those interested in the ongoing excavations. Its aim is to provide information about the activities and the different aspects of the research currently being conducted, as well as educational resources. www. catalhoyuk. com/ 8 Prescot Street website: www. lparchaeology. com/ prescot Learn more Prescot Street website homepageAnies Hassan at work fi lming