Resources for researchers

Introduction by Pamela Jane Smith, Ph.D., McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge University, and Kathleen L. Sheppard, C. Phil., University of Oklahoma

Founded by Pamela Jane Smith in 2008 and led now by postgraduate researchers, Jennifer Baird, Katherine Leckie, Sara Perry, Kathleen Sheppard, Pamela Jane Smith and Amara Thornton, the Histories of Archaeology Research Network, HARN, provides an overarching, cross-institutional structure to promote communication and thereby support innovative new work. This collective untangles the histories and philosophies of archaeology and reconstructs the lesser-known social, political and intellectual aspects of archaeology's history.

Group members are investigating previously unexamined archival and primary sources and gathering original oral-historical evidence. They produce innovative, fine-grained descriptions and in depth historical analyses based on entirely fresh material. The resulting new research has regularly appeared in Antiquity's Project Gallery since September 2008.

HARN consists of more than fifty participants from across North America, the Middle East and the European Union. The members' scholarship covers a broad range of never-before-researched subjects. In this issue of the BHA, we provide a sample of many of these topics. However, the scholarship extends much further than these articles. To mention only a few other projects: Rana Daroogheh (University of Durham) investigates how archaeology was used to promote a secular state before the Revolution in Iran and a Shia nation state after the Revolution; Sera Baker, (University of Nottingham) examines the complex history of excavations and poor preservations at Pompeii; William Werner (Syracuse University) looks at German archaeologists in Latin America at the turn of the century; James Doeser (Institute of Archaeology, UCL) examines the history of archaeological policies in Great Britain; Lydia Carr (University of Oxford) documents Tessa Wheeler's life; Silas Michalakas (Goldsmiths College) is interested in visual media and the history of archaeology; Katherine Leckie (University of Cambridge) studies how museum collections constructed and represented prehistory in late-nineteenth century Europe; Anwen Cooper (University of Reading) reconstructs the histories of recent prehistoric research in Britain; Jennifer Baird (Birkbeck College) constructs a critical history of Roman archaeology in the Near East; and, Sara Perry (University of Southampton) discusses the epistemological significance of imagery to the development of academic archaeology.

HARN holds multiple meetings and conferences each year – the most recent meeting was February 12, at Birkbeck College, University of London. We have established a virtual network through our Facebook page. Please also visit HARN's blog at http://harngroup.wordpress.com where anyone interested in the history of archaeology can post announcements or comments or initiate discussion.

New members and all queries are welcomed. For more information please contact us at HARNgroup@googlemail.com.