Author

Case Study submitted by Mark Dover, who worked with the project directors Prof Mike Parker Pearson, Prof Julian Thomas, Dr Joshua Pollard, Dr Colin Richards, Dr Chris Tilley, and Dr Kate Welhem

Date

2006-2012

Project Type

Research

Subject

Archaeology

Datasets

Ordnance Survey collection (see below)

Sources: Digimap

Dates/Editions: All available

Scales: Various

Related Subjects

Geography; GIS; Planning; Transport; Business

Key Words

Stonehenge

Publishing Institutions

This was a major joint collaboration between Universities of Bournemouth, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield and UCL. The project was led by Professor Mike Parker Pearson, University of Sheffield and co-directed by Professor Julian Thomas, University of Manchester, Dr Joshua Pollard, University of Bristol, Dr Colin Richards, University of Manchester, Dr Chris Tilley, University College London and Dr Kate Welham, School of Applied Sciences, Bournemouth University. The principle grant holder (AHRC) was Professor Mike Parker Pearson of the University of Sheffield.

Summary

The Stonehenge Riverside project was a major collaborative research project conducted by five UK universities that aimed to unravel the prehistoric development of the Stonehenge landscape. This project has resulted in a better understanding of the development of the prehistoric monumental complex and its relationship to developing residential and subsistence practices. The work program consisted of targeted archaeological excavations of the major monuments, including Durrington Walls, Woodhenge, Cursus, and the environs around Stonehenge and its Avenue, based on extensive geophysical surveys and supported by a wider landscape study region.

The Digimap data a was fundamental part of the project's Geographic Information System (ESRI ArcGIS). It was a vital pre-excavation planning tool and provided a framework to display archaeological information. The Digital Terrain Models derived from Ordnance Survey PROFILE and PANORAMA datasets support the landscape study's phenomenological research.

Without access to EDINA Digimap Data, considering the project's remit and size, commercial sources would have cost in the region of £100,000.

Datasets obtained via Digimap included:

• OS: OS Land-Line.Plus
• OS Meridian 1:50 000
• OS Strategi 1:250 000
• OS 1:10 000 Scale Raster
• OS 1:25 000 Scale Colour Raster
• OS 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster
• OS Land-Form Profile 1:10 000
• OS Land-Form PROFILE DTM 1:10 000
• OS Land-Form PANORAMA, 1:50 000
• OS Land-Form PANORAMA DTM 1:50 000
• OS Boundary-Line .shp
• GB National Boundaries .shp
• GB National Grids .shp
• Historic Digimap: County Series 1:10 560 (more to download in future)
• Geology Digimap: BGS data 1:50 000

Outcomes

Please see the Project Website for in-depth coverage of the results of this project, including interim reports and multimedia resources.

References & Acknowledgements

This project was principally funded by a four-year grant (2006-2010) from The Arts and Humanities Research Council. The project was also awarded a Small Research Grant (2004-2005) from The British Academy.

Further support came from The Royal Archaeological Institute, The Society of Antiquaries of London, The Prehistoric Society, The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, The Robert Kiln Charitable Trust, Andante Travels, Sheffield University Enterprise Scheme, Google, The National Geographic Society, and English Heritage.

The project was awarded the Bob Smith Prize by The Prehistoric Society in 2004.

In 2010 the project won the Current Archaeology Research Project of the Year award for work on Bluestonehenge.