Archaeological remains are irreplaceable.

They are evidence - for prehistoric periods, the only

evidence - of the past development of our civilization.
Today's archaeological landscape is the product of human activity over thousands of years. It
ranges through settlements and remains of every period, from the camps of the early hunter
gatherers 400,000 years ago to remains of early 20th century activities. It includes places of
worship, defence installations, burial grounds, farms and fields, and sites of manufacture.
These remains vary enormously in their state of preservation and in the extent of their appeal to
the public. "Upstanding" remains are familiar enough - the great stone circles, the castle and
abbey ruins of the Middle Ages or abandoned coastal defence systems. But less obvious
archaeological remains, such as ancient settlements and field systems, are also to be found across
large parts of the country. Some prehistoric sites in wetland areas contain important wood and
organic remains. Many buildings in older towns lie on top of Roman, Anglo-Saxon or medieval
structures.
Archaeological remains should be seen as a finite and non-renewable resource, in many cases
highly fragile and vulnerable to damage and destruction. Appropriate management is therefore
essential to ensure that they survive in good condition. In particular, care must be taken to ensure
that archaeological remains are not needlessly or thoughtlessly destroyed. They can contain
irreplaceable information about our past and the potential for an increase in future knowledge.
They are part of our sense of national identity and are valuable both for their own sake and for
their role in education, leisure and tourism.
The present century has been a period of striking environmental change. Some changes, like the
erosion of coastal areas, have occurred naturally. But much archaeological heritage has been
destroyed by human activity - for example, by modern construction methods in urban
development and expansion of the road network, by modern agricultural techniques (in particular
deep ploughing or drainage of wetlands), and by mineral extraction.
With the many demands of modern society, it is not always feasible to save all archaeological
remains. The key question is where and how to strike the right balance. Where nationally
important archaeological remains, whether scheduled or not, and their settings, are affected by
proposed development there should be a presumption in favour of their physical preservation.
Cases involving archaeological remains of lesser importance will not always be so clear cut and
planning authorities will need to weigh the relative importance of archaeology against other
factors including the need for the proposed development. Regardless of the circumstances, taking
decisions is much easier if any archaeological aspects of a development site can be considered
early on in the planning and development control process. This is discussed in Section B.
Archaeological records for England currently contain around 600,000 sites and monuments.
Some 13,000 nationally important cases enjoy special protection as "scheduled monuments",
under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. English Heritage have
embarked on a survey programme which is expected to result in significant additional numbers
being given this statutory protection (see Annex 3).
Scheduling archaeological remains ensures that the case for preservation is fully considered
given any proposals for development or other work which might damage the monument. The
planning system is equally in a position to consider the desirability of preserving archaeological
remains. Much can be achieved within the wider planning process when developers are prepared
to enter into discussions with archaeologists and consider fully the needs of archaeology. This
voluntary approach to considering the needs of archaeology is a well-established and growing
practice and has been formalized in Codes of Practice by the British Archaeologists' and
Developers' Liaison Group (BADLG), and the Confederation of British Industry link to external
websiteCode for Mineral Operators.
Archaeological issues are often important in minerals planning, particularly in the extraction of
sand and gravel. River valleys have provided an attractive place for man to settle but at the same
time these areas often contain valuable sand and gravel resources. Minerals can clearly only be
worked where they are found so they often differ from other forms of development in that there
is not the same flexibility of choice of location. The CBI's revised Code of Practice for Mineral
Operators on archaeological investigations provides advice on how minerals operators should
consult archaeological interests in formulating planning applications, to ensure that
archaeological factors are fully taken into account in the planning decision process.
The key to informed and reasonable planning decisions, as emphasised in paragraphs 19 and 20,
is for consideration to be given early, before formal planning applications are made, to the
question whether archaeological remains exist on a site where development is planned and the
implications for the development proposal. When important remains are known to exist or when
archaeologists have good reason to believe that important remains exist, developers will be able
to help by preparing sympathetic designs using, for example, foundations which avoid disturbing
the remains altogether or minimise damage by raising ground levels under a proposed new
structure, or by the careful siting of landscaped or open areas. There are techniques available for
sealing archaeological remains underneath buildings or landscaping, thus securing their
preservation for the future even though they remain inaccessible for the time being.
If physical preservation in situ is not feasible, an archaeological excavation for the purposes of
'preservation by record', may be an acceptable alternative. From the archaeological point of view
this should be regarded as a second best option. The science of archaeology is developing
rapidly. Excavation means the total destruction of evidence (apart from removable artefacts)
from which future techniques could almost certainly extract more information than is currently
possible. Excavation is also expensive and time-consuming, and discoveries may have to be
evaluated in a hurry against an inadequate research framework. The preservation in situ of
important archaeological remains is therefore nearly always to be preferred.
Positive planning and management can help to bring about sensible solutions to the treatment of
sites with archaeological remains and reduce the areas of potential conflict between development
and preservation. Both central government and English Heritage have important roles to play.
But the key to the future of the great majority of archaeological sites and historic landscapes lies
with local authorities, acting within the framework set by central government, in their various
capacities as planning, education and recreational authorities, as well as with the owners of sites
themselves. Appropriate planning policies in development plans and their implementation
through development control will be especially important. This is copied

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Ancient human grave sites speak volumes to those who listen. These haunting human "time capsules"
have been uncovered all over the world. Some even reach a certain level of fame: The Ampato maiden
sacrificed on an Andes peak. The Alpine Ice Man, the oldest frozen mummy ever found. England's 9,000-
year-old Cheddar Man. Others' stories are known only to the ages, like a cache of elaborately adorned
7,000-year-old mummies unearthed in Chile, and the thousands of Egyptian mummies actually burned
as train fuel in the 19th century. Modern science now allows us to explore these human treasures
without destroying them, and connects us all to the secrets of the ancient dead.
Unwrap the secrets of the dead as scientists discover and learn from ancient preserved bodies.