Blogging, Bushcraft and Bookkeeping  (Marc Cox)
Channel: EXARC
Date: 2020-03-27

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Abstract: As a non-academic not fully associated with any one museum or institution, recording and publishing experimental archaeological construction work has seemed daunting and beyond the scope of a self-employed woodworker. However, it has been extremely worthwhile and sometimes necessary to document the range of projects that have come along over the years. Using a number of very recent examples, one will begin to witness how out-of-the-ordinary media, 21st-century digital avenues and the ever-looming eye of funding bodies can make sure that lessons we learn from one build are not forgotten on the next. This paper will draw on experiences from across the UK, starting with the Avalon Marshes Centre in Somerset, the Out of Eden Stone Age Centre in mid-Wales, the newly constructed Wessex House at the Sylva Centre in Oxfordshire, and finishing with Newhaven Coppice in the South West of England. This presentation aims to examine and showcase the ways in which all professionals, whether archaeological, curatorial or craft-based, can take steps toward contributing to the knowledge base of experimental archaeology. It is also an opportunity to critique and reflect on the shortcomings of being outside the ‘system’ and ways that individuals can still be relevant and accountable.
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