Commercial archaeology and narratives of British exceptionalism
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2017-04-22

Narratives of British exceptionalism have come to particular prominence in the press and political discourse leading up to and after the EU referendum result in Britain. Whilst historically archaeology has been exploited in the construction of national identities in Europe, archaeology and in particular commercial archaeology has been portrayed as an obstacle in the contemporary narrative of British progress and development.

This paper will propose that commercial archaeology occupies an uneasy position in the narrative of British exceptionalism due to both its inextricable links with the construction sector and its potential to uncover a multi-faceted past with ‘dark heritage.’ The portrayal of commercial archaeology as an antagonist against large, politically loaded infrastructure projects will be explored. The concentration of development projects in urban centres such as London, and the cultural and political implications this may have for commercial archaeology in terms of recent branding of a ‘metropolitan elite’ and cosmopolitanism will also be incorporated into the discussion. Small scale development projects will be cited as case studies in order to demonstrate the potential of commercial archaeology to undermine a ‘single story’ of British identity.

Narratives of British exceptionalism should be challenged. Commercial archaeology is in a unique position to do this but if it is to successfully rebuke rhetoric on homogenous Britishness then it must not only engage with a rich and varied archaeological record but also foster a more diverse workforce and champion multiple pathways into the profession.

Florence Smith Nicholls, Compass Archaeology