Margaret Gowen & Co Ltd conducted a pilot study on the feasibility of an archaeological archive for Dublin City. Commissioned by Dublin City Council, in partnership with the Heritage Council, the study explored the potential of and requirements for such an undertaking within Dublin City. The following article, published in Archaeology Ireland  Vol.21 No.1 2007, gives a brief description of the project and announces the beginning of a one-year trial period, in which archaeologists are invited to submit their archives to Dublin City Council.

Achieving Preservation by Record with Dublin City Library and Archives

Dublin City Council Heritage Office and Margaret Gowen & Co Ltd

From 2007, consultant archaeologists will have the opportunity to lodge their primary paper archives relating to sites in Dublin City with the City Library and Archives as part of a pilot scheme. This initiative has arisen as a result of a study commissioned by Dublin City Council, in partnership with the Heritage Council, as an action of the City Heritage Plan, to investigate the feasibility of establishing an archaeological archive for Dublin.

Introduction
The archaeological record is a non-renewable cultural resource and the current legal requirement and practice in development control reflects this by requiring the ‘preservation by record’ of archaeological sites where preservation in situ is not an option. This is achieved by the creation of an excavation archive, consisting of detailed written, photographic, drawn and digital records. These records facilitate researchers and will, in the future, allow for the re-examination of the primary site record in light of new evidence, approaches and techniques. 

Dublin City, as elsewhere in Ireland, has seen an unprecedented number of archaeological investigations in recent years. These investigations give rise to the generation of primary records and the preparation of interpretative reports. While the artefacts from all excavations in the Republic of Ireland are submitted to the National Museum of Ireland, and the interpretative reports are lodged with the DOE, the primary archive currently remains with the individual licensed excavator or, increasingly, tends to remain with archaeological consultancies commissioned to undertake the work or with state and semi-state bodies who commissioned it. Until now, no systematic provision for the security and storage of archaeological excavation records has been devised either regionally or nationally. Furthermore, there is no existing archive-preparation standard or a specific requirement for these records to be securely passed on to any third party.
 
The absence of a regional or national archive for archaeological records has long been identified as a significant problem for the long-term security and preservation of archaeological information and for the accessibility of records for research purposes. It is especially pressing because, for various reasons, many important excavations remain unpublished with the exception of the summaries in Excavations and, in some cases, the archives are not accessible to scholars whilst others are at risk of loss or destruction. This issue was highlighted in the conclusions of the Archaeology 2020 foresight report and is acknowledged by the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland, the Heritage Council, and is currently the focus of review within the National Monuments and Architectural Protection Division at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd., in conjunction with Archivist Orna Somerville, have progressed the project with the significant assistance and input from the project steering group headed by the City Archaeologist and Heritage Office of Dublin City Council, and including the City Archives, the Heritage Council, the National Museum of Ireland, the National Archives, the National Monuments and Architectural Protection Division at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland.

Project Aim and Methodology
The study was commissioned out of a specific objective included in the current Dublin City Development Plan 2005 – 2011 (Objective H21, p.80). The aim of the project is to explore the potential for a local solution to what is a recognised national issue. In the absence of a national strategy, the initiative constitutes the first step towards the development of standards and facilities for the archiving of primary archaeological records in the Republic of Ireland at local level.

The aims of project are:

• To explore a local strategy for the long-term storage of archaeological site archives for Dublin City
• To provide guidelines for archaeologists depositing material with Dublin City Library and Archives that meet international best practice

The following were undertaken:

• A review of national and international practice regarding the archiving and curation of archaeological excavation archives to identify best practice
• A case study, in which archaeological archives were prepared with the advice of a qualified archivist for accession to Dublin City Library and Archives in order to establish the type and standard of archives acceptable for submission to Dublin City Library and Archives
• Consultation with key stakeholders, notably the statutory authorities for archaeology, archaeological licensees, archaeological consultancies, archivists, third level institutions and archaeological researchers. This process is ongoing.
   

Outcome
The study recognises that the long term preservation of, and accessibility to, excavation archives is a central prerequisite of ‘preservation by record’. It revealed that archaeological companies face difficulties and significant costs arising from the long-term storage and management of primary paper archives and explores the possibility of lodging primary records in dedicated archive facilities. The proposed storage and management of archaeological archives by Dublin City Library and Archives will ensure that:
 

• Archives can be accessioned to Dublin City Archives by formal agreement
• Archives will be stored in accordance with international archival standards
• Dublin City Council intends to circulate a guidance document and checklist to aid archaeologists in preparing archives for accession
• Archaeological archives will be accessible, Intellectual copyright will be protected