Abstract
SIR FREDERIC KENYON, in his first presidential address to the Society of Antiquaries of London, which now appears in full in the Antiquaries Journal, 15, 3, stresses the difficulties which beset archaeological excavation in Great Britain through the lack of men and money. Of the two, he feels constrained, and rightly, to lay greater emphasis on the latter. Few archaeological excavations, he points out, are, like Verulamium, able to ‘live on the country’ and rely for any considerable proportion of their cost on a constant stream of visitors. Probably most excavators would regard such a solution of their difficulties as something of a calamity, in view of the constant interruption of their work. In the report of the Council, appearing concurrently with the presidential address, an appeal is made for support for the Society's Research Fund, which at present is not adequate to permit subvention of local funds by any amount which is more than an expression of goodwill. The Society is also faced for some time to come with responsibility for the excavation of Maiden Castle at Dorchester. Archaeological exploration on any considerable scale is an especially expensive form of scientific research, and is usually beyond local resources. Sir Frederic suggests that the difficulties of the present situation might be met by the formation of a central fund, administered by such a body as the Society of Antiquaries through the machinery of the Congress of Archaeological Societies. If this suggestion were adopted, it need not interfere with local interest, but should rather serve to stimulate it. It would also help to co-ordinate archaeological research?a matter of no little moment; but not the least advantage it offers is that it would facilitate prompt action when, in these days of rapid development for building, it might be urgently necessary immediately to follow up some chance discovery.
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Funds for Archæological Exploration in Britain. Nature 136, 428 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/136428a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/136428a0