CASE STUDY

The Challenge:

Archaeology Scotland, dedicated to heritage, conservation and empowering communities across the nation, are at the heart of Scotland’s charity sector. We spoke with Phil Richardson about what drives Archaeology Scotland. “We’re an education archaeology charity,” he tells us. “So, a lot of the work we do is conservation of archaeology and heritage sites, but the key work is in supporting other people to look after heritage, to promote and explore it and to learn.”

Scotland’s wealth of wilderness and rural landscape present no easy feat when it comes to mapping and GIS-driven tasks, while their standing in the third sector means some strict reporting requirements. “We use GIS for several things, to know where we’ve been and what we’re up to,” Phil explains. “Mapping is hugely important, before and after we investigate something because we need to know what was there previously and record it properly. There are statutory requirements; scheduled management consent from Historic Environment Scotland, for example. We deal with the requirements to report on the fieldwork and give them accurate location mapping and have to report both to the local authorities and the national records – so if you’re digging a trench and it’s only a metre by a metre, someone’s got to be able to find that again – so that’s where the accuracy is also important.”

The Solution:

Like organisations of any size and any industry, Archaeology Scotland faces the challenge of ensuring that their team and equipment can meet the demands of reporting and non-negotiable accuracy. However, unlike companies in the private sector with larger budgets, Archaeology Scotland has to balance significant responsibility with limited resources.

“Frankly, as a small charity trying to cover the whole country, it can be difficult to find something affordable for our charity. We’d been using some older kit which was failing and not up to scratch. We had to do something.” Phil and the team were recommended the Arrow 100 GNSS receiver for its accuracy and usability, considering some younger staff in his team had limited experience with a GNSS device.

The Eos Arrow 100^® offered a solution combining advanced capabilities with competitive pricing, making for a perfect solution to fit Archaeology Scotland’s usability needs without compromising performance.

Phil knows all too well how poor equipment can prevent skilled staff from meeting goals and meeting the demands of the job. “We did an excavation in Argyll in a woodland site, and our older kit broke down and stopped getting signal. Much of where we work is quite rural, so that was a problem! We tried a drone but couldn’t get the accuracy we needed. We’ve had to finish jobs manually, which then takes days as opposed to minutes. Then, when it comes to push process,” Phil continues, “trying to put that into GIS and make a map was also adding days.”

Then, when it comes to Archaeology Scotland’s work with community groups, the challenges continue; “The groups themselves are trying to move from site-based interventions and landscape engagements, so just mapping what they have in their local area is a huge thing. Some are still using paper and pen and trying to learn GIS. They occasionally get recommended technology they can’t afford, so access to equipment is sometimes an issue.”

For Archaeology Scotland and the groups that they support, access to purpose-fit technology is invaluable. Efficient fieldwork means smoother operations, allowing Phil and the team to then educate and aid community groups in mapping and heritage. Fit-for-purpose and well-performing regardless of setting, the Arrow 100 GNSS receiver was that much-needed resource that Phil and the team had been looking for.

“It definitely is working,” Phil tells us. “After we got over the learning curve of a new interface, it was grand. MGISS were really supportive, and we had online staff training which was great, and which brought us to the point of training the community groups to use it.”

“Ultimately, the plan is to show local organisations what’s possible. Having a better idea of what archaeology and heritage you’re responsible for puts you in a greater position to look after it, or to make a case: being able to map properly, embed it and show groups how to survey, record and recognise different kinds of sites. There’s a fundamental role that works right across community councils, development trusts and more. So, for all these small communities, it can and has been hugely important.” 

The Result:

Archaeology Scotland’s commitment to empowering communities to understand, preserve, and promote their heritage is a fulfilling focal point of their work. Local groups and councils serve to shape Scotland’s identity and therefore its future, so by enabling these groups with tools like the Arrow 100, this impact can be expanded to a wider-reaching effect.

From mapping nationally recognised sites to creating heritage trails that support local tourism, the results speak for themselves. By providing the means for small communities to take ownership of their local heritage, the immense value in empowerment can be seen.

And with the Arrow 100 in hand, they’ve found an effective way to balance the demands of modern archaeology with their mission of community-driven heritage.

“It has made a difference,” he continues. “It’s sped up quite a few of our processes, both in the field and back at the office. It’s allowed us to offer extra training support to community groups we work with, and it’s made things much more comfortable and much less difficult compared to the last few years dealing with designated statutory sites – anything that requires high-level recording reporting.”

Not only more efficient but creating a more enjoyable working experience in the field, Archaeology Scotland’s team can now rely on their updated kit and complete jobs in minutes, not days. And it’s not just about practicality; Phil and his team can now focus on what brought them to Archaeology in the first place, reconnecting with the purpose and passion behind what they do.