National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AE2 Assess options for conserving the archaeological resource in situ

AE2.3 Recommend strategies for conserving the archaeological resource in situ

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. agreeing objectives and priorities for conserving the archaeological resource
2. assess factors which will influence a programme of continuing maintenance of the resource
3. identifying and assessing opportunities which may be beneficial to the maintenance and use of the resource
4. estimating resources required for the maintenance of the archaeological resource
5. where appropriate, obtaining advice and estimates from others to support recommendations
6. verifying that proposals are compliant with relevant policies and plans
7. preparing a strategic plan for implementation that takes full account of available resources and includes budgets, targets and milestones
8. presenting and justifying plans to interested parties.

Occupational Context

1. Archaeological resource
   • landscapes
   • sites
   • structures
2. Factors
   • policies and legislation
   • financial resources
   • location and accessibility
   • climate and exposure
   • planting and grounds maintenance
   • other uses on the site (e.g. agriculture)
   • protection of features and maintenance of structures
   • site safety, security and structural stability
   • site services and facilities
3. Opportunities
   • changes in land use
   • linkage with other sites and activities
   • public amenity
   • tourism
   • educational use
   • research potential

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

• Prioritise the conservation of different parts of the resource, and which factors should be taken into account

You need to know about:

The archaeological resource

• The condition of the resource
• The status of the resource: ownership, identity, classification, stability, longevity
• Its preservation requirements and its vulnerability
• The relationship to its environment
• Its contribution to the discipline

Maintenance strategy

• The opportunities it presents
• Its resources and capacities
• Financial, technical and recruitment costs
• The factors that are taken into account when selecting between different conservation options
• How the conservation options would differ if the resource were used in different ways, or kept in different conditions

The location

• Access and availability
• Role in the community
• Stability
• Environmental conditions

The available conservation options

Required Skills

N/A

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can recommend strategies for conserving the archaeological resource in situ

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore

• the procedures for recommending strategies for conserving the archaeological resource in situ.

Evidence Rules

The candidate should have been involved in at least 2 contrasting sites.

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Today's date: 31/7/2010
This page last updated: 6/8/2007 11:58