Research Frameworks - Introduction
Archaeological fieldwork, especially if it involves excavation, brings with it the responsibility to study, publish and securely store any material of value that is discovered, and to plan for the future of any buildings that are found. Archaeology has grown, however, from curiosity about the past. Archaeological sites yield data that add to the store from which generalisations are developed as to the nature of human life, individual and collective. It adds to the value of fieldwork if it is pursued with agendas that address broader research themes, that set up what is almost a dialogue between the archaeologists and the site itself.
Each of the various projects described in this part of the website (Recent Projects), as well as others for which reports are in the process of being prepared, represents a research agenda, often linked to work at other sites. In addition, two broader agendas of analysis and synthesis are in progress which address the totality of evidence from Amarna. One of these – Investing in Religion in Akhenaten’s Amarna – works from the premise that Amarna is a major reference site for the archaeology of religion, partly on account of the range of evidence available and partly because of its unique history. The other – Before the Preindustrial City – seeks to situate Amarna more precisely within the broad field of studies on the nature of cities past and present.