Major AHRC funding secured

From September 2012, Prof Ian Ralston and his co-PI, Professor Gary Lock of the Institute of Archaeology at Oxford, are leading a four year study of a major later prehistoric site category, with generous funding (£950,000) from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Their team aims to systematise the definition of hillforts across Britain and Ireland, with a view to producing An atlas of the hillforts of Britain and Ireland, backed by substantial online resources. This class of perhaps 4000 sites has never previously been considered at this scale. Key objectives include the integration of both upstanding and cropmark examples of the monument type into their databases, and to provide a synthesis of current knowledge as a springboard for further approaches to these iconic sites. The study is being undertaken with support from the national monument records and Professor William O’Brien of UC Cork.