Have you ever dreamed of discovering lost treasures from ancient civilizations?
Well, imagine being able to locate forgotten artifacts and uncover hidden archaeological sites that have been buried beneath the earth for centuries.
By studying the locations of existing archaeological sites in the context of local geography and the historical environment, and by harnessing the power of old maps, cutting-edge LiDAR technology, and breathtaking aerial photography, you can embark on an exciting journey to unearth the secrets of the past.
With a keen eye for detail and a thirst for adventure, you can unlock the mysteries of ancient cultures and shed new light on the wonders of human history. So, grab your tools, pack your bags, and get ready to embark on a thrilling quest to uncover the lost treasures of our ancestors.
ARCHI's old maps are a fascinating resource to exploring and understand how a particular area has changed over time. By providing access to historical maps from different periods, users can see how the landscape, streets, buildings, and other features have evolved over time.
This can be especially interesting for local history research, as it allows users to explore how their community has developed and changed over the years.
The combination of old maps with modern GPS data and other visual aids like LiDAR and aerial photography makes ARCHI a powerful tool for exploring historical and cultural sites in a variety of contexts.
ARCHI UK is the database archive of more than 200,000 British Archaeological Sites covering the whole of England, Scotland and Wales. It is regularly updated with 10,000 new additions made to the database every year.
The ARCHI system was built to help archaeological fieldwalkers to locate new undiscovered archaeological and historic sites. The search results visualise the location of each site in the context of the modern terrain (LiDAR) and historic landscape (Victorian Ordnance Survey Old Maps Online)
The precise GPS co-ordinates corresponding to the locations of more than 50,000 Roman sites, 30,000 Iron Age / Celtic sites, 25,000 Bronze Age sites, nearly 20,000 Saxon sites, 50,000 medieval sites and many, many more ancient and miscellaneous sites are listed in the UK database. Plus there are links to road maps and aerial photographs, LiDAR and old maps designed to help you find the location of the sites on the ground.
The cost of a subscription to the ARCHI UK database of UK Archaeological Sites and Old Maps is £8.25 (ex VAT) per month or save more than 50% with an annual subscription at £50 (ex VAT). You can subscribe with PayPal by clicking the PayPal Subscribe button below. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can set one up and subscribe by also clicking the Subscribe button below.
Many beautiful and historically significant coins & artefacts and previously unknown ancient sites have already been found and reported by field walkers and metal detectorists who have used the archiUK database for their research.
By subscribing to archiUK you automatically gain quick and easy access to information on more than 200,000 UK archaeological sites and many thousands of interactive Victorian maps.
Each record includes the map reference (co-ordinate) of each site with a link to a modern road map, aerial photograph, LiDAR image and an enormous range of British Ordnance Survey maps staring with the earliest dating back to 1805, the 1st edition 6 inch Victorian maps and mid-20th century OS maps.
The database and archive also holds data on archaeologically significant field names and place-names from historical records such as the Tithe Apportionment lists and ancient documents. It is believed that ARCHI UK is the only database where this information can be searched via Postcodes, Places and Co-ordinates and accessed within an archaeological context.
The ARCHI UK database (Archaeological Sites Index) contains details of sites mentioned in rare books and archaeological reports / surveys which are not easily found outside specialist libraries.
The 200,000+ UK archaeological sites listed in the ARCHI UK (ARCHI UK) database come from published sources such as hundreds of archaeological reports, county archaeological journals, findspots reported by archaeologists and field-walkers.
The archaeological site locations in the search results list link to LiDAR, modern maps, old maps and aerial photographs of sites enabling you to view many fascinating cropmarks and pinpoint the exact locations of the sites recorded in the database on the ground. The field-name data is of special interest because it can lay the ground for the discovery of previously unknown historic and ancient sites and further our knowledge and understanding of Britain's history.
There is continuous work on the development of new technical features designed to further simplify the identification and location of existing and new archaeological sites in the UK
Ideal for professional archaeologists, heritage consultants, and history enthusiasts, ARCHI UK also serves schools, universities, and even green energy companies in their exploration of Britain's rich past. Beyond being a powerful research tool, the platform functions as a geo-referenced bibliography of archaeological literature relevant to British history and archaeology. By focusing on geographic coordinates, it allows students and academics to explore the literature within a spatial context, overcoming the limitations of traditional keyword searches when retrieving location-specific information..
Note that public access to this database is not available anywhere else. Also, you will be able to gain access to any new information for one year when it is added to the database for no extra cost.
License: Personal, non-commercial or educational use for a single user only. Block subscriptions can be purchased for Academic institutions, clubs and societies and the subscription rate depends upon the number of users. See below for more information on multiple user subscriptions.
Please contact us via e-mail at info@digital-documents.co.uk if you wish to purchase a block subscription.
Please contact us via e-mail at info@digital-documents.co.uk if you wish to pay by mail order (ie cheque, bank transfer etc).
But don't forget to let us know the password you would like to use for the internet version of ARCHI UK.
For individuals, the cost of a subscription to the ARCHI UK database of UK Archaeological Sites is £50. You can purchase a membership by clicking on the subscribe button below.
Multiple access to ARCHI UK is open to academic institutions and the yearly subscription rate depends on the size of the faculty and the projected number of users.
Please note that are no longer able to offer club or society subscriptions / membership/
Start at £375 per annum.
Institutions have the choice of accessing the data via a password or automatically through the institution's IP address(es).
If you would like your institution to subscribe to ARCHI UK then ask your librarian or representative to e-mail us at info@digital-documents.co.uk
We accept payment either by cheque or PayPal.
Access to the full database is immediate if you subscribe online using the PayPal payment system. Otherwise your subscription will be activated within five working days after the time we receive your cheque payment.
ARCHI UK MAPS has been created as a portal around the "ARCHI" database which we have developed since 1999.
The database was initially constructed to address the lack of easily available information relating to the distribution of archaeological sites. This was particularly evident during my time as a student of archaeology at Birkbeck College, University of London, UK.
A well presented assignment would require a knowledge of the distribution of UK archaeological sites and how the landscape / geology / availability of materials etc could influence that distribution. However, one could not begin to discuss the latter without a knowledge of the former and as it was very difficult at the time to find the precise site locations within the literature, it was necessary to create my own database holding this information.
This lack of information also contributed to a missed opportunity in the my early youth to "discover" archaeology. It was known that "somewhere" on the moors was a Roman Fort. This notion obviously inspired all sorts of imaginings and was a distraction from the sometimes grim reality of life on a council estate in a Northern town. However, despite attempts to find its location from teachers, the local library etc, myself nor my equally inspired friends could find out where it was. Hence, at least the opportunity to challenge the stereotypical view that a "gang" of kids from the town could only be up to no good was missed.
The above are the initial reasons for ARCHI's conception, however, this initial concept became a labour of love and a desire for completeness. Further, technological advances such as the rise of the internet and the ability to integrate information from different databases hosted by different web sites coupled with my passion for all things archaeological, presented a challenge which could not be resisted. Hence, the continued development of the database.
Publications
The following articles on the theme of Metal Detecting and Community Archaeology have been published:
Connecting with our Ancestors: June 2011
The data within ARCHI UK has been sourced from a wide range of publications ranging from specialist books dating back to the 19th century, to the "mainstream" archaeological journals such as Britannia, Council for British Archaeology Reports etc. Additionally, data has been sourced from archaeological surveys published by various Local Historical / Archaeological Societies and Field Groups.
Click for a list of all the archaeological journals from which the ARCHI database is sourced.
ARCHI UK utilizes publicly available datasets and information derived from a variety of recognized sources that operate under the Open Government Licence (OGL). This includes data on archaeological sites and heritage information that is freely accessible to the public, ensuring compliance with transparency and open data principles. It is important to note that, although the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) operates under the OGL, ARCHI UK’s policy has never been to use the PAS database.
Data Independence from PAS: Statement of Policy and Transparency
The data in the ARCHI UK database is entirely distinct from that of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) database. ARCHI UK only draws from publicly accessible publications, ensuring that no unpublished or sensitive PAS data is included in our database. Our database is compiled from a variety of publicly available sources, including archaeological reports, academic books, journals, and contributions from historical enthusiasts and professionals over the past 20 years. This ensures that all grid references and site information are sourced from materials already in the public domain, and none of the data originates from the PAS.
ARCHI UK has a worldwide reach. We have had subscriptions from British and American University Archaeology / History Departments, Schools, Archaeological Societies & Clubs, County Archaeology Departments, Archaeological Consultancies, Archaeology students and Hobbyists from Australia to Mexico.
Click the link above to go to visit the ARCHI gallery of old photographs, maps and drawings of Ancient British Archaeological Sites.
Click the link above to go to visit the ARCHI gallery of old maps and drawings of Ancient British Archaeological Sites.
Click the link above to learn more on subjects such as the interpretation of field names for the location of previously unknown archaeological sites.
Please refer to our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page for your contact query
