Over the Horizon and Beyond the Foreshore: Archaeology Outreach Across Cultures and Between Environments
Emily Stammitti1, Diarmaid Walshe, Sgt.2
1UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, 2RAMC
Dreamers Bay, located at RAF Akrotir which lies with the UK Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus is now host to the Defense
Archaeology Group's (DAG) "Operation Nightingale". It is a dynamic site, with terrestrial remains, marine features, and a rich
surrounding archaeological landscape. In conducting "Operation Nightingale" in the late spring of 2015, the challenges of
conducting successful underwater and landward archaeological outreach became prominent, given the divergent needs and
interests of active duty military personnel, veterans with disabilities, archaeology students, members of the local and
international community, and attending family members. Combined efforts of Operation Nightingale coordinator and
underwater archaeology outreach developer resulted in outreach programmes that progressed beyond traditional community
outreach works. Plans were designed to engage participants both physically and mentally. Employing water-based learning
opportunities and events that were made accessible to all, community stakeholders are participating that traditionally do not
engage with heritage. Positive, cross-cultural communications and innovative planning techniques are key components to
effectively communicating archaeology in such a variety of settings and to vibrant, multi-cultural persons. Dreamers Bay and its environment serves as an idiosyncratic case study for community outreach, veteran assistance and good cross-cultural
communication that transcends culture, environment, additional support needs and disciplines. It brings toward the fore the
realisation of a community based archaeology programme that works not only in its own right as archaeological training, but
also as the ever-present satellite of anthropology, striving to understand the human condition and engage with it in the past,
present and the future.
