- Project Lead: David Petts
- Organisation: Durham University
- RICHeS Investment Accessed: From Land to Sea: a facility for prospection, landscapes and people
Project summary
This project will use advanced geophysical survey techniques to investigate some of the most archaeologically significant yet least explored areas of Holy Island (Lindisfarne). Focusing on the rocky outcrops of the Heugh and Beblowe, together with the surrounding intertidal landscape, the research will apply ground-penetrating radar, electrical survey, sonar and other specialist methods to identify buried archaeological features that have previously been inaccessible to investigation. The project will extend existing surveys to create a more complete understanding of the island’s evolving landscape and its connections between land and sea.
The findings will support the management and protection of Holy Island’s internationally important archaeological heritage by identifying areas vulnerable to erosion from climate change and increasing visitor pressure. The project will also provide valuable evidence for organisations responsible for the island’s care, enhance understanding of its historic landscape, and engage the public by demonstrating how cutting-edge heritage science can reveal hidden archaeology and inform the conservation of complex coastal environments.