We are sorry to report that this page has recently developed a glitch regarding the download links to the csv thesauri files which we are currently looking into. If you wish to download either the thesauri .csv files and/or the recently added terms list please right click on the desired icon & then ‘Save link as’.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Candidate terms (terminology suggestions) are submitted to FISH all year round. Terms are processed and usually added to the FISH thesauri and authority files as and when they come in. Every year the thesauri are updated and uploaded to this website, here you can download the thesauri in CSV and PDF formats and at Heritage Data, a related website, you can access the terminologies in LOD format.
Due to ongoing technical issues we have been unable to produce updated .pdf versions of the thesauri for this release but they all remain current except for those that have been updated since February 2021; the seven affected thesauri are:
Archaeological Objects, Components, Event Type, Historic Aircraft, Monument Type, Object Materials and Resource Description (Thred).
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause; Click here to view a list of terms added and changes made to version 26 of the aforementioned thesauri.
Click here to view all the FISH thesauri.
If you have any questions regarding the FISH thesauri or have candidate terms to submit please contact us at terminologies@HistoricEngland.org.uk or via our on-line form here.
The 48th International Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology conference.
For more details please visit: https://2020.caaconference.org/
Digital Past is an annual two day conference organised by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. It showcases innovative digital technologies and techniques for data capture, interpretation and dissemination of the heritage of Wales, the UK and beyond.
For more information on the event, speakers and registration visit: https://rcahmw.gov.uk/about-us/digital-past-conference/
The need to review the terminologies used for the recording and indexing of lithic artefacts has been highlighted in the recent HER enhancement projects for early prehistory. These found that ‘the current thesauri terms are not fit for purpose’ and have recommended that ‘a new list of lithic terminology should be developed and agreed by a panel of specialists and deployed ahead of further early prehistoric HER enhancement work’ (Catermole, A. 2018. A Review of Historic Environment Records Enhancement Projects for the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic). Lithic terminologies were also one of the areas that were discussed in the FISH E-Conference a few years ago.
This consultation is being conducted through the lithic and prehistory specialist societies and is aimed at lithic specialists across the sector – freelance, in house unit, academic, museum etc.
The consultation is due to end on November 30th.
Historic England have issued a whole raft of new and updated advice and guidance documents on their website. Click here to go to the Latest Advice and Guidance page which now also includes an A to Z list of advice pdfs and a list of recently archived advice.
Examples of guidance documents include five reissued archaeological science guidance documents and some short instructional video clips. 
Historic England recently published (April 2018) a catalogue of their latest advice and guidance material covering a range of subjects areas. Examples include:
Caring for Heritage
Planning
Technical – Archaeological Science
Technical – Recording Heritage
https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/find/latest-guidance
Archaeological Standards and Guidance – What are they for and who sets them?
The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) held an online discussion on this topic on 10-11 May 2017. Key questions covered:
For more information about this discussion and links to current initiatives within data standards compilation, see: http://www.archaeologists.net/archaeological-standards-and-guidance-what-are-they-and-who-sets-them-online-discussion-10%E2%80%9311-may
Published in June 2016, this guidance document was compiled by the three period-specific pottery study groups (PCRG, SGRP, MPRG) with the aim of creating the first, comprehensive, inclusive standard for working with pottery. The Standard is intended for use in all types of archaeological project, including those run by community groups, professional contractors and research institutions.
This standard has been published by the Medieval Pottery Research Group on behalf of the Prehistoric Ceramics Research Group, the Study Group for Roman Pottery and the Medieval Pottery Research Group.
The text was written by Alistair Barclay and David Knight (PCRG); Paul Booth and Jane Evans (SGRP); Duncan H. Brown and Imogen Wood (MPRG).
Development and production of this standard was funded by grant-aid from Historic England.
The National Standard and Guidance to Best Practice for Collecting and Depositing Archaeological Archives in Wales comprises a suite of documents which aim to make archaeological data, information and knowledge available, stable, consistent and accessible for present and future generations. The Standard for Archaeological Archiving in Wales consists of a set of high-level principles. It represents the standard for archaeological archiving that must be met by an archaeologist or organisation undertaking any form of archaeological work that results in an archive.
Guidance documents are available as a ‘zip’ file here.
This document has been prepared by the National Panel for Archaeological Archives in Wales and is drawn from A Standard and Guide to Best Practice for Archaeological Archiving in Europe.
The National Panel has tailored this document to meet the specific needs of Wales and to offer guidance that supports the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016. The National Panel for Archaeological Archives in Wales is an advisory body established by the Historic Environment Group with a remit to promote the care of and encourage access to the archaeological archives of Wales.
