ABSTRACT

Archaeology, Heritage, and Wellbeing fills an important gap in academic literature, bringing together experts from archaeology/ historic environment and mental health research to provide an interdisciplinary overview of this emerging subject area.

The book, uniquely, provides archaeologists and heritage professionals with an introduction to the ways in which mental health researchers view and measure wellbeing, helping archaeologists and other heritage professionals to move beyond the anecdotal when evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of such initiatives. Importantly, this book also serves to highlight to mental health researchers the many ways in which archaeology and heritage can be, and are being, harnessed to support non-medical therapeutic interventions to improve wellbeing. Authentic engagement with the historic environment can also provide powerful tools for community health and wellbeing, and this book offers examples of the diverse communities that have benefited from its capacity to promote wellbeing and wellness.

Archaeology, Heritage, and Wellbeing is for students and researchers of archaeology and psychology interested in wellbeing, as well as researchers and professionals involved in health and social care, social prescribing, mental health and wellbeing, leisure, tourism, and heritage management.

chapter |3 pages

Introduction

ByPaul Everill, Karen Burnell

part I|54 pages

Context

chapter 1|19 pages

What is wellbeing and how do we measure and evaluate it?

ByLouise Baxter, Karen Burnell

chapter 2|10 pages

Introduction to archaeology: A personal perspective

ByPaul Everill

part II|58 pages

Museums, healing, and wellbeing

part III|64 pages

Connecting with the land

chapter 7|26 pages

Using archaeology to strengthen Indigenous social, emotional, and economic wellbeing

ByClaire Smith, Vincent Copley, Kylie Lower, Josephine, Ania Kotaba, Gary Jackson

chapter 8|17 pages

Archaeology as “self-therapy”: Case studies of metal detecting communities in Britain and Denmark

ByAndres S. Dobat, Armin S. Dobat, Sören Schmidt

part V|53 pages

Engaging with wellbeing

chapter 13|16 pages

Assembling wellbeing in archaeological teaching and learning

ByHannah Cobb, Karina Croucher

chapter 14|22 pages

Wellbeing and the historic environment: A strategic approach

ByLinda Monckton