Wales needs to know about its past. Understanding a culture’s history is vital to its continuing growth and development and archaeologists in Wales have been contributing to this for some two centuries, unearthing sites, discovering past landscapes and seeking to interpret what they may tell us. But the past still holds many secrets, and understanding of the buildings, monuments and landscapes of Wales must continue to advance. This website contains the research framework that identifies some of the key questions still to be answered and evaluates the achievements already made.

In 2001 the archaeological community in Wales embarked on the challenge of creating a research framework. Since the start it has been recognised that any framework for research must be regularly reviewed and updated and we have just completed the third view of the original papers.  

The review was a difficult task this time as it coincided with just after the Covid lockdowns.  Everyone was more pressed for the time and space to think than before and we are very grateful to all those who did take part.  

Three themes were not reviewed this time: Roman, Medieval and Post Medieval (1539 - 1750), so please use the second review for those.  A new theme - Climate Adaptation - was not developed further but there are links to documents by Welsh Government and others.

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