The Council for British Archaeology is a British organisation based in York that promotes archaeology within the United Kingdom. Since 1945 the Council has been involved in publicising and generating public support for British archaeology; formulating and disseminating archaeological research agendas, and campaigning on aspects of public policy that affect archaeology.
Following a meeting in 1943 of the Congress of Archaeological Societies "to discuss the requirements of archaeology in the post-war period", the Council was formed to promote all aspects of British archaeology. The first meeting of the Council was held in 1944 and amongst its first tasks was that of dealing with the archaeological needs and opportunities created by the Luftwaffe's devastation of Britain's historic cities.
During the 1960s, the Council set up a number of committees on thematic lines. These were:
These committees were dissolved into a single Research and Conservation Committee in 1996.
Throughout its existence, the Council for British Archaeology has published numerous research reports, many of which are now archived online at AHDS Archaeology. In addition, the Council publishes a magazine and the British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography .
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