"Knowledge was their treasure": applying KO approaches to archaeological research

The main purpose of the first part of this paper is to present knowledge organisation as applied in archaeological research in the United Kingdom. The intention is to provide a specific case study of how knowledge organisation within one discipline can be a stimulus for the generation of new factual knowledge and new evidence-based narratives, an example that hopefully can find broader value in the discussion of KO as a discipline.
The second part presents some examples of new narratives in heritage, benefiting from the traditions of good knowledge organisation systems. It also notes how this work can feed back into developing the need for improvements in knowledge organisation in the sector.
The third part then reviews one particular body of knowledge in use in UK archaeology – the use in England of published research frameworks to co-ordinate archaeological research – as an example of how improved knowledge organisation may benefit society. It reports work in progress to develop a prototype for better organisation of a knowledge base of research questions. This work has the potential to increase the efficiency of research in the sector, and so to maximise the public benefit gained – a better understanding, a new and relevant narrative, of their past.