'Perfect storm' of proposed cuts throws field into crisis.

Archaeology under threat in UK  

UK archaeologists are facing a wave of cuts that they say will lead to a loss of skills and take the teaching of the subject "back to the 1950s".

To cut its national budget deficit, the UK government has launched an austerity programme that will see research funding stay static for the next four years (see 'UK scientists celebrate budget reprieve'). But archaeology is expected to be hit particularly hard, because the subject depends on a combination of public institutions run by several different government departments that are all seeing simultaneous budget reductions. "It seems like a perfect storm of factors is coming together," says Mike Heyworth, director of the Council for British Archaeology, an educational non-governmental organization.

Although precise details of where the axe will fall are still emerging, the trend is already clear. At least 200 jobs will go at English Heritage, the government-funded body charged with managing the historic environment.

English Heritage receives about £130 million (US$205 million) per year in government funding, but this will be cut by 32% over the next four years, greater than the 24% savings demanded of its parent body, the government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As a consequence, new archaeological grants will be cut by a third.

"The cut to English Heritage's grant from government will be exceptionally challenging to manage after years of funding decline," said Kay Andrews, chair of English Heritage. "It will require us to make some tough decisions."