‘… a certain faculty for extricating cash’: Collective Sponsorship in Late 19th and Early 20th Century British Archaeology

Abstract

Collective sponsorship was crucial for the evolution of archaeological research in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Britain. This paper will briefly introduce the use of collective sponsorship in British archaeology during this period and chart the changes evident as more substantial ‘block’ funding became available with the creation of new institutions. It will explore the gradual shift away from ‘private’ to ‘public’ forms of funding, and highlight an emerging dominance of industry and professionalism over the seemingly aristocratic, amateur tradition. However it posits that even with increasing consolidation, the strength of personal networks provided both foundation and maintenance for the new age.