The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remain... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remains one of the most controversial with a total of some 237 of competitors killed during its 104-year history. These fatalities are implicated within complex narratives of both remembrance and forgetting most evidently played out in the roadside memorials, place names and ‘cyber memorials’ created to commemorate the deaths. This paper provides a survey of these memorials along with an appraisal of their involvement in expressions of ‘public’ and ‘private’ grief.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00438243 2012 669642, 2012
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remain... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remains one of the most controversial with a total of some 237 of competitors killed during its 104-year history. These fatalities are implicated within complex narratives of both remembrance and forgetting most evidently played out in the roadside memorials, place names and ‘cyber memorials’
This article explores the complex relationship between sport and landscape and their role in the ... more This article explores the complex relationship between sport and landscape and their role in the expression and maintenance of identity. While discussions have typically emphasised the role taken by stadia and sporting venues in the development and expression of sporting and national identities, fewer have considered the role taken by the wider landscape. It is this landscape that provides the context in which many sports are enacted and watched and it is through the embodied actions and experiences that landscape is given added meaning, reinforcing narratives of space that are implicated in the creation and maintenance of national identities. Yet here, unlike stadia or other sporting venues, space is much less regulated; as a result, participants and observers are also implicated in the creation of “counter geographies” that destabilise “official” narratives of space. Here our focus is on the contested landscapes of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races; an event where sporting narratives have become materially and conceptually part of the landscape. Through a discussion of these landscapes and their expression in the Staying the Course exhibition curated by Manx National Heritage, we contend that geographies of sport must also reflect on the contested nature of sporting spaces.
In recent years the Portable Document Format (PDF) has become a ubiquitous format in the exchange... more In recent years the Portable Document Format (PDF) has become a ubiquitous format in the exchange of documents; in 2005 the PDF/A profile was defined in order to meet long term accessibility needs, and has accordingly come to be regarded as a long-term archiving strategy for PDF files. In the field of archaeology, a growing number of PDF files – containing the detailed results of fieldwork and research – are beginning to be deposited with digital archives such as the Archaeology Data Service (ADS). In the ADS’ experience, the use of PDF/A has had benefits as well as drawbacks: the majority of PDF reports are now in a standard format better suited to longer-term access, however migrating to PDF/A and managing and ensuring reuse of these files is intensive, and fraught with potential pitfalls. Of these, perhaps the most serious has been an unreliability in PDF/A conformance by the wide range of tools and software now available. There are also practical and more theoretical implications for reuse which, as our discipline of archaeology alongside so many others rapidly becomes digitized, presents us with a large corpus of ‘data’ that is human readable, but may not be amenable to machine-based technologies such as NLP. It may be argued that these factors effectively undermine some of the perceived cost benefit of moving from paper to digital, as well as the longer-term sustainability of PDF/A within digital archives.
Archaeology in the Digital Era. Papers from the 40th Annual Conference of Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Southampton, 26-29 March 2012., 2013
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, remains one... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, remains one of the most controversial in motorsport with a total of 240 competitors killed whilst participating in the event. Many of these fatalities are marked by roadside memorials created by the bereaved as they begin mourning the loss of their loved one. While many of these tributes are temporary lasting a matter of weeks, others develop into more permanent memorials. This paper provides an overview of these memorials alongside a discussion of some of the motivations which lead the bereaved to create these monuments.
The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) was established to provide specialist advice and expertise dur... more The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) was established to provide specialist advice and expertise during the lifecycle of digital data from creation, through preservation, and onward to its potential reuse. The focus of the ADS has always been on preserving high quality, well documented data that holds the greatest potential for reuse. One of the key roles of the ADS, however, is the preservation and dissemination of grey literature produced as a consequence of archaeological fieldwork carried out during the planning process. An archaeological excavation may produce databases, spreadsheets, CAD plans, and GIS files alongside standard desktop publishing and image formats. Yet despite this complexity, the most common formats remain document and reports that are predominantly deposited in the Portable Document Format (PDF). This article, by providing an account of the work of the ADS, and specifically its experiences in the curation of a large collection of grey literature, reports on some of the problems and issues associated with archiving digital content in the PDF format. With an eye on the future it provides some insight into the impact of the development of PDF/A-3 on the archiving and preservation communities.
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remain... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remains one of the most controversial with a total of some 237 of competitors killed during its 104-year history. These fatalities are implicated within complex narratives of both remembrance and forgetting most evidently played out in the roadside memorials, place names and ‘cyber memorials’ created to commemorate the deaths. This paper provides a survey of these memorials along with an appraisal of their involvement in expressions of ‘public’ and private’ grief.
Raced over a 60.7km (37¾m) circuit of public roads where speeds can reach in excess of 320kmh (20... more Raced over a 60.7km (37¾m) circuit of public roads where speeds can reach in excess of 320kmh (200mph) and where participants pass within centimetres of houses, stone walls and lamp posts, the Isle of Man TT (or Tourist Trophy) Races remain the oldest and most prestigious event in the motorcycle road racing calendar. Once an important event in the fledgling Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship (1949-1976) and part of TT Formula 1 Championship (1977-1990) it is has attracted the world's best racers :- Hailwood, Duke, Read, Agostini, Dunlop, Hislop and McGuiness. Throughout its 105 year history (1907-2012) commercial pressure, technological developments and course improvements have been associated with a rise in speed, and the current the lap record stands at 17m 12.3s with an average speed of 132mph/212kph. These rising speeds have been associated with a rise in accidents and consequently fatalities, with the number of riders killed standing at 136 men and women; with a total of 239 killed on the 'Mountain Circuit', if those at the TT's sister event, the Manx Grand Prix (MGP), are included. This 'darker side' of the event has attracted repeated calls from the media for the event to be banned, with as many column inches devoted to reporting death as any other aspect of the racing or its results. It's most vociferous critic, the British rider Barry Sheene, even claimed that "[t]his is not racing; this is a suicide mission" (Anon 2003). Yet, while death and danger are a pervasive reality at the TT Races; fans, locals and competitors vehemently defend the event as one of the last bastions of personal freedom. Guy Martin, TV presenter and racing participant, has recently defended the event: "The TT is dangerous, of course it is, but that's the reason I do it". (Martin after Rostance 2012).
Following fatality the family, friends and fans of those who are killed are often moved to raise commemorative monuments to the deceased at the place of death. Some of these memorials are transiant lasting a matter of weeks, but some become more perminent monuments and the focus for successive visits. As this archive shows the form and nature of commemoration is variable from simple plaques and benches, to more extensive statues, memorial gardens and marshal's shelters.
References
Anon. 2003. 'Obituaries: Barry Sheene'. The Telegraph, 11 March 2003: 25.
The small, simple Christian chapels, known locally as keeills, which litter the landscape of the ... more The small, simple Christian chapels, known locally as keeills, which litter the landscape of the Isle of Man have become a defining feature of Manx archaeological discourse. Initial research by local antiquarians during the early twentieth century identified some 170 sites, surveyed surface remains and „excavated‟ a considerable number. The quality of these investigations can at best be described as variable and the methodology formulaic; its focus being the search for artefactual dating evidence that would push the establishment of the keeill, and therefore the foundation of Manx Christianity, back to the arrival of Christianity in Britain. More recent analyses, however, suggest that the period of keeill construction began in the late ninth or early tenth century AD; with a terminus ad quem in the late thirteenth century when an ecclesiastical system centred on the parish church was established. This re-dating of the keeill phenomena places its foundation close to, indeed, probably within the period of Scandinavian settlement (c.900AD). Christocentric perspectives have, and continue, to influence conceptions of this relationship with an intrinsic perception of pagan belief systems as weak and ineffectual, with the movement towards conversion seen as inevitable. It is the intention of this paper to propose that the keeill phenomena can be regarded as the response of an extant native Christian tradition to the ideological turmoil brought by an influx of pagan settlers, of Scandinavian heritage, to the Isle of Man. It will highlight that the response to this collision of dogmas was not prejudiced to Christianity, but was manifest in overt expressions of paganism also seen in the burial traditions of settlers.
This document looks at the existing funding models, and is intended to act as an underpinning in ... more This document looks at the existing funding models, and is intended to act as an underpinning in developing a future sustainability model for CARARE, therefore this document does not suggest or recommend sustainability models for immediate consideration although the conclusion of the document does discuss the viability of some options for CARARE in general terms. This document is also intended to inform the structure of the forthcoming survey of CARARE partners so that the maximum relevant funding and financial information can be gleaned to help form the projects sustainability model.
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remain... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remains one of the most controversial with a total of some 237 of competitors killed during its 104-year history. These fatalities are implicated within complex narratives of both remembrance and forgetting most evidently played out in the roadside memorials, place names and ‘cyber memorials’ created to commemorate the deaths. This paper provides a survey of these memorials along with an appraisal of their involvement in expressions of ‘public’ and ‘private’ grief.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00438243 2012 669642, 2012
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remain... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remains one of the most controversial with a total of some 237 of competitors killed during its 104-year history. These fatalities are implicated within complex narratives of both remembrance and forgetting most evidently played out in the roadside memorials, place names and ‘cyber memorials’
This article explores the complex relationship between sport and landscape and their role in the ... more This article explores the complex relationship between sport and landscape and their role in the expression and maintenance of identity. While discussions have typically emphasised the role taken by stadia and sporting venues in the development and expression of sporting and national identities, fewer have considered the role taken by the wider landscape. It is this landscape that provides the context in which many sports are enacted and watched and it is through the embodied actions and experiences that landscape is given added meaning, reinforcing narratives of space that are implicated in the creation and maintenance of national identities. Yet here, unlike stadia or other sporting venues, space is much less regulated; as a result, participants and observers are also implicated in the creation of “counter geographies” that destabilise “official” narratives of space. Here our focus is on the contested landscapes of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races; an event where sporting narratives have become materially and conceptually part of the landscape. Through a discussion of these landscapes and their expression in the Staying the Course exhibition curated by Manx National Heritage, we contend that geographies of sport must also reflect on the contested nature of sporting spaces.
In recent years the Portable Document Format (PDF) has become a ubiquitous format in the exchange... more In recent years the Portable Document Format (PDF) has become a ubiquitous format in the exchange of documents; in 2005 the PDF/A profile was defined in order to meet long term accessibility needs, and has accordingly come to be regarded as a long-term archiving strategy for PDF files. In the field of archaeology, a growing number of PDF files – containing the detailed results of fieldwork and research – are beginning to be deposited with digital archives such as the Archaeology Data Service (ADS). In the ADS’ experience, the use of PDF/A has had benefits as well as drawbacks: the majority of PDF reports are now in a standard format better suited to longer-term access, however migrating to PDF/A and managing and ensuring reuse of these files is intensive, and fraught with potential pitfalls. Of these, perhaps the most serious has been an unreliability in PDF/A conformance by the wide range of tools and software now available. There are also practical and more theoretical implications for reuse which, as our discipline of archaeology alongside so many others rapidly becomes digitized, presents us with a large corpus of ‘data’ that is human readable, but may not be amenable to machine-based technologies such as NLP. It may be argued that these factors effectively undermine some of the perceived cost benefit of moving from paper to digital, as well as the longer-term sustainability of PDF/A within digital archives.
Archaeology in the Digital Era. Papers from the 40th Annual Conference of Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Southampton, 26-29 March 2012., 2013
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, remains one... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, remains one of the most controversial in motorsport with a total of 240 competitors killed whilst participating in the event. Many of these fatalities are marked by roadside memorials created by the bereaved as they begin mourning the loss of their loved one. While many of these tributes are temporary lasting a matter of weeks, others develop into more permanent memorials. This paper provides an overview of these memorials alongside a discussion of some of the motivations which lead the bereaved to create these monuments.
The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) was established to provide specialist advice and expertise dur... more The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) was established to provide specialist advice and expertise during the lifecycle of digital data from creation, through preservation, and onward to its potential reuse. The focus of the ADS has always been on preserving high quality, well documented data that holds the greatest potential for reuse. One of the key roles of the ADS, however, is the preservation and dissemination of grey literature produced as a consequence of archaeological fieldwork carried out during the planning process. An archaeological excavation may produce databases, spreadsheets, CAD plans, and GIS files alongside standard desktop publishing and image formats. Yet despite this complexity, the most common formats remain document and reports that are predominantly deposited in the Portable Document Format (PDF). This article, by providing an account of the work of the ADS, and specifically its experiences in the curation of a large collection of grey literature, reports on some of the problems and issues associated with archiving digital content in the PDF format. With an eye on the future it provides some insight into the impact of the development of PDF/A-3 on the archiving and preservation communities.
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remain... more The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the oldest motorcycle road racing event in the world, also remains one of the most controversial with a total of some 237 of competitors killed during its 104-year history. These fatalities are implicated within complex narratives of both remembrance and forgetting most evidently played out in the roadside memorials, place names and ‘cyber memorials’ created to commemorate the deaths. This paper provides a survey of these memorials along with an appraisal of their involvement in expressions of ‘public’ and private’ grief.
Raced over a 60.7km (37¾m) circuit of public roads where speeds can reach in excess of 320kmh (20... more Raced over a 60.7km (37¾m) circuit of public roads where speeds can reach in excess of 320kmh (200mph) and where participants pass within centimetres of houses, stone walls and lamp posts, the Isle of Man TT (or Tourist Trophy) Races remain the oldest and most prestigious event in the motorcycle road racing calendar. Once an important event in the fledgling Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship (1949-1976) and part of TT Formula 1 Championship (1977-1990) it is has attracted the world's best racers :- Hailwood, Duke, Read, Agostini, Dunlop, Hislop and McGuiness. Throughout its 105 year history (1907-2012) commercial pressure, technological developments and course improvements have been associated with a rise in speed, and the current the lap record stands at 17m 12.3s with an average speed of 132mph/212kph. These rising speeds have been associated with a rise in accidents and consequently fatalities, with the number of riders killed standing at 136 men and women; with a total of 239 killed on the 'Mountain Circuit', if those at the TT's sister event, the Manx Grand Prix (MGP), are included. This 'darker side' of the event has attracted repeated calls from the media for the event to be banned, with as many column inches devoted to reporting death as any other aspect of the racing or its results. It's most vociferous critic, the British rider Barry Sheene, even claimed that "[t]his is not racing; this is a suicide mission" (Anon 2003). Yet, while death and danger are a pervasive reality at the TT Races; fans, locals and competitors vehemently defend the event as one of the last bastions of personal freedom. Guy Martin, TV presenter and racing participant, has recently defended the event: "The TT is dangerous, of course it is, but that's the reason I do it". (Martin after Rostance 2012).
Following fatality the family, friends and fans of those who are killed are often moved to raise commemorative monuments to the deceased at the place of death. Some of these memorials are transiant lasting a matter of weeks, but some become more perminent monuments and the focus for successive visits. As this archive shows the form and nature of commemoration is variable from simple plaques and benches, to more extensive statues, memorial gardens and marshal's shelters.
References
Anon. 2003. 'Obituaries: Barry Sheene'. The Telegraph, 11 March 2003: 25.
The small, simple Christian chapels, known locally as keeills, which litter the landscape of the ... more The small, simple Christian chapels, known locally as keeills, which litter the landscape of the Isle of Man have become a defining feature of Manx archaeological discourse. Initial research by local antiquarians during the early twentieth century identified some 170 sites, surveyed surface remains and „excavated‟ a considerable number. The quality of these investigations can at best be described as variable and the methodology formulaic; its focus being the search for artefactual dating evidence that would push the establishment of the keeill, and therefore the foundation of Manx Christianity, back to the arrival of Christianity in Britain. More recent analyses, however, suggest that the period of keeill construction began in the late ninth or early tenth century AD; with a terminus ad quem in the late thirteenth century when an ecclesiastical system centred on the parish church was established. This re-dating of the keeill phenomena places its foundation close to, indeed, probably within the period of Scandinavian settlement (c.900AD). Christocentric perspectives have, and continue, to influence conceptions of this relationship with an intrinsic perception of pagan belief systems as weak and ineffectual, with the movement towards conversion seen as inevitable. It is the intention of this paper to propose that the keeill phenomena can be regarded as the response of an extant native Christian tradition to the ideological turmoil brought by an influx of pagan settlers, of Scandinavian heritage, to the Isle of Man. It will highlight that the response to this collision of dogmas was not prejudiced to Christianity, but was manifest in overt expressions of paganism also seen in the burial traditions of settlers.
This document looks at the existing funding models, and is intended to act as an underpinning in ... more This document looks at the existing funding models, and is intended to act as an underpinning in developing a future sustainability model for CARARE, therefore this document does not suggest or recommend sustainability models for immediate consideration although the conclusion of the document does discuss the viability of some options for CARARE in general terms. This document is also intended to inform the structure of the forthcoming survey of CARARE partners so that the maximum relevant funding and financial information can be gleaned to help form the projects sustainability model.
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appraisal of their involvement in expressions of ‘public’ and private’ grief.
Following fatality the family, friends and fans of those who are killed are often moved to raise commemorative monuments to the deceased at the place of death. Some of these memorials are transiant lasting a matter of weeks, but some become more perminent monuments and the focus for successive visits. As this archive shows the form and nature of commemoration is variable from simple plaques and benches, to more extensive statues, memorial gardens and marshal's shelters.
References
Anon. 2003. 'Obituaries: Barry Sheene'. The Telegraph, 11 March 2003: 25.
Rostance, T. 2012. 'Isle of Man TT: Guy Martin on danger, death and Everest'. BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motorsport/17192387 (accessed 06 June 2012).
appraisal of their involvement in expressions of ‘public’ and private’ grief.
Following fatality the family, friends and fans of those who are killed are often moved to raise commemorative monuments to the deceased at the place of death. Some of these memorials are transiant lasting a matter of weeks, but some become more perminent monuments and the focus for successive visits. As this archive shows the form and nature of commemoration is variable from simple plaques and benches, to more extensive statues, memorial gardens and marshal's shelters.
References
Anon. 2003. 'Obituaries: Barry Sheene'. The Telegraph, 11 March 2003: 25.
Rostance, T. 2012. 'Isle of Man TT: Guy Martin on danger, death and Everest'. BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motorsport/17192387 (accessed 06 June 2012).