About Oxford Archaeology
Since our foundation in 1973, we have always worked to ensure the protection and enhancement of our heritage, delivering positive outcomes through a shared understanding of our past. As a charity, advancing archaeological knowledge and fostering a connection between individuals and our collective history is at the heart of everything we do. Today, we are trusted partners in projects of all sizes and complexities. Our approach is distinguished by our enthusiasm for innovation and our dedication to excellence and archaeological expertise.
Our heritage services include archaeological excavation and survey, landscape and building studies, complex geospatial data management systems and heritage consultancy services. We are one of the leading service providers in this field, with thousands of clients who recognise and value our expertise.
Our Knowledge Hub is powered by our publications and research activities and is an open-access, online resource for the public, archaeologists, academics, local societies, local authorities, consultants and clients.
Through our community engagement work, we deliver positive and lasting social, economic, and environmental outcomes for individuals, communities, and society. We work in partnership with others to realise the value of archaeology to increase equality, improve wellbeing, and promote environmental sustainability.
Our Strategy
Oxford Archaeology’s 5-year strategy for 2025-2030 is designed to ensure our continued success as one of the UK's leading archaeological organisations. The strategy will guide OA's efforts over the next five years, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of archaeological practice and research.
The strategy's five pillars reflect our commitment to balancing professional excellence, public benefit, and commercial resilience, ensuring we continue to provide value to our clients through expert, reliable service while making a lasting difference to the communities with whom we work.
Our People
Our values
At Oxford Archaeology, our values guide our work, shape our culture, and reflect our commitment to understanding and sharing the past.
As a charity with an educational purpose, we believe archaeology is for everyone. Whether we are providing top quality for our clients, uncovering new discoveries, working with communities, our values ensure that we approach every project with integrity, passion, and a sense of shared purpose.
Lead by example
- Growing together. We embrace constructive feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement and learning.
- Integrity and professionalism. We support each other with honesty and stay true to our professional values.
- A flourishing future. We advocate for the future of archaeology, striving to create a more equitable and sustainable sector.
Empower each other
- Lift each other up. We use our agency to support the development of, and success of our co-workers, communities and partners.
- Be curious. We encourage each other to try new things, explore innovative ideas, and learn from past experiences.
- Build trust. We nurture trust with our co-workers, communities, and partners to empower each other with agency and autonomy.
Archaeology for all
- Break down barriers. We work to make archaeology more equitable, accessible, and inclusive.
- Embrace new perspectives. We welcome and value new ideas, experiences, and perspectives on our shared past.
- Shoulder-to-shoulder. We stand together with empathy, mutual respect, and shared purpose.
Make a difference
- Be bold. We are not afraid to do things differently to meet big challenges and find better solutions.
- The ripple effect. We harness archaeology's potential and work collaboratively to have a positive impact on society.
- Guided by responsibility. We respect our responsibility to the archaeological resource, our communities, clients, and collaborators.
Celebrate our passion
- Everyday inspiration. We take time to find joy in our work and celebrate our achievements.
- Every contribution matters. We celebrate the contributions of our colleagues, partners, and communities to our successes.
- The power of archaeology. We champion and draw on archaeology's potential to inspire connection with place, communities, and each other.
Governance
Leading with integrity
As a charity, Oxford Archaeology is committed to making a positive and lasting contribution to society. Since our foundation in 1973, we have done this by encouraging people to connect with their heritage and surroundings, sharing our archaeological investigations to foster deeper understanding of the world around us and appreciation of the shared human past.
Good governance is at the heart of how we operate. Our commitment to fairness, equality, and integrity in the workplace ensures that our organisation is a place where all staff can thrive. Supporting well-being, diversity, and professional development is essential to maintaining an inclusive and resilient workforce.
We also believe that, as a charity, our responsibility extends beyond archaeology and heritage. We have a duty to make a positive and lasting impact on the world around us, be it the communities in which we work, the sectors with which we collaborate, or the world at large.
Governance and leadership
As a registered charity, Oxford Archaeology is governed by a Board of Trustees with expertise in archaeology, the heritage sector, consultancy, and corporate finance.
The day-to-day management is led by an experienced Executive Team—our CEO, COO, and CFO— that brings a strong background in developer-led archaeology, and the commercial and charity sectors.
Regional managers lead our offices in Cambridge, Lancaster, and Oxford, ensuring local delivery stays aligned with OA's mission.
Trustees, executives, and managers are committed to accountability, transparency, and fairness, and work to help uphold these values across the organisation.
Research at Oxford Archaeology
Leaders in archaeological research and publication
From its inception in 1973, Oxford Archaeology has been committed to ensuring that the results of its fieldwork and other activities are disseminated as widely as possible. This has traditionally been through printed media, principally monographs and journal articles, but is increasingly through digital means. We have a proud record of publication and each year sees many new books and papers roll off the press. Our award-winning publications are delivered by an expert team of authors, illustrators and editors. Our specialist staff have expertise in a wide range of material types and time periods.
As an educational charity, we have a long tradition of pioneering research and are proud to be able to drive forward archaeological research across the UK and the wider world. We often undertake interdisciplinary collaborations with other organisations and specialists. This enables us to understand archaeological sites in their landscape context and to explore changing patterns of culture, settlement and land use over time. We also undertake strategic research, for example as part of Historic England’s National Heritage Protection Plan (NHPP). Our teams also help to shape regional and national research priorities and industry standards and practices, routinely making contributions to research frameworks and guidelines.