Archaeology as European Added Value

Ever since the Council of Europe’s campaign ‘The Bronze Age – The first Golden Age of Europe’ was carried out in the 1990s, archaeologists have from time to time expressed concern about periods or interpretations being used as tools for forging a collective identity tied to the geographical, political and ideational entity of ‘Europe’. While narratives of a pan-European unity in prehistory have often been disregarded or deconstructed by the research community, discussions on increasing cross border cooperation and harmonization of practises is still on-going. Both of these directions warrant continuous critical consideration, especially since it is suggested that a future ‘Archaeology of Europe’ rely in part on the opportunities for financial support offered by the European Commission. European Commission enabling structures, especially within the field of culture, still talks of a common European past. By focussing on ‘European added value’, the first award criteria for achieving funding under the European Commission Culture programmes, this paper discusses what meanings such a value evoke in relation to archaeology and cultural heritage. It also provides some examples of how such meanings can become visible in the narratives of co-funded archaeological projects.