The Archaeological Excavation Skills Passport – Making practical skills visible

How can practical excavation skills be documented, made comparable and verified? The Archaeological Excavation Skills Passport, developed by ArchaeoPublica in collaboration with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) and other international partners, offers a simple, internationally applicable tool for this purpose. As the German adaptation of the British ‘Archaeology Skills Passport’, it records the skills learnt on excavations, confirms the level of competence achieved and, through international comparability, also promotes the mobility of archaeological professionals. This talk will present the concept, structure and application of the passport and demonstrate its benefits for students, those starting their careers and interested members of the public; how excavation directors and heritage authorities benefit from it; and the role it plays in quality assurance and continuing professional development in archaeological fieldwork.