Internet Archaeol. 7. Basu. Navigating Leskernick

Some other kinds of texts

The idea behind the GALLERY was to feature alternative kinds of work generated by the team at Leskernick: poetry, sketches, and photo-essays.

Figure 5: The Gallery page

Articles such as 'Doorways onto Other Worlds' or 'Imaging the Self' were designed to provide instantly accessible insights into the themes of the project regardless of the visitor's archaeological knowledge and experience. They are authored for a web environment insofar as they are reasonably interactive, they use images in a central (rather than decorative or banal) way, and they employ text sparingly.

Figure 6: Access to themed articles

One final feature of the Leskernick web site which attempts to exploit the medium's democratic and interactive qualities is the FORUM - an unmoderated discussion list to which anyone with an e-mail account may freely subscribe. The list has its own dynamic and, without a strong 'convener' presence, goes through periods of spontaneous dormancy and frenzy. Accepting the fact that the list is only open to those with Internet access, it provides one very important arena for people with different interests in Leskernick, Bodmin Moor and Cornwall to debate, challenge and chat. Discussions have included themes such as Cornish nationalism, the 'ownership' of the Moor and its archaeology, fears regarding the 'popularisation' of Leskernick, New Age movements and archaeology, as well as questions arising from articles on the web site. A digest of previously posted messages, sorted by theme, is kept reasonably up-to-date so that casual visitors can follow the discussions and perhaps decide to join in.

Figure 7: The Forum

Well, the tour is over, but please continue navigating by yourself. The Leskernick web site represents a modest attempt to explore some of the intellectual capacities of the Internet as a new alternative form of archaeological discourse: it can be more democratic, more polyvocal, more decentred, more interactive. The web is an exciting medium to work with, especially in tandem with other media each with their own inherent capacities and limitations. The Leskernick web site is also an example of what can be done without much of a budget, just a fair bit of hard work! You might like to 'tip' your guide as you leave the coach. Comments and suggestions always welcome!