H E I R N E T Historic Environment Information Resources Network

HEIRNET: The Historic Environment Information Resources Network HEIRNET, the Historic Environment Information Resources Network, was formed in 1998 by the Council for British Archaeology with the National Monuments Records for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Archaeology Data Service, Historic Scotland, Cadw, Re:source, the mda, Manx National Heritage, Historic Scotland, the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers, Association of Regional & Island Archaeologists, Institute of Field Archaeologists, Institute for Historic Building Conservation and others. HEIRNET aims to enable access to Historic Environment Information Resources for conservation, research, learning and general interest. It does this by promoting HEIRS, working to find ways of sharing information resources and by offering technical advice.

Geographically Distributed Databases ArcHSearch is the index to the Archaeology Data Service Collections and provides information on archaeology in the United Kingdom and overseas. CANMORE is the database of the National Monuments Record of Scotland and provides information on the archaeological, architectural and maritime sites in Scotland. Portable Antiquities is the database of the scheme recording chance archaeological finds in England and Wales. SCRAN is the Scottish Cultural Resource Access Network and provides access to records from museums, galleries, archives and the media in Scotland.

The RCAHMS database: CANMORE Ardifuar dun (image copyright: RCAHMS)

SCRAN: the Scottish Cultural Access Resource Network Callanish II stone circle copyright image licenced to SCRAN

ArcHSearch: The ADS catalogue

Portable Antiquities Database Coriel hoard (image copyright Portable Antiquities Scheme)

HEIRPORT: a portal for the historic environment HEIRPORT, the new Internet based portal for the historic environment, allows users to carry out searches on a number of important heritage databases at the same time. HEIRPORT was developed for HEIRNET by the Archaeology Data Service at the University of York with technical assistance from the University of Kent at Canterbury and System Simulation Ltd. Currently it provides access to databases maintained by the Archaeology Data Service, the Portable Antiquities Programme, Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland and SCRAN. More databases will become available in future.

HEIRPORT: a single enquiry point for heritage datasets People with an interest in the historic environment to find out about the monuments at a particular location or to satisfy an interest in the monuments of a particular type or period. HEIRPORT uses advanced communications technology to enable users to search several databases at the same time. The same technology enables users to find out information at home on a standard PC or out in the field using a WAP phone.