Versions of historical narrative remain for many the ultimate aim of archaeological work - combining the particulars of the archaeological past into meaningful wholes with features such as events and plot. With a renewed interest in writing and text the forms and character of narrative in archaeology (actual and potential) have come under scrutiny by some. The subject is a wide one. Narrative is a basic human means of making sense of the world, and narratives form a basic component of self-identity. Narratives accordingly feature prominently in nationalist and heritage appropriations of the archaeological past. The concept emphasises the active character of making sense - constructing meaningful plots out of what was uncertainty, and plots which have or will have meaning and significance for an audience or public.