Seeing some of the postings on the human remains thread about short-cuts (some debatable) in methodology which are excused by the need to deal with huge amounts of (usually urban)archaeology (in that case burials), has got me wondering if this is valid. While I am not sure about the Spitalfields case which I feel was done to a very high standard overall, I have been involved with many large excavations where huge short-cuts were taken (with curatorial assent) to deal with the huge amounts of archaeology. Stuff like machining off all the post-medieval archaeology to deal with extensive medieval remains. This would not happen on a smaller more manageable site.

Watching briefs I feel are so flawed, that I have bored myself silly with the sound of my own keyboard ranting about them. Small projects involving key-hole work, although probably well dug are also limited for well understood reasons. And it seems that the very large open area urban excavations which hold the potential to provide the best quality and quantity of archaeological information are not held to the same standards as the medium sized project.

It seems that a hypothetical large site is going to be much better excavated and understood if it is developed and paid for by a number developers and the archaeology dealt with in manageable chunks, than by one developer/one excavation.

My own idealistic view is that archaeological methodology should be as uniform as possible regardless of the size of the project. Reality naturally intrudes on this view, but I wonder if cutting corners on the very big projects, whose developers are surely able to bear archaeological costs better than smaller developers is sensible or fair?

It is a wonder that developers don't club together to get whole swathes of archaeology in cities dealt with more cheaply than if they go at it alone. (As I write this I have realized that a massive project in my home city has probably done exactly this)

Hi Folks

An example of the SCAUM site as a good resource....

betterbacks@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Email them and ask for a better backs campaign CD.

Hi all

After a lovely 6 month sabbatical from the curating lark ([8D]), I'm back in the fold and have been tasked with revisiting our Guidance Papers.

Things have obviously changed since they were written in 1998, as have our requirements - particularly with new technologies and digital formats.

My question is: do any of you out there have guidance notes in a digital form that I can look at? I'm interested to see what other services are considering as standards at the moment. Other than the IFA ones, of course, which is what a lot of counties base theirs around, if they have any. I'll get someone to put the same query on the ALGAO forum, but as there are a fair few curators on here, may as well try a two pronged attack.

Many thanks

ML

http://www.scaum.org

Methinks this can be counted as a BAJR success.

Believe me this has to do with archaeology....

I want to find a ready and easily accessible source that shows the size of various sectors of UK industry (or the largest companies i.e Tescos, Boots, WH Smiths, Weatherspoons) based on annual turnover.

Does anyone know of any web sites that might help? It doesn't have to be that accurate i.e £20m either way. I want to show how big (or small) an 'industry' archaeology is compared to other sectors. All I seem to be able to find through Google is the size of the UK private security sector and the turnover of Liverpool football club. Please, please, please help if you can. Many thanks in advance.....

PS. My deadline for this is next Wednesday, 14th

One of the fault lines in archaeology seems to run between professional and amateurs. We seem to inhabit dfferent worlds, with professionals ssen as younger and left of centre (politically speaking) and amateurs being older and to the right - the Current Archaeology letters page shows this quite well.

What then is the personal relationship between professionals and local societies. Are many people members of their local society? Here's your choices:

Not sure what the future archaeologists will think of the glut of mobile phones being produced and disposed of in our modern age (perhaps a subject for a future thread), but who is your favorite mobile carrier for good field coverage? Who makes sure you get that essential call/text out in the boonies?

Ok, before my major beef, I'll admit it...I do watch Time Team (sometimesB). Anyway, the other day I saw an episode in which they were excavating an early Anglo-Saxon cemetery in a supposed heritage site. They had only just found some skellies towards the end of their dig and were rushing to lift them...the next thing you know, one of their regulars is jamming a trowel under various bones and wrenching the things out of the ground, apparently in an attempt to recover any possible grave goods before time ran out. Now I'm sure Time Team has been trashed to death in this forum (I'm a newbie here), but WTF? Is it really a good public presentation of archaeology that human remains are seen to be treated with such contempt, merely because there may be some 'treasure' in association?
Maybe I'm being petty, but as (somewhat) of an osteoarchaeologist, I was stunned. Any thoughts?

Hi,

On Friday 2 March, Paul Farrelly MP will be presenting a Private Members Bill in the House Commons to call for improved rights for temporary and casual staff, including better rights relating to pay, sickness pay, holidays, overtime pay and general issues of unscrupulous employers.

The Bill can only be passed if 100 MPs vote in favour of it. Could everyone who reads this message, who believes in improving the rights of temporary and casual staff, please contact your MP and ask them to be present at the vote on Friday 2 March and to vote in favour of this important Bill?

If you do not know who your MP is, you can find this information out by visiting http://www.theyworkforyou.com where you can tyope in your postcode and obtain the information including their email address. Most MPs have an email address. The usual format is surname.first initial@parliament.uk. For example Hilary Benn's email address would be bennh@parliament.uk

Alternatively you can write to them at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Or email me and I'll send you information about who your MP is and how to contact them. My email address is sclomax2004@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks. I know many people will think that contacting an MP will not make any diference but the best way to achieve our aim of getting better rights is to go through the legislative process and this is our best opportunity to do that. So please contact your MP today.

Thank you.

Has anyone out there had any problems with the copying and reproducing of historic maps from record offices in grey literature? I don't mean superseded OS mapping, for which there is a licence, but the other stuff (tithe maps, OS maps more than 50 years old etc) for which the copyright is held by the record office, but for which copying is apparently only allowed for non-commercial uses?