Antiquity Editorial - Full Text

[vulpes]

Oh, and Carver's comments about poor quality mitigation excavations implies that the excavations undertaken outside this context (university excavations etc) are uniformly excellent. Of course the reality here is more complex, but it's still good to see such a vote of confidence from academe.

[BAJR]

Oh lovely.. I am glad you and your team are useful, and the museums that are closing are useful, and the collapse of companies were useful, and the CBA admitting they will have funding cuts, and the 32% cut to EH ....need I go on.... I did not say we were useless, I merely point out - as Carver does, that we must make a concerted effort to make ourselves useful.. invaluable etc... to more than just ourselves. as he said... with his quote about the embalmers guild. Nobody owes us a job... what is our purpose. And it is already happening... I could probably replace you and your job from here... without leaving my room, - would it be as good as you? well of course not... would it meet minimum requirements... I am afraid, as it stands... yes it would. Unless we.. and that is us all, stop acting like a bunch of petulant children, more concerned with point scoring and picking at 'the others' If I was in government just now, and saw your comments, I would have little sympathy - so far you can complain but can't articulate one good thing about what you do. Sit down, take a deep breath, and work out... why am I needed? What makes us needed.. and this has to go beyond, because its law ... as that ends with the words AT THE MOMENT --- IF academe and commercial and public and Council and NAtional groups could actually present a united front... well, who knows... we may not be in the mess we are now.

Blame everyone but ourselves. Classic! :face-approve:


ps your comment about

poor quality mitigation excavations implies that the excavations undertaken outside this context (university excavations etc) are uniformly excellent

misses the point so much I am stunned... You are the one that creates that implication. and in doing so, somehow justify poor mitigation excavation. Or perhaps that is perfect already?

A more positive way of looking at it, is to say... yes thats true, and we also have to look at wys to improve some university work as well. But by working in cooperation.

[vulpes]

misses the point so much I am stunned... You are the one that creates that implication. and in doing so, somehow justify poor mitigation excavation. Or perhaps that is perfect already?

Er no, I think you just did that by twisting my statement. I just take issue with Carver's throw away statement Re: the commercial sector. I'm not the only one above who has pointed this out. The rest of the above seems to assume that the sector is just idly sitting on it's bottom, which clearly isn't the case. Nah, sorry, just looks like a good attempt to kick archaeology while it's down. You're right, I don't get it. But, y'know, if you like it that's great.

[BAJR]

Or perhaps you just want to feel that it is twisted! You are quite at liberty to have an opinion. I may take issue with your throw away statement about the academic sector.. they may feel you are just as sweeping in your thoughts. But hey. Thats the way it is... you are allowed to have a view, even one you don't agree with.

Nah sorry looks like a bit of reality is kicking into your world. and that ain't great

[vulpes]

yeah reality sucks, especially when you ain't got an ivory tower to sit atop.

Right, must go off and make myself useful now.

[BAJR]

Perhaps now we can get more reasoned response to the article, which I do hope more people are reading.

There is much to mull over - so I do recommend it is downloaded and passed about. You may not agree, but it makes you think.

[Wax]

We can all pick holes in each others arguments and put our own spin on the things we read so take a couple of deep breaths and think calm thoughts:face-kiss: The real question is what are we going to do as individuals and as a profession to dig ourselves out of the s... we are in?
Personally I think that the larger economic mess is going to kick in soon and my worries will be more than trying to stay in a profession I love:face-crying:

[GnomeKing]

agreed wax - we should look to our profession AND where the rest of society is being blindly led....

[BAJR]

This is the hope. What worries me is what we seem to have is

a) Lots of talk about - "we really must do something" (including BAJR I will admit)
b) Each sector deciding it is more important and it should survive, and deserves support
c) A distracting backbiting / non cooperation - I don't want to work with them, as that might show that I acknowledge them, so they won't work with me, because I won't work with them, and so we will both ignore each other and ensure that a diluted message gets out. !
d) As Wax says... This is going to be more than just archaeology... and until we come to some sort of consensus about swift action then we.. collectively, are deep in the cesspit.

[GnomeKing]

i am ready to act, but i have no direction...

-letter writing?
- web publicity?
- direct demonstration and protest?