1st May 2009, 12:34 PM
Just to let you all know... I did an interview (along with a Digger.. Chris) with BBC Radio4 following on from what was said last time.
I know it is going to get edited, but the gist of what I said was that archaeology is a skilled profession that is a vocation.. here are my notes:
Field staff are the first and only chance to gather information? they are highly skilled .......
that there is a squeeze in pay and contract length that can't be helped.. but a small cut on small pay is not good... that there is no one quick fix but getting the public involved is a way forward, Now there is no quick fix, there is no one answer, however one positive move that I am pursuing is engaging the public more in public archaeology? which can range from projects such as I am involved in Scotland, working with communities directly.. and the excellent pilot project by Archaeology Scotland which is taking archaeology into Schools? or, and this is important for commercial archaeology, opening up to the public and involving them in active sites? a great example of this - and they are happening already.. is at York, the Archaeology Live project at Hungate.. archaeology as a community activity, brings the public into the process which means support for archaeologists.. there are so many skills that archaeologists have?
There is great public interest and willingness to get involved.. and this should be encouraged more... and aided - with govt funds... it does not solve everything... but is a core element ... as we have to remember who we do it for.. and have to skill share. blah blah...
Development is a key element that needs some serious open debate.. what we need who does it, the benefits, the reasons that developers should fund, the parameters of this duty... etc... but with no serious development then its a moot point just now.
<Apologies for the notes... but you can probably make sense of what I said... and I talked as me... not as a representative of anything.. before you panic!)
Tuesday 3pm... cross fingers.
"Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage."
Niccolo Machiavelli
I know it is going to get edited, but the gist of what I said was that archaeology is a skilled profession that is a vocation.. here are my notes:
Field staff are the first and only chance to gather information? they are highly skilled .......
that there is a squeeze in pay and contract length that can't be helped.. but a small cut on small pay is not good... that there is no one quick fix but getting the public involved is a way forward, Now there is no quick fix, there is no one answer, however one positive move that I am pursuing is engaging the public more in public archaeology? which can range from projects such as I am involved in Scotland, working with communities directly.. and the excellent pilot project by Archaeology Scotland which is taking archaeology into Schools? or, and this is important for commercial archaeology, opening up to the public and involving them in active sites? a great example of this - and they are happening already.. is at York, the Archaeology Live project at Hungate.. archaeology as a community activity, brings the public into the process which means support for archaeologists.. there are so many skills that archaeologists have?
There is great public interest and willingness to get involved.. and this should be encouraged more... and aided - with govt funds... it does not solve everything... but is a core element ... as we have to remember who we do it for.. and have to skill share. blah blah...
Development is a key element that needs some serious open debate.. what we need who does it, the benefits, the reasons that developers should fund, the parameters of this duty... etc... but with no serious development then its a moot point just now.
<Apologies for the notes... but you can probably make sense of what I said... and I talked as me... not as a representative of anything.. before you panic!)
Tuesday 3pm... cross fingers.
"Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage."
Niccolo Machiavelli