10th July 2009, 09:59 AM
We find ourselves spinning round ... Archaeology is open to all / Archaeology has to be done properly. Archaeologists are trained professionals / ANyone can call themselves an archaeologist. The IfA set the Standards for Archaeology we should adhere to / The IfA represent over 1/3 of commercial archaeologists but not academic, curatorial, amateur etc... On it goes.
The CBA and Archaeology SCotland can help societies - but do they represent them? vett them? ensure quality. I am looking at one group just now, which seems to have several legal and ethical issues - not to mention the age old, anyone can call themselves a Site Director (hell it took me over 10 years before I felt I had the ability, knowledge, publication background before I ever thought I could run a site)
So where to go? More Control? Who COntrols? How? standards? Standards only work if people agree to them and there is a stick as wel as a carrot? Perhaps the first step is the requirement for those that 'train' or set up 'field schools' must show measurable and recognisable standards, which everyone is clear about, and everyone sees as a minimum. If you go to be trained... you better come away trained in archaeology, rather than learn that the director has a wandering eye, or the trainers could do with training themselves.
Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi
The CBA and Archaeology SCotland can help societies - but do they represent them? vett them? ensure quality. I am looking at one group just now, which seems to have several legal and ethical issues - not to mention the age old, anyone can call themselves a Site Director (hell it took me over 10 years before I felt I had the ability, knowledge, publication background before I ever thought I could run a site)
So where to go? More Control? Who COntrols? How? standards? Standards only work if people agree to them and there is a stick as wel as a carrot? Perhaps the first step is the requirement for those that 'train' or set up 'field schools' must show measurable and recognisable standards, which everyone is clear about, and everyone sees as a minimum. If you go to be trained... you better come away trained in archaeology, rather than learn that the director has a wandering eye, or the trainers could do with training themselves.
Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi