11th October 2005, 10:27 AM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by troll
One of the sad consequences of Universities working abroad "smash and grab"- facilitated simply because the host country does not have an integrated methodology in place.
I'm sure that I've banged on about this before and I'm also sure that I may have a biased view based on my relatively narrow experience, but most university excavations I've been involved with (in this country and abroad) have been pretty much 'standards free zones'. I'm talking about strategies being devised the day before excavation starts, p*sspoor and often non-existent records and lamentable standards of supervision. On the whole this is the case because the majority of those running and supervising these schemes only experience is from...university projects run in the above manner.
We frequently discuss the lack of skills and knowledge of elementary and 'best' field practice demonstrated by archaeology graduates, yet at the same time, three years at Grantchester, a 1st class degree and some funding for a PhD on 'sexual preferences in Roman Europe' qualifies you to dig up half of Herculaneum (example picked at random before anyone starts pointing accusing fingers).
Frankly, the introduction of any sort of standard, provided it can be monitored, would be a good thing.
Imperialism? Common sense more like.