12th October 2005, 01:29 AM
I have to say I disagree. The last University excavation I worked on was conducted to an exceptionally high standard. If the directors of said excavation read this, Hi you know who you are, and to the said supervisor I also say Hello.
On one undergraduate excavation I was the "site director" ie I was trained in how to run an excavation. Everything I wanted to do was referred to one of the said academic types who discussed with me what the "right" decision was. Not bad training.
In the practicals we did post excavation work on this and other sites. I should add this was all in the UK and my overseas experience was in Norway.
The last University excavation I looked at was:
well conceived
the diggers were happy
conducted to a good research design.
I think the issue is not about what should be done abroad but what the universities do here. Are they cutting edge research, good training or just a lot of fun on a "sunkissed hill fort".
Peter
On one undergraduate excavation I was the "site director" ie I was trained in how to run an excavation. Everything I wanted to do was referred to one of the said academic types who discussed with me what the "right" decision was. Not bad training.
In the practicals we did post excavation work on this and other sites. I should add this was all in the UK and my overseas experience was in Norway.
The last University excavation I looked at was:
well conceived
the diggers were happy
conducted to a good research design.
I think the issue is not about what should be done abroad but what the universities do here. Are they cutting edge research, good training or just a lot of fun on a "sunkissed hill fort".
Peter