6th February 2006, 09:23 AM
Quote:quote:
I was thinking of 2 scenarios.
One is where the unit or individual that digs a site isn't necessarily the unit or individual that gets to do the post-ex work. I am guessing that there is no copyright involved otherwise the 'originators' of the archive if aggrieved, could refuse to hand it over to the team employed to do the post-ex.
Two is where a developer having satisfied a planning condition in allowing archaeological access and 'preservation by record' could then hang onto the site paper and finds archive, refusing further 'archaeologist' access, to save theirselves post-ex costs.
The first scenario is a problem between two units which could be sorted out at a professional level I would guess. I know of a few examples where the unit doing the digging weren't the ones who did the post-ex. It's extremely bad practice though. The second scenario should never happen - developers don't "satisfy" planning conditions as soon as the archaeologists finish digging and leave site. I've often refused to recommend discharging a planning condition until the post-ex was either completed, well under way or financially guaranteed by the developer. I also require a commitment given somewhere in the paperwork as to where the archives are eventually going.