18th February 2006, 06:07 PM
Greetings.I have`nt read the book and I must confess that I have`nt heard of the author either.For that, thanks for the heads up.I shall endeavour to read it.I agree-published work is and should be up for assessment and peer review.I feel that so long as work is not plagiarised and, proper references are given, open and frank critique of any published work is to be encouraged.I think the issue here is simply that the gentleman in question walks two roads.As an author, he is of course perfectly entitled to publish as he pleases and I suspect that he probably expects criticism anyway as (Von Daniken/Graham Hancock/David Ike)other, shall we say, controversial authors inevitably do.In his role as an archaeologist however,there are some issues that affect us as an on-line community. Professional UK archaeology slots itself into a professional environment on a commercial (competative tendering) footing. As such, the protocol is simply that we refrain from the on-line (and therefore public) questioning of an individuals professionalism.There are of course other options.It has been said that the gentleman in question is in fact- a Member of the Institute of Field Archaeologists.The gentleman therefore has subscribed to maintain the codes of Practise and Guidelines thereof.Contact details for the IFA are to be found through our link on the Home page.
That said............ There always has been, still is and probably will be, individuals who take on excavations that simply don`t possess the prerequisite skill- set in order to do the site justice.BAJR and their colleagues have been looking at ways in which standards can be maintained across the heritage industry and more importantly-the mechanism whereby policing of standards can become a reality.Unfortunately, UK archaeology has a few teething problems. Optional standards, no policing of standards, under-resourced curators, no Chartered Institute, a competative tendering environment and-no real legislation for archaeology. I for one would be delighted if you would have a browse through our other threads and offer an opinion...how is it for you over the pond?
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)
That said............ There always has been, still is and probably will be, individuals who take on excavations that simply don`t possess the prerequisite skill- set in order to do the site justice.BAJR and their colleagues have been looking at ways in which standards can be maintained across the heritage industry and more importantly-the mechanism whereby policing of standards can become a reality.Unfortunately, UK archaeology has a few teething problems. Optional standards, no policing of standards, under-resourced curators, no Chartered Institute, a competative tendering environment and-no real legislation for archaeology. I for one would be delighted if you would have a browse through our other threads and offer an opinion...how is it for you over the pond?
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)