20th February 2006, 12:45 PM
There has to be some discrimination between a field archaeologist with five years experience and a graduate who has been working in professional archaeology for three weeks. No one could possibly describe the latter as a specialist. The whole 'we are all equal' (or at least, 'we are all equal but some of us are more equal than others')thing doesn't help the quality of fieldwork in this country, but with little incentive to stay in the profession (a practically meaningless title such as assistant supervisor and an extra ?300 a year)field archaeology seems destined to follow a downward spiral. There is a shortage of experienced field staff in this country and not doing enough to recruit and hold on to these people is doing the profession no favours. If working alongside the construction industry has not taught archaeological units trying to recuit that ability and experience should be rewarded, then they will be recruiting in vain. Love of archaeology does not pay the rent.