24th July 2006, 12:00 PM
I am not convinced that I understand how "volunteers" fit into a professional and commercial activity. Commercial archaeology is indeed no longer the preserve of the upper or middle classes, (and site directors rarely ride horses on site any more) but as such it is, as it says on the tin, a commercial profit-making service industry as part of the development process - not a hobby.
I woud much rather see contractors able and willing to employ "trainee" archaeologists, generally new graduates I presume, to learn to excvavate in a commercial context while being paid a reasonable "trainee" rate. This of course not only costs his/her salary etc. but also the time of more senior employees mentoring them. Surely this would be better in the long term for the profession/industry than expending those resources on training, insuring and mentoring volunteers? However, neither scenario is likely to be common practice in the foreseeable future.
There aren't many other professions or industries where volunteers are common (i.e. people are happy to work for nothong, or even pay for the privelige) and I therefore do not see a role for for volunteers in commercial development-led archaeology.
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.
I woud much rather see contractors able and willing to employ "trainee" archaeologists, generally new graduates I presume, to learn to excvavate in a commercial context while being paid a reasonable "trainee" rate. This of course not only costs his/her salary etc. but also the time of more senior employees mentoring them. Surely this would be better in the long term for the profession/industry than expending those resources on training, insuring and mentoring volunteers? However, neither scenario is likely to be common practice in the foreseeable future.
There aren't many other professions or industries where volunteers are common (i.e. people are happy to work for nothong, or even pay for the privelige) and I therefore do not see a role for for volunteers in commercial development-led archaeology.
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.