8th February 2007, 12:48 PM
Surely there is a difference between excavating a medieval/ post-medieval cemetery with clearly defined grave cuts, 1-4 individuals per grave, all orientated east-west, largely without any grave goods apart from the occassional shroud pin and piece of coffin wood, as compared to an anglo-saxon, Roman or prehistoric burial with x amount of grave goods, unknown burial practices (incl. orientation, possible fixation of the body, container etc), higher fragility of the bones etc?
Lets not forget that medieval/ post-med cemeteries is what you're going to have to deal with in an urban situation (where MOLAS largely works and has developed these techniques). That means there is lots of pressure, more burials to deal with, more known in terms of the historical significance and practices associated with human burial. Therefore, fairly rapid (yet careful) excavation, photogammetric digishots and lifting are defendable.
This is clearly different if you have to address more unknown aspects about the dead - you wouldn't excavate a Palaeolithic, Mesolithic or Neolithic burial in the same way.
I do accept that we're dealing with people here and I would disagree that they are just another type of data - however, I am equally uneasy about romanticising the dead. I would say that archaeologists generally treat the dead with more respect than average developers/ building contractors do and a few instances of increased site visits by contractors' senior management just to see 'the skeletons' come to mind. Lets also not forget that the law and the home office license granted to archaeologists excavating human remains lay's down pritty strict rules about site access and respect for the dead.
I am not a fan of Time Team, but I see that they have helped to bring British archaeology to the attention of he general public. Sure, not everything they do is great, but at the same time I don't want to know what people would say about my skills as an excavator, if I was filmed and shown on prime time TV...
Lets not forget that medieval/ post-med cemeteries is what you're going to have to deal with in an urban situation (where MOLAS largely works and has developed these techniques). That means there is lots of pressure, more burials to deal with, more known in terms of the historical significance and practices associated with human burial. Therefore, fairly rapid (yet careful) excavation, photogammetric digishots and lifting are defendable.
This is clearly different if you have to address more unknown aspects about the dead - you wouldn't excavate a Palaeolithic, Mesolithic or Neolithic burial in the same way.
I do accept that we're dealing with people here and I would disagree that they are just another type of data - however, I am equally uneasy about romanticising the dead. I would say that archaeologists generally treat the dead with more respect than average developers/ building contractors do and a few instances of increased site visits by contractors' senior management just to see 'the skeletons' come to mind. Lets also not forget that the law and the home office license granted to archaeologists excavating human remains lay's down pritty strict rules about site access and respect for the dead.
I am not a fan of Time Team, but I see that they have helped to bring British archaeology to the attention of he general public. Sure, not everything they do is great, but at the same time I don't want to know what people would say about my skills as an excavator, if I was filmed and shown on prime time TV...