8th February 2007, 01:30 PM
All good points. I didn't mean to suggest that speed itself was disrespectful, merely that to approach it with an attitude that stressed expediency and output over more "human" considerations was distressing. Speed tends to sacrifice quality (as Beardstroker says, he does a better job with more time). Obviously, though, total destruction of the site with no records is far more disrespectful to the dead than what can be obtained through a rescue excavation. We take what we can. My objection was to expediency as a general primary ethos. If there's time to do it properly, of course it should be done.
i_love_rocks, is there an inherent suggestion in your post about the value of information obtained from prehistoric, as opposed to historic burials? If I have misread your intent, I apologize, but the bioarchaeological data obtained in historic graves is as valuable for illumination of the lifestyle of ordinary men as is the bioarchaeological data obtained from prehistoric graves, grave goods or not. After all, history doesn't tell us much about common people.
i_love_rocks, is there an inherent suggestion in your post about the value of information obtained from prehistoric, as opposed to historic burials? If I have misread your intent, I apologize, but the bioarchaeological data obtained in historic graves is as valuable for illumination of the lifestyle of ordinary men as is the bioarchaeological data obtained from prehistoric graves, grave goods or not. After all, history doesn't tell us much about common people.