25th May 2007, 01:42 PM
I totally agree... but neither should we attempt to impose methods which don't work just because we think (know 
) we're the only ones who know how to excavate 'properly'. The Greek archaeological service occasionally use the Mortimer Wheeler box method, so would that mean that a British funded excavation in Greece which did the same would be wrong? The Greeks wouldn't think so. If the host country in question employs standards which we wouldn't tolerate, our British insistence in doing things the 'correct' British way is all a bit patronising don't you think? That really would be going back to the pith-helmet days old chap, wot.
Anyway, I'm all for a bit of flexibility; makes life more interesting...
And let me add fuel to the fire of this debate by saying that the American Agora excavations in Athens have weekly contexts. Get yer heads around that one..!!!
) we're the only ones who know how to excavate 'properly'. The Greek archaeological service occasionally use the Mortimer Wheeler box method, so would that mean that a British funded excavation in Greece which did the same would be wrong? The Greeks wouldn't think so. If the host country in question employs standards which we wouldn't tolerate, our British insistence in doing things the 'correct' British way is all a bit patronising don't you think? That really would be going back to the pith-helmet days old chap, wot.Anyway, I'm all for a bit of flexibility; makes life more interesting...
And let me add fuel to the fire of this debate by saying that the American Agora excavations in Athens have weekly contexts. Get yer heads around that one..!!!