25th October 2007, 01:51 PM
Personally I have always liked the definition of archaeology given to me on day 1 of my undergraduate course in 1981:
"The study of the human past through its material remains".
That definition makes a clear distinction between archaeologists and historians (who study the human past principally using documentary records), and does not imply any cut-off date.
Applying any cut-off date is bound to be arbitrary and meaningless - what makes something 'archaeological' if it comes before a particular date and not if it comes one day later?
I was particularly amused by the definition put forward in the Devon appeal case quoted by Vulpes -
I am also slightly confused by Dr Peter Wardle's arguments about the 1979 Act. The Act is called the 'Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act' and puts in place a procedure for the protection of sites as Ancient Monuments. There are numerous 20th century sites, many of them including buildings, that are Scheduled as Ancient Monuments. The legal definition of 'ancient' must therefore be able to accommodate 20th century features. On that basis, the architect's argument falls flat on its face - whatever you think of the concept of 'buildings archaeology'.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
"The study of the human past through its material remains".
That definition makes a clear distinction between archaeologists and historians (who study the human past principally using documentary records), and does not imply any cut-off date.
Applying any cut-off date is bound to be arbitrary and meaningless - what makes something 'archaeological' if it comes before a particular date and not if it comes one day later?
I was particularly amused by the definition put forward in the Devon appeal case quoted by Vulpes -
Quote:quote:the study of prehistoric remains, or antiquities of medieval originThat seems to leave us studying things before and after the Roman period, but not the Roman period itself!
I am also slightly confused by Dr Peter Wardle's arguments about the 1979 Act. The Act is called the 'Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act' and puts in place a procedure for the protection of sites as Ancient Monuments. There are numerous 20th century sites, many of them including buildings, that are Scheduled as Ancient Monuments. The legal definition of 'ancient' must therefore be able to accommodate 20th century features. On that basis, the architect's argument falls flat on its face - whatever you think of the concept of 'buildings archaeology'.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished