4th January 2008, 10:38 AM
Fair point Invisible Man, universal human bother/sister hood is indeed a worthy cause. Iâm not suggesting totally reserving particular archaeology for any particular group. I just think we should be a bit thoughtful before heading out to work in Australia (or indeed anywhere) thatâs all. Archaeology has modern social, cultural and ethnic context whether we like it or not, and it beholds us to stop and consider that before acting. Itâs interesting that most British Archaeologists (and indeed British people generally) assume that it is perfectly okay for them to travel and work wherever they like in the world. This may indeed be the case, but the onus is still on us to consider whether our involvement in certain areas is appropriate, tactful or necessary.
I donât think it is necessarily racist to be aware of these modern day concerns when approaching archaeology. Recent history being what it is, certain archaeological sites are going have value to certain ethnic and social groups and perhaps they should take the lead in investigating them? I think respecting peoples concerns about âtheirâ heritage is an excellent way to promote understanding and thus lessen the divisions between us.
I donât think it is necessarily racist to be aware of these modern day concerns when approaching archaeology. Recent history being what it is, certain archaeological sites are going have value to certain ethnic and social groups and perhaps they should take the lead in investigating them? I think respecting peoples concerns about âtheirâ heritage is an excellent way to promote understanding and thus lessen the divisions between us.