2nd September 2009, 05:56 PM
I've said many a time that you could pretty much find someone to do almost every job in archaeology for nothing, assuming you were willing to spend a lot longer doing the work. That is surely one of the main reasons it doesn't happen, the planning guidelines are there to provide a way for the archaeology to be dealt with at a realistic speed and within a larger framework that covers al sorts of broadly environmental factors. You could find volunteers to do almost any job, within reason. It's got nothing to do with gaining and 'air of mystery' it's about ensuring work will be done on time, to a decent standard with a suitably archived result. Not that this couldn't happen if 'non professional' archaeologists were doing it but I am aware of any number of pieces of work done in my area in the 1980s that have never seen the light of day - why? In some cases at least because there was no planning control badgering for the results to be published so the condition could be discharged. PPG is a stick to beat archaeologists, as well as developers.
Not only that, but how many volunteers would happily choose to stand in the rain for hours watching a machine knowing full well that the chances are the best you will find is a few 19th century field drains? People who have the choice would be far better off sticking to sites that might actually add to our knowledge!
Not only that, but how many volunteers would happily choose to stand in the rain for hours watching a machine knowing full well that the chances are the best you will find is a few 19th century field drains? People who have the choice would be far better off sticking to sites that might actually add to our knowledge!