17th August 2011, 01:48 PM
As a consultant and member of IfA, ex-chairman of NVvA and dutchman I will probably be suspect. But here is my 2 cents.
Standards wil help put a bottom in your work but will not lead to quality or fun. Blaming each other as archaeologists in our different corners is not helpfull. Divided we and the heritage falls united we stand. Standards don't make your live more fun. Buraucracy will grow. You will start discussing if the minimum effort is done. Not, is it is great archaeology. The standards tell us that there is a minimum and there will be a tendency by customers, us, our employers and the public to do the minimum needed.
Ethics should be woven in to the standards but that is very difficult. When is something bad archaeological practice? Those of us that walk away when an archaeological accident happens can be free of blame and taints. Those that are prepared to take risks and make something good in what is in essence a bad situation are not praised but in many cases blamed. How could you.....?
I have been involved with some cases were people were accussed of malpractice or non ethical behaviour. It is very difficult to 'judge' these cases. And you need an organization with large pockets or (expensive) legal counsel and or insurance to make this work. Even putting people in front of an panel to hear a case can have major repurcussions for you, the accussed or the organisation that hosts the panel. You also need to remember that many of these cases are in essence not about ethics. Sadly it turns out that many of them are personal feuds or labor conflicts. Furthermore the organization that has a mandate to hear these cases need a strong and united basis. The King's justice is as strong as the King himself. So Archaeology is fun, sharing is good, but we only get the maximum profit from our endeavours if we work closely together.
Standards wil help put a bottom in your work but will not lead to quality or fun. Blaming each other as archaeologists in our different corners is not helpfull. Divided we and the heritage falls united we stand. Standards don't make your live more fun. Buraucracy will grow. You will start discussing if the minimum effort is done. Not, is it is great archaeology. The standards tell us that there is a minimum and there will be a tendency by customers, us, our employers and the public to do the minimum needed.
Ethics should be woven in to the standards but that is very difficult. When is something bad archaeological practice? Those of us that walk away when an archaeological accident happens can be free of blame and taints. Those that are prepared to take risks and make something good in what is in essence a bad situation are not praised but in many cases blamed. How could you.....?
I have been involved with some cases were people were accussed of malpractice or non ethical behaviour. It is very difficult to 'judge' these cases. And you need an organization with large pockets or (expensive) legal counsel and or insurance to make this work. Even putting people in front of an panel to hear a case can have major repurcussions for you, the accussed or the organisation that hosts the panel. You also need to remember that many of these cases are in essence not about ethics. Sadly it turns out that many of them are personal feuds or labor conflicts. Furthermore the organization that has a mandate to hear these cases need a strong and united basis. The King's justice is as strong as the King himself. So Archaeology is fun, sharing is good, but we only get the maximum profit from our endeavours if we work closely together.