28th August 2012, 12:06 PM
Wax Wrote:Considering the mish mash of different organisations that have a finger in this country's archaeology how do the forum members think the archaeological heritage of this country would best be managed, preserved and researched?
Can we rely on developer funded archaeology to pick up important archaeology befroe it is destroyed ?
Do we need stronger state intervention, legislation and a state run system? (is the current state set up of EH totally toothless?)
What is the point of University excavations (vanity projects?)
Should everything be open to the community (amatuers)?
Forget archaeology we all have worse things to worry about?
Enjoy
Some interesting issues here, all directly because we are letting the hobby (oops - profession!) be run under free-market terms.
My answers to the initial questions are:
1) As a Gov't-run Dept, with County branches - definitely NOT for profit!
2) Definitely not!
3) Yes! (and sadly, yes again...)
4) Aside from giving lecturers fodder for papers & books?...
5) No. Although we are all interested inm the story, shifting the dirt and making sense as we destroy the site is a skilled job.
6) Sadly, this is what is already starting to happen! Ref the consultation to strip out the LBC system.
All we need to succeed in this career is an independent income...