6th September 2012, 02:39 PM
Jack Wrote:How can an academic archaeologist understand say the intricacies of the debate on Neolithic mobility patterns when they don't fully understand the archaeological contexts within your average posthole?
It doesn't just apply to academic archaeologists....I sometimes feel I am in a permanent war with a cabal of stone age archaeologists who would like to use computer technology (primarily GIS) to analyse the 'data' recovered from their excavations, but due to their disdain for stratigraphic excavation methodology the data and the 'analysed' results are largely spurious. Quoting the GIGO protocol ('Garbage in, garbage out') is a sure fire way of not getting an invite to the Christmas party!!
I should add I also know a lot of academic archaeologists who can both dig and think the spots off many commercial archaeologists, thus proving that brute ignorance doesn't always wear a cap and gown!!
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...