9th November 2012, 01:29 PM
Wax Wrote:Cannot help thinking the real battle we should be fighting is to win the hearts and minds of the public to ensure that archaeological mitigation remains part of the planning process
But as Hamlet might say therein lies the rub.......I totally agree that we need to engage the public in the spirit and impotance of our research, but then we go and spoil it all by selling ourselves short through our unfortunate parasitism with the planning system. What we need to sell to the public is the concept that our research is important and that we deserve to be rewarded for our efforts. The planning system and its involvement with archaeology is an unfortunate hang-on from the 80s that has helped to create the concept of commercial archaeology, but has done little if anything to advance our discipline. Unfortunately whilst the public is being bombarded with the idea that teachers, social workers, librarians, doctors and nurses are expensive luxuries that can just about be tolerated, we stand little chance as a profession of rising very much in the public esteem....
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...