5th February 2013, 09:52 AM
There was a story on the news this morning that a 'crack team' of archaeologists are intending to scour the country searching out the lost graves of other historical celebrities. The first case apparently is going to be Alfred the Great in Winchester.......apart from the fact that numerous excavations have failed to find Alfred (including an Earthwatch project a few years back that the local archaeologists in Winchester admitted was a scam to fleece rich American idiots, many of whom thought they were digging for King Arthur!!), does this already show signs of backfiring on archaeology as a whole? The first time there is a significant failure (as in the recent Burmese Spitfire farce) we will further the public perception of us being cranky, bunny-huggers. Is there anyway this can be stopped before it gets out of hand? A moratorium on digging up kings (or queens come to that....I am thinking platform 6, Kings Cross station for those that catch my drift)....
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...