11th November 2013, 09:57 PM
Dinosaur Wrote:Apologies, wasn't suggesting they'd invented it (rather some of their constituent ROs), and such an approach certainly isn't promoted in their various guidances etc, am merely concerned that they seem to condone it - it's probably the surest route in the long run to the 'death of British Archaeology', since eventually no one'll be left (at least in the commercial sector) who knows how to dig properly. Scary thing is that none of the people trained thus that I've talked to seem aware that it's sh*** and the old ways (at least in this) are, actually, better. As I pointed out above, as time goes by it's starting to pervade PO-dom, then it'll be SPOs, then managers.... :0
If would be helpful to those of us who weren't working in the 1980s (or whichever magical golden age it is you are harking back to) if you could provide some more information about the system of working you describe, in which he (or she) who could best 'find ye edge' was declared king (or queen) and was given a year's worth of cider as a reward. A time when digging was supreme and the only skill anyone needed to know. I assume there is a series of guidance notes one can easily access, perhaps a club one can join which makes some attempt at maintaining standards, despite constant griping. No? Thought not.