2nd July 2014, 07:30 PM
Tool Wrote:I have yet to meet anyone who could be left alone to identify, excavate, record and interpret all the diverse archaeology we in commercial archaeology have to deal with within that time. Now, if you consider that you can train someone to that standard within that timeframe, I'd question what it is you actually want from people working in this industry. And more to the point, I would worry about the archaeology!
2) I mentioned, to some derision, that there are still occasions where the extent of features has been debatable even to experienced POs. My opinion is that where things are uncertain, the best person to make the decision, regardless of my own feeling, is the person who has the responsibility for offering the overall interpretation of the site. And that is the PO. So, through a process of dialogue, we come to a conclusion. Archaeology is both a collaborative and a subjective business. If you think you can, 100% of the time and entirely on your own, get it all right then I would call you a liar to your face. It ain't happening.
you seem to have become a bit confused again. it takes two weeks to learn the process but there are no circumstances, even should 111 months have passed, when a digger is left to their own devices without the direct and supervision of someone higher up the chain just as that person will be supervised by someone higher up still. i would not expect anybody to take responsibility unless they were paid to do so. for all those old lags out there still doing the basic digger job, whatever their stated reasons, i expect most dont want or cant get any further for very good reasons that have nothing to do with their ability to dig.
If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers