26th June 2015, 01:01 PM
BAJR Wrote:Well you do have to say... if archaeology was that easy... anyone could do it... ah... hold on...
So some form of accreditation should be - and may be a sensible precaution. You see it as fascist. I see it as stopping mad assed have a go saw the time team once ( actually one of my clients) thinking they can do it. They can't if you must be authorised.
So in Order. to start out.
Ability to dig stratigraphically
Ability to record coherently
Ability to drive
As a non-driver I'd have to take umbrage with the last one Hosty :p (even when starting out and even if it's true
).Back in the day most of the diggers had dreds, a dog on a string, were vegan and couldn't drive. And yet some of these were (as you will know) excellent archaeologists.
I know several very senior archaeologists who don't drive and they seem to do fine thank you very much.
I get the 'it makes things awkward' argument. I get the drivers annoyance at having to ferry people about, but still....
If it's a case of hiring someone who is a good driver as opposed to someone who is a good archaeologist surely it's better to hire someone who can actually do the job?
Maybe this rant should have been in the 'standards slipping' thread but I felt the need to vent. Sorry.:I