24th October 2008, 11:52 AM
I think that they should have an extra very good maths qualification.
I has been my suspicion that people struggling with survey, iso, context sheets, matrixes, stratigraphy, pay, tax, contracts, pensions, accountancy, running units or undertaking profiles of the profession is based on extreme number dyslexia inbred at a very early age. My suspicion is that archaeology has a disproportionate number of maths phobia suffers in relation to the general population.
Obviously having left the general population a long time ago I donât know how common it is to come across people positively mewing in some dark site corner at the prospect of having to lay out a grid or alternatively so ecstatic when they have taken a number count of 1 and turned it into a statistic by the application of a percentage sign or dumb founded that 10 square metres is not the same as 10 metres squared.
Oh the joy of a stake hole with a cut number [034] and a fill number (012) and a group number (356 ) (with one other possible stake hole) with a feature number F.1. (applied by the site supervisor before being dug) with an area code in a site code in a phase or two, with a small find, with a museum accession code, with a picture three times three with three different cameras related to coordinates, graphic numbers, orientation and levels, cross-referenced from the description to two tables and three figures in a numbered bulleted report and GIS database of a watching brief. They are like moths to a flame, they even volunteer. Is cause they read the guardian.
I has been my suspicion that people struggling with survey, iso, context sheets, matrixes, stratigraphy, pay, tax, contracts, pensions, accountancy, running units or undertaking profiles of the profession is based on extreme number dyslexia inbred at a very early age. My suspicion is that archaeology has a disproportionate number of maths phobia suffers in relation to the general population.
Obviously having left the general population a long time ago I donât know how common it is to come across people positively mewing in some dark site corner at the prospect of having to lay out a grid or alternatively so ecstatic when they have taken a number count of 1 and turned it into a statistic by the application of a percentage sign or dumb founded that 10 square metres is not the same as 10 metres squared.
Oh the joy of a stake hole with a cut number [034] and a fill number (012) and a group number (356 ) (with one other possible stake hole) with a feature number F.1. (applied by the site supervisor before being dug) with an area code in a site code in a phase or two, with a small find, with a museum accession code, with a picture three times three with three different cameras related to coordinates, graphic numbers, orientation and levels, cross-referenced from the description to two tables and three figures in a numbered bulleted report and GIS database of a watching brief. They are like moths to a flame, they even volunteer. Is cause they read the guardian.