21st November 2008, 02:19 PM
If you want a generic definition that covers all types of archaeologist, in all countries, both amateur and professional, then it is not really very hard to devise a definition:
"An archaeologist is any person who actively contributes to the practice of archaeology."
You then have to define 'archaeology'. I have seen various definitions, but the one I have always liked best went something like this:
"The study of the human past through the material remains of human activity".
Of course, such a generic definition doesn't address questions of competence, qualifications, professionalism etc, but then those things would vary from time to time and place to place. If we wanted a definition of a competent professional archaeologist, we would need something much longer and more restrictive, and something that varied according to which branch of the profession we belong to.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
"An archaeologist is any person who actively contributes to the practice of archaeology."
You then have to define 'archaeology'. I have seen various definitions, but the one I have always liked best went something like this:
"The study of the human past through the material remains of human activity".
Of course, such a generic definition doesn't address questions of competence, qualifications, professionalism etc, but then those things would vary from time to time and place to place. If we wanted a definition of a competent professional archaeologist, we would need something much longer and more restrictive, and something that varied according to which branch of the profession we belong to.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished