To Dig or Preserve

[archaeologyexile]

I don't find that vilifying the ever decreasing number of archaeologists who happen to work directly for government, local government or academia (sucking 'on the public teat') as a particularly engaging comment.....the analogy with the Daily Mail being that it is a cheap shot aimed at an audience conditioned to despise public service. I know plenty of public sector archaeologists who are paragons of archaeological virtue when it comes to engagement with the community outside the hours of 9-5, many who would put their private sector counterparts to shame....

Why not? I know both public and private sector archaeologist many of whom do loads or do nothing! I am a civil servant my self, and am horrified by how little most of my colleagues do, my bigger point albeit perhaps made in too dramatic a manner is that it is more encumbent upon those employed in the public sector to prove their worth than for those in the private sector. We have to prove our worth or run the risk of being cut!

What would you say was a reasonable level of volunteering for a ppublic sector archaeologist ....a day, a month, two months a year?

[archaeologyexile]

Discovery is not in the list on:
http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/showthread.php?...on-PLOSone
ie
Location
Delineation
Assimilation
Manipulation
Interpretation
Presentation
and is more appropriate to satellite and work from planes.

An advantage of your own low-level aerial photography is that you can include ground reference markers.

For us, discovering new sites is a low priority, as they are being discovered by the 1000 using higher altitude techniques.

If by 'discovered' you simply mean not in the SMR, all you need is a pair of eyes.
The first site my late wife and I visited in 2007 was Ogilface Castle, which is no longer shown on maps, is not scheduled, but is in the SMR:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/archaeologyogilfaceindex.htm



We parked in our local garden centre car park across the stream.
The garden centre was 'new' site No1, the local mill, which pre-dates the town:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/barbauchlawmill.htm
and which was not in the SMR.

After Ogilface Castle, we walked up the old monks road and found new site No2:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/archaeology2.htm



also not in the SMR.

But kite and UAV aerial photography is more about high resolution imaging of known sites, to complement high altitude imaging.

Here is a well known local site: http://www.armadale.org.uk/gormyre.htm
Gormyre Hill, just up from Castlethorn prehistoric hillfort:


In the 1920s little was visible on the ground:
'There is now no trace of this enclosure, except perhaps two low parallel lines of mound, hardly worth recording.' Inventory of Monuments in West Lothian' RCAHMS, 1929.

Photographically, it is easy to reproduce the 1929 description:


You have to visit a site repeatedly through the seasons, which is ideal for local archaeology groups and enthusiasts.

Another example is here at Ardoch:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/ardoch.htm
where there are interesting, unrecorded features, which show up using KAP.

These examples are just the visible spectrum!
Near infra-red KAP is a whole different ball park:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/rufford.htm


http://www.armadale.org.uk/bathandbristolyac.htm


and thermal imaging holds considerable promise:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/phototech03.htm

Despite the kind comments, up until this summer, our aerial images have been moderate quality. We have upgraded our cameras and now have seven Sony Nex 5R cameras and four 8mm, full-frame, fish-eye lenses for use locally (http://www.armadale.org.uk/lochlands.htm / http://www.armadale.org.uk/sitew01.htm ) and down in Gloucestershire, with Group member Heidi Walker, for her KAP with the National Trust.

It is stating the obvious that remote sensing techniques, including aerial photography, are useful when planning excavations.

Publicity is still a key part of our work.

It is important to realise that almost all our West Lothian aerial work is now done by just Jim Knowles and myself.
Other members of the West Lothian Archaeology Group are working with KAP independently throughout the UK and publish their images elsewhere.

Before 2004, my wife and I had been tripping over archaeology in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire for over 30 years, with little interest.
However, in my early teens, I did have a metal detector (;oO) and also transmitted modulated AC signals through top soil, down the length of my parents back garden, using garden tools as electrodes. But Jim is our archaeological sciences lynch pin and is totally responsible for all the geophysical work now done by the Trust:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/archaeogeophysics.htm

I do not,question your enthusiasm or your commitment, just the utility of what you do, without excavation nothing is added!

[Wax]

in answer to Archaeologyexile I think 1 to 2 days a month is a reasonable amount of volunteer time to be put in by the professionals. I think he /she is right but I would extend it to commercial archaeologists as well. There are in every region a handful of professionals from all branches of archaeology who put in a great deal of volunteer time but they are vastly out numbered by the rest. I know YAC groups have real problems getting regular volunteers and many fold because of this. Engagement is the key to public support and understanding of our profession.

[John Wells]

I do not,question your enthusiasm or your commitment, just the utility of what you do, without excavation nothing is added!

Does that extend to: http://www.archaeolandscapes.eu/ and http://www.univie.ac.at/aarg/php/cms/index.php ?
There is a problem conceptually. Mindset and education, as I stated before.
It feels like an old wagon train movie, with the wagons in a ring, and those encircled waving their trowels at those perceived to be marauding techies and geeks...or would that be a Monty Python sketch? ;o)

As far as volunteering and the YAC goes, since posting http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/showthread.php?...Challenge! the response from members of this forum appears underwhelming! You are obviously all volunteers with the YAC.....or just as miserable as you often sound!!!
If my late wife can fly kites and cameras with kids (YAC and schools) the day after general anaesthetic and surgery, and in considerable pain, I am sure that most of you can struggle to find a donation of at least £5. My wife and I have not been YAC volunteers, but we believe that their efforts are both worthwhile and significant. Are their efforts not worthy of your support......or are the wagons just circling again!?

Re: 'Engagement is the key to public support and understanding of our profession.' Yes, yes, yes, and I say that as someone outside the profession!
Or, as a student from Balla School said, when she was involved in presenting a paper at the ArcLand Conference in Dublin this year:
'you don't see things the same way anymore.... it's not just a field'.

This new academic year, Balla School are out in the field again:
http://www.archaeolandscapes.eu/index.ph...s/450.html
They are 'interested in contacting groups, institutions and schools in Europe who may be involved in or planning a similar project'.


......but wait a minute...it is only remote sensing...and even worse, by students of YAC age...is it all worthwhile?

Four members of West Lothian Archaeology will be out supporting them next April, as a flagship school for archaeology in Europe.

[barkingdigger]

What would you say was a reasonable level of volunteering for a ppublic sector archaeologist ....a day, a month, two months a year?

About the same as for Private Sector archaeologists, of course! (How many do YOU give?) Nobody should be expected to work for free - ever. Although I've sucked at the teat in the past, I started in the Private Sector and am back there now, so I've been on both sides of this Daily Mail debate. If we as archaeologists choose to volunteer, it's our own decision (the clue's in the word "volunteer"). Sure, we all want to raise the profile of the profession, if only to save our jobs, but it shouldn't be some kind of "indentured servitude" obligation with no recompense. There are already plenty of jobs that require out-of-hours work as part of the job spec, but at least the applicant can weigh up that total deal before signing up. If I'm on an annual wage, and it includes attendance at events or such, then fair enough. But to say that I should top up my agreed work by finding an unpaid way to eat up my days off is simply exploitative. As long as we entertain such divisive attitudes we are doomed to remain a joke as a profession. (How many plumbers/JCB drivers/accountants etc do you see being obliged by the court of public opinion to take fixed levels of Busman's Holiday?...)

Of course I see nothing wrong with people volunteering in their local society or museum if that's how they enjoy spending their free time - it can be fun to get together with like-minded folk. Just don't start demanding it...

[Jack]

I do not,question your enthusiasm or your commitment, just the utility of what you do, without excavation nothing is added!

Have to say I'm with John on this.
Discovering the location and extent of previously unknown or even known archaeological remains (for instance SM's) is the first salvo in the war of saving archaeological remains from destruction. Or indeed in the campaign to understand.
Informing the county/ National parks archaeologists is the second.
Site visit to look at exposed bits/molehills is the third (though is usually can be done during the first)
Monitoring the condition of the remains through time (and making lots of noise about bits at risk) is the fourth.
Comparison/synthesis with similar stuff thereabouts is the fifth.
Targeted excavation on bits at risk is the sixth.....etc etc

Excavation alone never results in a full understanding of the archaeology.

I see excavation as only one tool in a whole arsenal of weapons of mass protection.
It has its advantages, but, like a nuclear weapon, should be a last resort as it is so destructive.

Besides, seen much work on understanding upland landscapes without any excavation. Think medieval field systems/ settlements, or landscapes of mining remains.

[beamo]

'I think 1 to 2 days a month is a reasonable amount of volunteer time to be put in by the professionals.'

My so-called 9-5 job as a consultant takes me all over the UK and overseas, with long days and frequent nights away from home. At weekends, on which I try to avoid working whenever possible, I like to spend time with my wife and children. Why should I be made to feel guilty that I am not out there giving up my 'free' time as a volunteer on some form of community excavation or similar? If some archaeologists want to give up their free time then fine, and I am all in favour of engaging the community in heritage-based projects, but don't expect us all to put archaeology ahead of family.


Beamo

[P Prentice]

vocation my a**e. its a job - or an aspiration - or a career
a reasonable amount to volunteer is 1 second, or, every spare minute you have.
me - never

[BAJR]

Why should I be made to feel guilty that I am not out there giving up my 'free' time as a volunteer on some form of community excavation or similar? If some archaeologists want to give up their free time then fine, and I am all in favour of engaging the community in heritage-based projects, but don't expect us all to put archaeology ahead of family.

You should not... you do what you can and what you feel able to...

I for example spend every day at it. and give up about 7 days a month to volunteer ( including 4 afternoons at a Day CEntre... which I love ) I can... and I am glad I can... and so I do. It is down to that. if you can, and you like it... then do it... if you can't then no worries. it is just the way it is.. I do feel that companies and councils should allow for some pro-bono. as it will make them feel better, allow people to enjoy it more and make the profession more visible. I often chuckle when I go to meetings and people talk about giving up their time. --- however they are still beihng paid... as a self employed person I don't get paid. and I don't care... as the enjoyment is in teh doing.

HOWEVER> I also like to eat. and so don't do everything for free AND I am lucky/unlucky ( you decide) to have no kids... SO... no ties... and MAggie loves joining me on weekends and afternoons to do archaeology...

I can be both professional and vocational... and enjoy both

[Wax]

I had no intention of suggesting people "must" volunteer it is as BAJR says you do what you can and what you feel able to. And yes family do come first but why not spend the occasional day volunteering? There are plenty of non archaeological things people might volunteer for as well.

That said there is still a need for volunteers at local YAC groups and for some reason the professional archaeologists seem not to be well represented as leaders. And yes I do help out with local YAC groups and other volunteer projects when I can, it is great fun and reminds me why I became an archaeologist in the first place.

Many non archaeological companies alow their staff paid volunteering days to go and help the local community so why don't the commercial units and public sector archaeology give it a go? Or is the situation so desperate that the occasional day spent on volunteer projects would sink them?