Bizarre ditch question time.

[Tool]

I don't know, I ask one simple question about ditches and look what happens... Loving it, and learning a lot. Now, what should my next question be? :face-thinks:

[Sikelgaita]

I don't know, I ask one simple question about ditches and look what happens... Loving it, and learning a lot. Now, what should my next question be? :face-thinks:

Why do people dig pits?

[Tool]

Why do people dig pits?

Isn't that a little too easy? Either to take something out of the ground or to put something into the ground, surely? Although I'm sure disagreement and argument will follow...

[P Prentice]

Isn't that a little too easy? Either to take something out of the ground or to put something into the ground, surely? Although I'm sure disagreement and argument will follow...

indeed so.
1. digging pits is fun
2. digging pits shows i was here
3. digging pits appeases
4. to let something out
5. i forgot i dug that
6. i was told to
7. that's what we always do
8.
9.

[P Prentice]

You know perfectly well that plenty of projects go t**s-up on the costings due to exceptional finds not considered by the research design [and often one is handicapped by a research design done by a 3rd party] - as an e.g one little unexpected extra (amongst others) on one of my jobs was 120 Late Roman and Anglo-Saxon graves with around 2000 grave goods, the original research design got binned at that point, as it had completely missed reality...and I don't recall 'Viking burial with stuff' ever appearing in any research design I've ever worked to...

and you know perfectly well that reseach designs are meant to be updated. first and foremost you do what you are paid for - then you ask for more as per your caveats and contingencies for unexpected finds. if that dosent materialise you stick with wsi and the approved research design. i have never let let a project go t**ts up on the costings because i nail down the reserch design. those 120 burials and viking burial with stuff would have been covered by EH unless your eval was inadequate/sloppy?

[Sikelgaita]

8. No, no, no, not there...over there (actually probably an extension of 6.)
9. I wonder if there is (insert mineral) beneath the topsoil here, I wonder how deep it is.
10.
11.

[Tool]

Most of those can be classed as getting something out of, or putting something into, the ground, whether it be material, information, pleasure... But I was wrong, archaeologically speaking there is a third reason. It's the one that seems hardest to identify. It's the 'we don't know'.

[kevin wooldridge]

I don't know, I ask one simple question about ditches and look what happens... Loving it, and learning a lot. Now, what should my next question be? :face-thinks:

Very good point!! When I was in my (arrogant) prime I was once told by an English Heritage senior manager that it wasn't that I didn't have all the answers, but he was sure that I wasn't asking the right questions!! So I would be intrigued to also know what the next question should be....

[Tool]

Very good point!! When I was in my (arrogant) prime I was once told by an English Heritage senior manager that it wasn't that I didn't have all the answers, but he was sure that I wasn't asking the right questions!! So I would be intrigued to also know what the next question should be....

I'm working on it Kevin, I'm working on it... One or two nasty ones came to mind, such as 'how many events are invented by archaeologists who would rather exercise their intellect/imagination rather than admit that all that can be said is that nature filled the bloody ditch (damn, it's them ditches again. I really need to dig something else!) and produced some interesting patterns whilst doing so', but thought that may be a little harsh. Maybe... I like daft/controversial questions, because they make you think about not only the answers but the question itself. Like you kinda say, often the wrong question is being asked.

[Unitof1]

call me old fashioned but - you are aving a laugh!!

it does not surprise me that is all that you can come up with but then you are not all archaeologist are you, as for the old fashioned what we talking about: correct annunciation?
well you anit got it.


yes Sikelgaita, do you do your processing on site?