Posts: 1
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2010
11th November 2013, 10:00 AM
If IFA aims for the highest standards of archaeological fieldwork, how come it condones the 'lego-brick' approach to archaeology currently practised by many of its largest RO members?
Don't worry, Tool, I've been digging since IFA was just a twinkle in someone's eye, and I personally still haven't met a digger who actually wanted to be a member (only supervisors and management ever seemed to be keen on it), most joined either because of pressure or because they'd been brainwashed into thinking it was 'the right thing to do' and had subsequently realised it was just a waste of money. The only people around here who are members got it from previous jobs and haven't got around to cancelling their memberships
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2013
11th November 2013, 11:16 AM
Please excuse my iggerence (coz I nose nuffin coz I iz new...), but what is meant by the 'Lego-brick' approach?
I don't know, first Marmite being besmirched and now Lego. What strange world have I wandered in to?
Posts: 6,009
Threads: 2
Joined: Mar 2017
11th November 2013, 12:15 PM
Quote:The only people around here who are members got it from previous jobs and haven't got around to cancelling their memberships
I object...
I became one accidentally as I was a member of the AAI&S
Posts: 1
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2010
11th November 2013, 12:23 PM
Tool Wrote:I don't know, first Marmite being besmirched and now Lego. What strange world have I wandered in to?
Besmirching Marmite with Lego:p:p or should that be Lego with Marmite? either way the image does things to my already aching head.
Seriously we have been down this old argument again and again and as usual we just end up with two camps who cannot be reconciled with each other. Is there anyone out there willing to try and put together a new organisation that does what we all want or are we stuck in a rut going round and round in circles?
Posts: 6,009
Threads: 2
Joined: Mar 2017
11th November 2013, 01:18 PM
Institute of grumpy old lags. ?
Posts: 1
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2010
11th November 2013, 01:43 PM
BAJR Wrote:I object... I became one accidentally as I was a member of the AAI&S
You hiding in this office somewhere? :0...better watch my Ps and Qs...
Posts: 1
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2010
11th November 2013, 01:53 PM
Tool Wrote:Please excuse my iggerence (coz I nose nuffin coz I iz new...), but what is meant by the 'Lego-brick' approach?
Seems to have become fashionable to have people just mindlessly half-digging bits of features badly, producing some good-looking records (but often really quite poor -as long as all the boxes are filled in etc) and then move on to the next ditch section, quantity-rather-than-quality-just-get-the-10% sample-fulfilled, then build something about what it all means from the individual 'lego-bricks' later back in the office (often by someone who had nothing to do with digging the site) - you can usually tell the diggers who were trained-up in this type of environment, they're the ones who couldn't find an edge if their lives depended on it and continually half-dig stuff since no one's ever taught them how to do it properly (but the paperwork's usually quite pretty) - REALLY scary when you get a PO who thinks this way of doing things is the dogs danglies :face-crying:
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2005
11th November 2013, 03:02 PM
Dinosaur Wrote:Seems to have become fashionable to have people just mindlessly half-digging bits of features badly, producing some good-looking records (but often really quite poor -as long as all the boxes are filled in etc) and then move on to the next ditch section, quantity-rather-than-quality-just-get-the-10% sample-fulfilled, then build something about what it all means from the individual 'lego-bricks' later back in the office
Well I don't disagree with any of that, but is it really the fault of the IfA?
Seems to me that those responsible for creating the 'curatorial' system, PPG16 and its descendants and placing archaeology in 'Planning' rather than academia are more to blame. Sure some of those folk may have been members of IfA, but it wasn't IfA
per se that created the mess that is UK archaeology......
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...
Posts: 7
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2009
11th November 2013, 04:09 PM
"it wasn't IfA per se that created the mess that is UK archaeology......"
well yes of course,
,if you ignor the non-IFA activities of some important members,
,if you ignor nearly two decades of failure to strengthen the role of the monitors (any monitors) of commercial work,
,if you ignor the vested commercial interests of some people on significant commitees,
,if you ignor all the verbal fluff about wages and living standards that appears to have choked out any effective action whatsoever,
AND,
,if you ignor the incidents of crap work that ROs can still pass off without repucsusions,
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2005
11th November 2013, 04:59 PM
BAJR Wrote:I object... I became one accidentally as I was a member of the AAI&S
Not really on topic - but funny how many of the old MAAIS people (now new MIfAs) are putting both MAAIS and MIfA after their name, even though the AAI&S no longer exists. Call me cynical, but that looks a lot like they closed it down so no one else can join but think it is OK for them to carry on using the old (and far more relevant) title. No new illustrators can now ever be MAAISs. I'm sure BAJR wouldn't do such a thing.
