What is an archaeologist?

[BAJR Host]

So it seems still not easy to place a catchall on what exactly an archaeologist is... it is easier to say these people are archaeologists.. and define what makes that particular branch 'archaeological' and hence the individual practicing it.. an archaeologist. each person does something that the other does not (in some cases) but as ox says.. the study of human... blah blah remains true for all those.



"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[Unitof1]

An archaeologist converts observations (intrusive and non-intrusive) from physical examination of the past into copyright.

[shovelnomore]

or occasionally, someone else's copyright...

[Unitof1]

Not occasionally, rather in the vast amount of cases we have people going around saying that they are archaeologists, doing archaeology when they have patently signed/given away their copyright or didn’t even realise they had it in the first place. It gets them out of any responsibility for whats produced.

You got yours?

[BAJR Host]

true for many people... (just talking about that today at the excellent Edinburgh and East Lothian Archaeology Conference... )

so keep trying folks!



"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[Ken Denham]

Oh dear, It's another facet of the same old story. We can't even agree on our "professional", or otherwise role in society! I'm happily making jam and chutney out of crab apples at the moment. Anyone want a sample?

[BAJR Host]

sounds more than appetising

until we actualy grasp and agree the nature of this thorny issue.. whither archaeology?

"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[Unitof1]

Don’t drag us into your we with your tired professional janus flake cynicism .
As I have alluded to elsewhere, I have already cooked up my sea buckthorn Christmas pud. Currently cooking with the last of my lord derbys. For a more sophisticated result I recommend the addition of japanese quince to your crabs, should be currently available from the odd hedge in you area. You seem to have omitted your what is an ...definition, presumably you have one that will lead to an all encompassing one for our professional role in society. Opps you have already lost me on both counts.

you got yours?

[BAJR Host]

Don't include yourself in 'us' either Unit of One - you have had more than enough chances.. you are nothing more than a disruption, that spoils threads, pratles with offensive nonsense half the time and just nonsense the rest.. the odd decent post are not enough to make up for you.. I have already had to clean up some posts tonight already... I am glad I got it, as it was neither funny nor clever.

Let this be an end to it... You are very much at an end.

Get help.... then perhaps you can return :face-huh:

:face-topic:

"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[1man1desk]

In the light of the reaction to my originally proposed definitions, perhaps it could be improved as follows:

"An archaeologist is any person who actively <s>contributes to </s> participates in the practice of archaeology."

"Archaeology is the study of the human past through the material remains of human activity, including the conservation and protection of such remains for future investigation."

That would tend to bring in people like curators, museum archaeologists etc. that might otherwise have been left out.

I quite like some of the other definitions that have been proposed, but they all tend to exclude someone that we would all like to include (e.g. amateurs, curators, anyone except excavators).



1man1desk

to let, fully furnished