2nd July 2009, 10:09 PM
Apologies...I missed a bit...
How do we differ from other established providers?
I can`t of course claim to understand the modus operandi of every other provider in existence so I will stick to the context of Cyprus and by loose inference, the wider Near/Middle East theatre.
By and large, most projects are university affairs. Mainly consisting of academic "figureheads" and staffed mostly by student practitioners. Where the academic staff are rooted in field archaeology, the projects successfully provide quality holistic training for their students whilst doing the archaeology itself the justice it deserves.Some university projects are shining examples of professionalism.
Others are not. Using the "Unique selling point" frame of reference, we aim to provide potential clients with an environment where academic "figureheads" are complemented with/by experienced professionals.
There is a phenomena whereby highly qualified but non-experienced field archaeologists gain excavation licenses, introduce untrained students to the field, elevate some to supervisory levels and the result can be a case of the blind leading the blind. The results are obvious. Some of the students then go on to gain PhDs and in turn gain their own excavation licenses. This is a vicious circle.
We argue that there is a real need for professional training particularly in the training of future field archaeologists. We would also argue that current university training of future field archaeologists is simply inadequate. In short, we aim to train the future of our past by remodelling our training past to the demands of the future profession.
Ooooh, how contraversial and cliche-ridden can one get?
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)
How do we differ from other established providers?
I can`t of course claim to understand the modus operandi of every other provider in existence so I will stick to the context of Cyprus and by loose inference, the wider Near/Middle East theatre.
By and large, most projects are university affairs. Mainly consisting of academic "figureheads" and staffed mostly by student practitioners. Where the academic staff are rooted in field archaeology, the projects successfully provide quality holistic training for their students whilst doing the archaeology itself the justice it deserves.Some university projects are shining examples of professionalism.
Others are not. Using the "Unique selling point" frame of reference, we aim to provide potential clients with an environment where academic "figureheads" are complemented with/by experienced professionals.
There is a phenomena whereby highly qualified but non-experienced field archaeologists gain excavation licenses, introduce untrained students to the field, elevate some to supervisory levels and the result can be a case of the blind leading the blind. The results are obvious. Some of the students then go on to gain PhDs and in turn gain their own excavation licenses. This is a vicious circle.
We argue that there is a real need for professional training particularly in the training of future field archaeologists. We would also argue that current university training of future field archaeologists is simply inadequate. In short, we aim to train the future of our past by remodelling our training past to the demands of the future profession.
Ooooh, how contraversial and cliche-ridden can one get?
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)