15th November 2013, 11:23 PM
Just bumping this up so I remember to look into this over the weekend, now home from working away and have something resembling internet... Initial thoughts, without reading Raksha's piece, is a question, and this is genuine and not an attempt to justify any particular situation or point of view - are there cultural influences that tend to bias white europeans towards the practice of archaeology? Most of the archaeology and history books I've read have been euro-centric (and out of laziness including the US in this, given their history), so it's very hard to know whether there is the same level fascination with this discipline outside of the european influence? Is there anyone out there reading this that has some knowledge?
One solution to the problem that I can see (again through laziness and lack of thought) is for those who are into archaeology to enthuse about the subject in simple terms, as in remove any perceived mystique, don't call things linears and call them a bloody ditch (if they display enough ditch-like qualities...
) and generally get our heads out of our backsides. Make it clear that it is something for anyone with interest, that you don't need any qualification but enthusiasm and aptitude to work in the business, that is isn't just the preserve of the privileged academic.
One solution to the problem that I can see (again through laziness and lack of thought) is for those who are into archaeology to enthuse about the subject in simple terms, as in remove any perceived mystique, don't call things linears and call them a bloody ditch (if they display enough ditch-like qualities...
) and generally get our heads out of our backsides. Make it clear that it is something for anyone with interest, that you don't need any qualification but enthusiasm and aptitude to work in the business, that is isn't just the preserve of the privileged academic.