8th March 2011, 01:05 PM
Sorry David, I wasn't trying to pass the buck to curators, but was just trying to illustrate that the H&S could impact upon the archaeological resource beyond just a straight question of the legality of the method of working.
I have plenty of sympathy with the problems of curators, but (as you said the other day in another context) one of the reasons they face such dilemma was that many years back someone somewhere decided that commercial archaeologists were 'unsuitable' or not to be trusted at self-regulating and needed an extra tier of management control. Hence 'curators'. Personally I never had problems with the old system and was quite happy to work in the same office and get paid the same peanuts as the person who was nominally the commisiioner of all my work. Work got done to a high standard by people happy to co-operate with each other...and we never ever undercut anyone else or undersold the product for mere commercial gain!! I think someone got archaeology and the banking indusry confused somehow....!!
I have plenty of sympathy with the problems of curators, but (as you said the other day in another context) one of the reasons they face such dilemma was that many years back someone somewhere decided that commercial archaeologists were 'unsuitable' or not to be trusted at self-regulating and needed an extra tier of management control. Hence 'curators'. Personally I never had problems with the old system and was quite happy to work in the same office and get paid the same peanuts as the person who was nominally the commisiioner of all my work. Work got done to a high standard by people happy to co-operate with each other...and we never ever undercut anyone else or undersold the product for mere commercial gain!! I think someone got archaeology and the banking indusry confused somehow....!!
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...