20th July 2011, 09:09 AM
I wasn't around in the pre-PPG days but I assumed that 'community' work carried out then (and that is using the word in its modern usage rather than what it was presumably called at the time) was carried out precisely because PPG didn't exist. I optimistically assumed that this situation being so unsatisfactory led to enough lobbying that PPG was brought in and, in effect, the war (against 'the man', whatever that even means, or whoever) was won. And then archaeologists got involved professionally and buggered things up in a manner that only they could.
What is objectionable about this current article is that it seems to be suggesting that the war was in fact not won at all and that the professional system that was established can be happily undone because there are plenty of volunteers to take up the slack and the lovely cute important archaeology that we all love won't be harmed. Phew, that's alright then!
I'm not objecting to Community Archaeology at all as it clearly does some excellent work is of immense benefit in various ways etc etc but is there some evidence that it actually supports professional archaeologists working in the developer-funded world? (other than employing a small number of them as supervisors) I sometimes get the impression that a bunch of well organised and now trained community archaeologists are eying up commercial sites thinking 'we could do that, it looks like fun'.
What is objectionable about this current article is that it seems to be suggesting that the war was in fact not won at all and that the professional system that was established can be happily undone because there are plenty of volunteers to take up the slack and the lovely cute important archaeology that we all love won't be harmed. Phew, that's alright then!
I'm not objecting to Community Archaeology at all as it clearly does some excellent work is of immense benefit in various ways etc etc but is there some evidence that it actually supports professional archaeologists working in the developer-funded world? (other than employing a small number of them as supervisors) I sometimes get the impression that a bunch of well organised and now trained community archaeologists are eying up commercial sites thinking 'we could do that, it looks like fun'.