Archaeology... it's the future!

[vulpes]

Flippin' eck Mercenary did I read it wrong or did you say something nice about curators?

[oldgirl]

quote:Originally posted by mercenary

quote:but sometimes it would be nice to actually allow archaeologists to use their brains and common sense rather than assuming they'll take shortcuts if left to themselves.

Curators must be a different breed where you work. The ones I know don't delve that deeply into the methodology, presumably because thay trust us to record in an appropriate way. I may be wrong.
Then again if the archs are muppets they are likely to attract dogmatic monitoring. Funny how curators use their own common sense about the companies they are monitoring.

Some do use common sense, and I enjoy working in their areas (because I haven't just worked in one area of the country in the past 20+ years!). What I meant was not a critisism of curators, actually, but making the point that methodologies should develop (iterative approach anyone?) based on what you are actually finding/seeing. That's the whole ethos of MAP2/MoRPHE for post-excavation, but it needs to apply for the excavation part too. And I didn't say it shouldn't be AGREED with all parties.

[historic building]

quote:Originally posted by mercenary
[quote]
Then again if the archs are muppets they are likely to attract dogmatic monitoring.

Could not possibly comment.

[Dirty Dave Lincoln]

I agree, there are some archs I woudn't let organise my socks let alone a site!

[oldgirl]

I agree as well. However, I was making the point that there are also some great people out there and, as archaeologists, we should be thinking about what we're doing rather than just going 'it says 20% of linears and we've done that so that's OK then', rather than thinking about whether that's appropriate in this case!

Sorry, that was rather a long sentence......

Back to the original topic then, I'm starting to think that in 5-10 years time there will possibly be a lot less of us again. And we'll still be having the same problems of retention of people past the first few years so that there are people who can manage sites/make reasonable curatorial decisions/manage large mitigation projects/undertake the research.

[Dirty Dave Lincoln]

"retention of people past the first few years"
Thats true as well, but then again archaeology is a bit like a stint in a torture chamber-if you don't crack in the first few days you never will!!}

[Paul Belford]

Even if you haven't cracked after 19 years it is still torture.

[Dirty Dave Lincoln]

But by that point your tear ducts have dried up so people don't notice it!

[oldgirl]

Many people would probably say I'm definitely cracked - maybe you have to be to stay in it for 19 years..... (22 in my case....)

Sorry, I'll cheer up now!

[Dirty Dave Lincoln]

After 3 now..3,2,1- "always look on the bright side of life"