What car does an archaeologist drive?

[RedEarth]

Just to clarify though, what is the 6,000 archaeologists and ?150mill industry including. I assume these are the IfA figures but I can't recall what they include. Does it just include those working in and money produced from archaeology derived from planning related work? If there are other figures in there then it is a bit invalid. It doesn't remove the issue though...

[BAJR Host]

Without my wife MAggie and I would have no car or house. IT was so true about how one of the only ways a field arch can have a life, is to marry some one who already does.

Are we ready to change? Well, perhaps its time we did.

Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi

[BAJR Host]

ps... too scared now to buy a Landrover.. ?10k - I am still 'infected' with the feeling that it is a years wages

Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi

[garybrun]

Go on David... you know you want one.
Just imagine BAJRFED on your new Range Rover

Website for responsible Metal Detecting
http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
Recording Our Heritage For Future Generations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce70k5ewGpA

[BAJR Host]

would it fit on a Fiat Uno?

Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi

[Captain_Vince]

Well I drive a Citroen Berlingo van, about 5 years old, and white, so everybody assumes I will drive like a lunatic and keeps well clear. It's usually full of tapes, buckets, surveying gear, waterproofs, paper suits, firewood and so on. They're good little vans, will carry half a ton, can cope with most terrain (although obviously not as good off-road as an SUV)and don't swallow up your entire income like a Landy - I know, I once had a diesel Land Rover: never again!

In terms of wages and incomes: hats off to those of you who stick it year in and year out on the digging circuit. I fled the circuit nearly 20 years ago to become (first) an SMR officer, then a County Mounty, which I still do. The money is rubbish for someone who's been a professional for 25 years, but is still much more than you guys out there in the rain and the mud get paid. You should get more, though, not me less

I think the oversupply of workforce is probably the main cause that wages are so low: it's a classic employers market. I don't blame people for wanting to work in archaeology (I wouldn't want to do anything else), but I have no magic answer to the wages dilemma. Anyone remember 'Archaeologists Communicate and Transform' back in the 80s? No answer then, no answer now.

Why do we do this? Because it's good, and it's right, and if we don't, no-one else will.

Vince

The twenty-first century is when everything changes.. and you gotta be ready

[drpeterwardle]

Honda Civic Executive automatic

When it comes to pay and conditions the one thing I am sure about is that it is not competitive tendering alone which causes poor pay and the alternatives are far far worse. Since the introduction of commercial archaeology many many more archaeologists have good jobs on not bad salaries.

Most employers pay about 40p per mile for car use and the current system means many are doing high work mileages a year say 10,000 which generates a fair amount of income above the real cost of running a not bad car.

Peter

[BAJR Host]

aye Dr P.. and indeed 'many' is the operative word..... all would be better!



Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi

[GnomeKing]

@ historic building

RE : ammount generated by archaeologists and thier wages...

not sure your economics is sound - ie increasing wages increases total generation/turn-over by archaeological industry - surely it does not just work in reverse...

[GnomeKing]

very high milage skoda with imortal VW disel engine - wonderfull little cinquecento that runs on an tea spoon petrol.

its not what you drive, but how you drive it....