6th November 2006, 11:07 PM
What is this quote Gary? Where did you get it? Who was Christopher Currie? Who was he working for, if anyone? Who gave him permission to excavate in Bushy Park? It is very hard to comment on this without more information. I don't see why this is necessarily 'embarrassing' to archaeology in general on the basis of the information given. Mr Currie might have been remiss in his records, but maybe not for all any of us know, and it ill behoves you to speak ill of the dead. If you really wanted to know more you could speak to Colin White.
When I started out, an old lag told me 'always assume you'll be hit by a bus on the way home from work'. In other words, keep all of your records in full order. That's what almost every one of us does, particularly with reference to finds.
So, you're keeping a collection of similarly unsubstantiated rumours of archaeological misdeeds are you Gary? Considering the support that 'good detectorists' get from most of us here, the idea that you are collecting examples of 'bad archaeologists' disturbs me. Could it be that you are storing up ammunition for a possible future mudslinging contest over the legality of metal detecting, or some similar motive?
Perhaps you might bear in mind the perennial laziness and inaccuracy of the press regarding archaeological issues. For example, I wonder if your study includes the 'missing' piece of pelvis that 'proved' there were female gladiators in Roman London (why believe the report when the hearsay was so much more newsworthy?). I'm sure any archaeologist who has ever talked to a journalist has simiar stories.
(Sorry to bring that case up, for those involved).
'Have a good plan, execute it violently, do it today'.
General MacArthur
When I started out, an old lag told me 'always assume you'll be hit by a bus on the way home from work'. In other words, keep all of your records in full order. That's what almost every one of us does, particularly with reference to finds.
So, you're keeping a collection of similarly unsubstantiated rumours of archaeological misdeeds are you Gary? Considering the support that 'good detectorists' get from most of us here, the idea that you are collecting examples of 'bad archaeologists' disturbs me. Could it be that you are storing up ammunition for a possible future mudslinging contest over the legality of metal detecting, or some similar motive?
Perhaps you might bear in mind the perennial laziness and inaccuracy of the press regarding archaeological issues. For example, I wonder if your study includes the 'missing' piece of pelvis that 'proved' there were female gladiators in Roman London (why believe the report when the hearsay was so much more newsworthy?). I'm sure any archaeologist who has ever talked to a journalist has simiar stories.
(Sorry to bring that case up, for those involved).
'Have a good plan, execute it violently, do it today'.
General MacArthur