5th February 2007, 05:59 PM
I think this relates to the valid point made, quite a long time ago, by another BAJR regular (was it Troll?), that fieldies could be seen as another type of specialist, on the same basis as the pot, bone, flint, palaeobot, etc. specialists.
It is true to say that some specialists (including fieldies) suffer from a form of tunnel-vision, and sometimes lack a sense of proportion when it comes to the importance of their own area of interest in relation to the overall project. It is not at all universal, though, and there are plenty of people in any specialism who are able to see the big picture.
In my view, the real skill in running an excavation (including the project design, post-ex and reporting, as well as the digging) is in being able to pull all of the disparate threads together to make a coherent whole.
I think there is a lot of value in integrating the team as much as possible. This means involving specialists in project design and in visiting the site while under excavation, and giving fieldies the opportunity to participate in post-ex work, and maximising the opportunities for them to speak to each other.
Unfortunately, many specialists (traditionally defined) are not unit-based, which inhibits that kind of integration/interaction. More importantly, there are barriers of cost and logistics.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
It is true to say that some specialists (including fieldies) suffer from a form of tunnel-vision, and sometimes lack a sense of proportion when it comes to the importance of their own area of interest in relation to the overall project. It is not at all universal, though, and there are plenty of people in any specialism who are able to see the big picture.
In my view, the real skill in running an excavation (including the project design, post-ex and reporting, as well as the digging) is in being able to pull all of the disparate threads together to make a coherent whole.
I think there is a lot of value in integrating the team as much as possible. This means involving specialists in project design and in visiting the site while under excavation, and giving fieldies the opportunity to participate in post-ex work, and maximising the opportunities for them to speak to each other.
Unfortunately, many specialists (traditionally defined) are not unit-based, which inhibits that kind of integration/interaction. More importantly, there are barriers of cost and logistics.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished