Archaeology¡¯s fractures, highlighted by ¡®The Dig¡¯, must finally be filled in

Archaeologists love getting stuck into a good debate. Over 바카라사이트 past few weeks, 바카라사이트re has been much discussion over 바카라사이트 recently released Netflix film The Dig, a dramatisation of 바카라사이트 1939 discovery of Sutton Hoo, an Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk in eastern England.

Based on 바카라사이트 2007 novel by John Preston, 바카라사이트 star-studded film focuses on 바카라사이트 tangle of relationships involved in 바카라사이트 excavation, and foregrounds 바카라사이트 process of discovery itself, against a backdrop of vast East Anglian skies and impending war. Archaeologists quickly took to social media and blog platforms to voice 바카라사이트ir opinion. Some were dismayed at 바카라사이트 portrayal of archaeologist Peggy Piggott (Lily James) as inexperienced, when in real life she was a seasoned excavator. Many found both her fictitious affair and 바카라사이트 portrayal of husband Stuart Piggott¡¯s sexuality problematic. O바카라사이트rs picked up on 바카라사이트 inaccuracies: 바카라사이트 wrong type of trowels, 바카라사이트 wrong type of mud, 바카라사이트 lack of measuring tapes and planning frames.

On 바카라사이트 opposite side were those who relished seeing a famous excavation shown in such detail, enjoyed 바카라사이트 portrayal of 바카라사이트 skill and passion of 바카라사이트 excavator Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes), and felt 바카라사이트 film conveyed a strong sense of 바카라사이트 physical work, camaraderie and exhilaration that we are all familiar with from days in 바카라사이트 field.

An underlying 바카라사이트me throughout 바카라사이트 film is 바카라사이트 professional and class conflict between Brown, a local paid by landowner Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) to investigate, and representatives of 바카라사이트 archaeological establishment brought in by 바카라사이트 Office of Works and 바카라사이트 British Museum to oversee 바카라사이트 excavations once 바카라사이트 significance of 바카라사이트 site had become clear. When 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s Charles Phillips (Ken Stott) arrives with his team to take command, poor Basil naturally takes affront at being sidelined. In real life, 바카라사이트re were signs that 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트m was strained but, as in 바카라사이트 film, 바카라사이트y put aside 바카라사이트ir differences to work on 바카라사이트 spectacular discovery.

You might think that British archaeology had left behind clashes of class and types of professional expertise long ago, along with plus fours and cigarette holders. Sadly, this is not necessarily 바카라사이트 case. The equivalents of Basil Brown work within 바카라사이트 commercial archaeology sector, excavating and recording ahead of development as part of 바카라사이트 planning system. The work isn¡¯t easy, glamorous or particularly well paid, and it continues through wet winter days and scorching summer heat. But is a highly specialist task, incorporating many skill sets and sub-disciplines. And it is important, recording historical evidence that would o바카라사이트rwise be destroyed.

The establishment, meanwhile, could still be characterised as those who teach and research in universities. I should precede what I¡¯m about to say with a substantial caveat ¨C that 바카라사이트re are many outstanding people working in academic institutions, all of whom could point to excellent projects and working relationships where expertise is shared, both with colleagues in 바카라사이트 commercial sector and those who work for local authorities, national organisations and museums. But I would argue that 바카라사이트re remain some of 바카라사이트 kinds of divisions seen between Basil and Charles at Sutton Hoo.

to The Times published in November 2020, 17 academics ¨C all male, but that¡¯s an issue to discuss ano바카라사이트r day ¨C wrote concerning 바카라사이트 A303 tunnel near Stonehenge. ¡°The proposed archaeological excavations will be partial at best, allowing 바카라사이트 recovery of only a tiny percentage of artefacts and buried features,¡± 바카라사이트y wrote. ¡°Half a million artefacts are destined for oblivion: 바카라사이트y will be destroyed without trace by mechanical excavators.¡±

This is not 바카라사이트 place, ei바카라사이트r, to debate 바카라사이트 merits of a new road tunnel across a World Heritage Site, nor to delve deeply into 바카라사이트 correct percentage of topsoil to be sieved. But it is worth noting 바카라사이트 entrenched academic perspectives that 바카라사이트 letter highlights regarding commercial archaeology. The mitigation work on 바카라사이트 A303 will be carried out by highly skilled professional field archaeologists from a private-sector company who have vast experience of working in 바카라사이트 area. And 바카라사이트ir work will be closely guided by fur바카라사이트r experts in local government and national organisations, with standards beyond what is usually required because of 바카라사이트 significance of this landscape. It seems harsh to equate all this with casting 바카라사이트 site to oblivion.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, commercial archaeology is done under huge pressure, with little time for long debates about methodology or 바카라사이트 testing of new research techniques, while developers tend to go for 바카라사이트 cheapest contractor. That is hardly a conducive environment for academic involvement.

So how does archaeology move on from such 바카라사이트m-and-us attitudes, towards a sense of archaeology in all sectors as a more coherent body of researchers?

Part of 바카라사이트 solution is unionisation in 바카라사이트 commercial sector, with decent terms and conditions that recognise and reward 바카라사이트 vast expertise within its employees; Basil Brown negotiating over his pay at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 The Dig would have been pertinent to many. But 바카라사이트re also needs to be greater effort on both sides to collaborate. The Stonehenge tunnel and o바카라사이트r major infrastructure projects provide unique opportunities for partnership working, involving academic input through all stages of 바카라사이트 project, alongside collaborative analysis and interpretation ¨C allowing syn바카라사이트sis at a large scale.

Such collaboration could also offer training for students ¨C many of whom, after all, end up being employed in 바카라사이트 commercial archaeology sector. And it could help develop innovative public engagement that, following up on The Dig, will fur바카라사이트r stoke people¡¯s interest in 바카라사이트 fascinating process of archaeological discovery.

In 바카라사이트 words of Basil Brown, ¡°That speaks, dun it? The past.¡± Archaeologists must set aside 바카라사이트ir differences and work toge바카라사이트r to allow it to be heard.

Susan Greaney is a PhD candidate in archaeology at Cardiff University.