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Value and values in excavation recording
- 1. Value and valuesin excavation recording Martin Locock Senior Project Officer, Strata Florida Heritage Landscape Tourism Project
- 2. Two observations • Sitetour – selective, opinionated, allusive, individual, speculative • Archive – objective, structured, standardised, consistent © Copyright Bob Embleton and licensed for reuse
- 3. Two observations • Sitetour – selective, opinionated, allusive, individual, speculative = interesting • Archive – objective, structured, standardised, consistent = boring • Significance and meaning © Copyright Bob Embleton and licensed for reuse
- 4. Archaeological practice Interesting/ useful not necessary Interesting / useful + necessary Not interesting / useful but necessary Not interesting / useful and not necessary
- 5. Philosophy of recording •Logical positivism – Measurability – Objectivity – Consistency • Reflexive methodologies – Construction of knowledge – Surfacing assumptions and debating ideas – Embracing subjectivity
- 6. Philosophy of recording T5Heathrow “production of a coherent and empirically validated site narrative remains the fundamental objective of the excavation ” John Barrett Interpretation during excavation Entities not contexts Staff uncomfortable
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- 8. Philosophy of recording • Single interpretation • Recorder as surrogate for director/reader • Value = report/archive • Memories/experience? • Reification of commercial practice
- 9. Lean management • Mapping work processes • Creation of value • Reduction of waste • Maintenance • Continuous improvement
- 10. Effort • Excavation /recording £1000/day Recording Excavation Admin
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- 12. Excavation process Source: S Roskams 2001 Stratigraphy
- 14. Excavation process Source: S Roskams 2001 Stratigraphy
- 15. Excavation process Interpretation? Source: S Roskams 2001 Stratigraphy
- 16. Recording • Photography • Drawing © Copyright Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse
- 17. Context recording • Administrationand relationships • Description (structured) • Description (free) • Interpretation
- 18. Context recording • Administrationand relationships • Description (structured) • Description (free) • Interpretation
- 19. Context recording • Administrationand relationships Interpretation? • Description (structured) • Description (free) • Interpretation
- 20. Notebook • Meta-narrative • High-level interpretation • Watching briefs • (allowed?) • Whose interpretation?
- 21. The future • Workthat creates no value • Work that creates limited value • Work that creates value • Empowerment of the primary recorder • Engagement with process and content • Data or meaning
- 22. Thanks P J Carne, UDAS John Lewis, Society of Antiquaries Andrew Marvell, GGAT Quentin Drew UWTSD Martin Locock 10simplesteps.blogspot.com m.locock@tsd.ac.uk