charitable status and units -are they really? There are 39 replies, with the last one on 13/10/2008 at 13:38:04 by the invisible man :: As it seems to be the thing to compare archaeology with other trades and professions, being a hoary old lag from another field I cannot immediately think of another occupation where anyone is expected (let alone would) work for free, even in the hope of gaining basic experience. I do not include 'year out' or university placements, sandwich courses and the like - although many of those are actually paid, I believe. One exception might be film and TV perhaps.

Credit Crunch hitting Archaeology? There are 5 replies, with the last one on 13/10/2008 at 13:31:44 by the invisible man :: Pretty quiet here. We're all still here though..........

WHS Trowels There are 40 replies, with the last one on 13/10/2008 at 13:16:48 by Sith :: quote: Originally posted by Austin Ainsworth Wooden handled Marshalltowns are as good as original pattern WHS trowels. The original WHS trowel is fantastic for "stoney" ground, the Marshalltown is ideal for "sandy" ground. Austin, we must have been separated at birth. I thought that I was the only British archaeologist advocating the Marshalltown. I've still got my original one after about 15 years (not that it gets much use these days) and it's still in great condition despite lots of abuse. D. Vader Senior Consultant Vader Maull & Palpatine Archaeological Consultants Your lack of archaeological imagination disappoints me Curator

Getting a job! There are 75 replies, with the last one on 13/10/2008 at 12:52:33 by Rachelintheoffice :: Stonecirclegirl, this may sound a little weird, but have you tried enquiring down your local DSS? My experience is pretty out of date now, but I actually learned to dig on an Employment Training Scheme, after finding myself in exactly the same position as you, with the ink still wet on my degree and about six weeks of digging experience. The Government paid for one happy year at South Shields Roman Fort - admittedly, I was getting the dole and the Extra Tenner, but in those pre-Minimum Wage days, it wasn't so much worse than what the employed diggers were getting, and when the year was up, I was employable!

IFA name change IFA name change Here is your chance to say: IFA... Institute For Archaeologists "I don't have an archaeological imagination.." Borekickers

Irritating TV Archaeology There are 10 replies, with the last one on 13/10/2008 at 12:44:31 by BAJR Host :: :) worse than bonekickers... now that is bad! "I don't have an archaeological imagination.." Borekickers

Shortest contract in history of the Archaeology There are 6 replies, with the last one on 13/10/2008 at 12:40:42 by Rachelintheoffice :: Good grief! I thought I held the record for 'shortest contract', with a company that was employing my partner at the time. The offer went 'we've got one person, two days for this job, but if you like, you can go out on it with your partner. If you can complete the project between you in one day, you'll both get paid; if it runs into another day, only he will get paid'. We finished the job about seven o'clock at night by the light of our car headlights! Seriously, one thing I learned in fifteen years on the circuit is, never, EVER send back your dole card and sign off until you're actually standing on the site on Monday morning and you know there really is a job.

British Archaeology-Nov/Dec issue Introducing the Nov/Dec issue of British Archaeology - out today! ON THE COVER: VIKINGS! A recent study found Viking DNA in modern residents of Wirral and west Lancashire. We bring together the evidence from archaeology and genetics VIKING HOUSES ON ORKNEY David Griffiths has excavated the stone floors and walls of Viking houses in Orkney, some of them still standing to their full height - they would have supported a turf superstructure and roof timbers AUBREY HOLE FIND COULD CHANGE STONEHENGE'S MEANING Excavation has revealed that an Aubrey Hole - one of a circle of pits surrounding the stones at Stonehenge - had probably held a standing stone. If all 56 pits had held stones, this would have been one of the first and largest stone circles in the country, made of Welsh bluestones in 3000BC. A recent claim that these stones arrived at Stonehenge in 2300BC would then relate to the time when the bluestones were moved into the centre of the site 700 years later. Stonehenge's history as envisaged since the 1950s is overturned CHILD BURIED WITH UNIQUE CARVED PIG (see photo) A tiny carved chalk pig was buried with the remains of a young child over 2,000 years ago within sight of Stonehenge. The bones of the infant were in a pot dated to 450-100BC (Iron Age). The carving may have had a ritual significance or have been a toy HERITAGE PROTECTION: HAVE WE LEARNT THE LESSONS OF IRAQ? The damage to Iraq's cultural heritage after the 2003 invasion is widely deplored. Yet key UK legislation to address the issues may fail over bureaucratic concerns. With Cambridge University's Illicit Antiquities Research Centre closed, and the uncertain future of the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit, Britain's role in the international illicit antiquities trade is set to flourish. The proposed Heritage Protection Act must not fail THE BIG DIG: AVEBURY Avebury, the great Wiltshire stone circle with adjacent monuments such as Silbury Hill and the West Kennet stone avenue, has been the focus of a six-year excavation project. Now it's over, the project directors look at what it achieved, including the re-discovery of the Beckhampton stone avenue, one of the most dramatic developments in British prehistoric archaeology 35 YEARS OF THE HARRIS MATRIX "The Harris Matrix" and "single-context recording" are fundamental tools of archaeological excavation. But where did it all start? British Archaeology asked Edward Cecil Harris to look back on what he calls his "outstanding British invention" REGULARS * Spoilheap: English Heritage has published a children's guide to Stonehenge that it will wish it hadn't * Letters: Readers get their feet into BBC's drama Bonekickers * Science: The Neolithic village on the edge of a lake in Switzerland with staggering preservation * Mick's travels: Mick Aston goes to Iona, an early centre of Christianity * In view: An interview with Ray Sutcliffe, a producer from the golden age of TV archaeology * On the web: Playing archaeological games on the web, and a clever use of sophisticated free software at a London dig * Books: An Irish Neolithic tomb, a Roman cemetery and the early modern destruction of medieval monuments * My archaeology: Stephen Oppenheimer brings an encyclopaedic vision to DNA stories * CBA correspondent: Archaeology and education * Briefing: The UK's only archaeological events listing, with exhibition reviews AND MORE! British Archaeology is a bimonthly members' magazine that is also available in larger WH Smith stores, Borders and the best independent newsagents, and by subscription "I don't have an archaeological imagination.." Borekickers

Economic Downturn There are 21 replies, with the last one on 11/10/2008 at 14:34:01 by vulpes :: Wait and see what the Queen says at the start of next month. Should be in there.

What made you take up archaeology? There are 19 replies, with the last one on 11/10/2008 at 13:54:55 by Beardstroker :: My dad was an archaeologist, so I grew up with finds being washed in the kitchen sink,the spare room full of drawings and trench books and summer holidays camping on site with a bunch of smelly, drunken old hippies.[:D] I managed to have about 6 or 7 years doing something else before I got dragged into doing it professionally. It was only a six month temporary contract to tide me over initially. 25 years later[:(]