Since my last post things changed too much as to not have any time left to keep this blog updated. I´ll try to make a short account of events since April as an introduction.
One month after my arrival I got an offer from Headland Archaeology. I went to the main office in person and I was lucky enough to meet PM Edward Bailey who I must thank for giving me the opportunity to join the Aberdeen Bypass Archaeological works being carried out by this reputed company. I was appointed as Project Supervisor and joined the team on the 19th of May and I am about to end up my contract next week after more than 3 months working in different Aberdeen sites related to the Bypass construction scheme.
Again I was blessed and I met PO Steve Thomson who helped me out enormously to catch up as soon as possible with my new job responsibilities and duties. I met also other members of the project team and I must say that all of them have shown a amicable approach to my weird situation. It´s not easy to be back on the first step of the ladder after 15 years in Archaeology, specially when coming from another country and from a managerial position, so an amicable welcome is always a huge help. Some guys helped me to get acquainted with EDM/DGPS, others with the recording system, while most of them shared a laugh with me eventually and made the most miserable rainy days more bearable for a southern european guy like myself. I´m not going to mention them one by one because I don´t want to miss anybody, but I´m sure they know how much I appreciate their support all these months. Thank you guys!
Commercial Archaeology in the UK is quite different from that practiced in Spain but I guess it has to do with the approach taken in each country. On the 70´s Spain was still dealing with a dictatorship so it had to be soon after we gained our democracy when Archaeology started to be considered more seriously as people awareness on environmental issues raised slowly. A common starting point to comparison between both countries Archaeology could be the MSC Community Programmes from 1980 in the UK (EVERILL, 2007) and the Escuelas Taller/Planes de Empleo (same idea about giving unemployed a job in Archaeology, mainly in countryside areas) of the mid 80´s Spain.
It took a bit longer however establishing a formal relation between commercial Archaeology and developers, existing a 10 years gap from when this happened in the UK and when it took place in Spain. Although new laws and regulations applied for construction works casual finds, developers were not in the mood for allowing archaeologists being nosy in their projects yet. Obviously this was also related to the still old fashioned archaeologists in practice without any commercial approach to what was supposed to be a construction related service and not a pharaoh´s tomb search. Commercial concerns were never part of the degree courses in universities so archaeologist had to learn once in the workplace as it was the case in the UK. This situation still persist in Spain nowadays mostly because academics are yet part of an old elite of "I´ll Chose What To Dig For Publication Purposes Only/Hate People That Makes Money From Archaeology" gentlefolks.
Commercial units were born along with the modernization of country's infrastructures and the impulse of European Union funded projects. Good budgets were available at first, with archaeologists getting paid accordingly to their responsibility, but as soon as the number of commercial units increased, and therefore the offer overpassed the demand -capitalism rules-, the wages started to shrink as the budget did. Planning was not taking any consideration whatsoever regarding Archaeology issues for no limits were established at this stage. Architects and engineers rather preferred to wait until last minute to add the Archaeology, being then able to ask for a Rescue Archaeology to be carried out along with the actual construction works (best excuse for modifying project deadline, justifying delays and increasing budget ever) always with the complacence of Heritage authorities, more concerned in dealing with already known sites and monuments in need of urgent attention after years of abandonment and negligence.
Spain´s Construction Industry Bubble in the 90´s made this problem go throughout the change of century and millennium until the collapse of it due to economical recession or vice versa. Thus good times for brick died dragging down most of the related trades, including Commercial Archaeology, to an abyss they are yet to get out from. Thousands of sites were excavated during these years with little development of the commercial units due to the bureaucracy involved. Archaeological regulations require a personal and untransferable permit to direct any archaeological project so a nominated project manager can only be on one site at a time. Time for getting a permit varied from one regional community to another but at least a month was needed to be able to start a dig venture which means that a PM only get paid for 6 months a year. As long as the licensed site director is the only one responsible ultimately for the post excavation works and for producing the subsequent reports for client, authorities and specialized journals, developers do not needed to pay for that part of the process, often refusing even to pay fieldwork if the go ahead for their construction project was achieved. Heritage authorities do not get into these mess arguing that the matter is not related with Archaeology but strictly business although, surprisingly enough, a budget is compulsory to be included in the permit solicitude paperwork this to be granted.
In general and taking this Sunday morning writing to and end:
- I found that British Commercial Archaeology has developed a good sense of balance nowadays. The recession that also hit the sector for the past years made a high number of experienced archaeologist quit the profession -great loss sadly- although a new generation took over with a really good approach towards the meaning of being concerned about Archaeology in a commercial environment.
- I noticed that methodology and procedures are fully established as standards unlike in Spain where most of the units (normally small or self-employed managed ventures) prefer to follow their own, always within the general requirements of regulations.
- A heterogeneous hierarchical approach (in comparison with Spain´s Client <---Authorities---> Client ---> Units ---> Authorities ---> Client scheme. No consultants in between yet as part of the planning process, Archaeology being part of the whole EIA process and only cared when JCBs are due to start digging out) with several grades or stages of responsibility and a constant follow up and evaluation of projects, before, during and after.
- Budgets accordingly quoted to real needs and less space for last minute contingencies unless one of main principles of Murphy´s Law applied to Archaeology is forgotten (last day is the day of best Archaeology to be found) Therefore: normally better conditions on contract such as paid accommodation, subsistence allowance, etc.
- New tech being applied to fieldwork on a daily basis is going to be a standard pretty soon in the trade, pushing forward the profession into a higher grade of tech related specialisms. Non invasive procedures will lead as they may further improve following a much easier access to technology.
- Surviving experienced archaeologists sharing trenches with newbies it's best way to assure the perfect league between tradition and innovation.
Everill, P. (2007). British commercial archaeology: antiquarians and labourers; developers and diggers. Archaeology and capitalism. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek CA, 119-136.
