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Heritage Journal

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We have highlighted the difficult times archaeologists are having during the credit crunch and were therefore interested to see archaeologists discussing this question: "would any of us be tempted to be unethical in order to secure employment?"

From where we're standing the question could have been posed years ago. Does an archaeological landscape get quarried because all archaeologists acted entirely in its interest? Is every investigation prior to development carried out without regard to the commercial interests involved?

"Developer funded archaeology" has been with us for years. The implications of the arrangement are obvious. Often they are hinted at, rarely are they explained, highlighted and admitted. The fact is, some pipers call some tunes. People are human.

Will the credit crunch make it worse? Of course. Will the government's proposals to streamline the process make it worse still, and isn't that one of the unspoken intentions? Of course.

One can have the highest of aspirations and one can wish to keep to the strictest professional codes but if one also wants to put bread and butter on the table it's awkward...

We applaud the fact the question has been asked and we wish it was discussed more openly and more often. After all, if archaeologists don't bring it up we can hardly expect either developers or the government to do so. All you'll ever hear publicly from them is yes, of course we want you to be scrupulous and ethical. And of course, that's what archaeologists want too. But in truth, the system is not set up to encourage that. Quite the reverse. If archaeologists don't point that out then how will the truth ever emerge?

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