Computing, GIS and Archaeology in the UK

Via the seasite mailing list, this article about the difference between underwater archaeology, salvage, and treasure-hunting really got me thinking.

I started off as a diver, then a marine archaeologist, and often came into contact with the strange point of view that if you find something underwater, like something from a wreck, it’s OK to prise it off and take it home to display proudly on your wall, yet you’d hardly go and break the wing-mirror off someone’s car. A friend became an archaeologist for Odyssey, the controversial marine salvage firm, and was ostracised amongst the academic community for his decision, yet he just wanted to put food on his children’s table, and felt that it was better for Odyssey to have some archaeologists trying to do things right than none at all.

Clearly, the difference between archaeology and treasure hunting or salvage is not clear, and is often quite emotive. This latest article, though, makes me feel even more uneasy about this strange blurring of lines. From what I can tell, treasure-hunters felt it was their right to steal things, even when visited by the police and the coast guard.

I don’t think this happens all that often on land, though we have occasionally had to hire 24 hour security for our sites to stop metal-detectorists coming in and digging things up. And sometimes to stop feral children getting in and setting fire to things. But that’s a different story…

The only conclusion I can come to is that people think it’s OK to do this sort of thing underwater, or at sea, because they don’t think they will be seen or caught. So, people behave themselves only because they think they will be censured by their peers, not because of any inherent sense of right or wrong. How depressing…

It would appear that we are having a little issue with our downloads site, where portable gis is hosted. Not sure exactly whether the cause is human intervention, voodoo, or accident, but it would appear that portable gis is not currently available to download, even though it’s there when I ftp in. Ho Hum.

Anyhow, I’m off for a couple of days diving now, in sunny Scotland, so unless my colleagues miraculously fix the issue over the weekend I won’t be able to sort it until next week some time. I’ll let you know…

Does anyone else see the irony in these two statements, which fortuitously popped up in my feed reader one after the other?

It’s so depressing when people talk about phasing out paper maps. It seems to be part of a general feeling that all maps are for is getting from point A to point B on the road. Does your sat-nav point out interesting things you maybe ought to detour for? (I’ll probably get a wry smile from Mr Archaeogeek at this point, who knows I love to buy paper maps of new areas and sit down all evening just looking at all the sites on them. Particularly archaeological sites. He’s very long-suffering). I guess sat-nav just doesn’t have that same sense of history.

A few things from the last month, some slightly off-topic and some just plain geeky:

• I’ve been fake ed’d… honestly, there’s no one I’d rather be called an idiot by
• Ever seen emails being sent to donotreply.com- this guy owns the domain (via 43 folders)
• Our work with openmoko makes it to the Independent- though the title is a little over the top
• Ways in which my government embarrasses me part 1, and part 2
• I missed this one while I was away, but lets face it, every day should be document freedom day
• Indiana Jones heritage trading cards- give me them now!