Kevin, Phil, and all,
        This wavering thread has leaned in my direction so I feel compelled to
comment. As more and more archaeology is done in the public view it is
becoming clear (at least to me) that the public has a great interest in
archaeology.Of course here at Jamestown we are blessed with the hundreds of
thousands of visitors a year that don't go to Busch Gardens. With that
said, I will defend the publics desire to witness archaeology. A visitors
experienced at an ongoing excavation offers them something that no museum
or text book can, and that is to be part of the discovery. For thousands of
years people have learned of their pasts from other people through
conversation. In some way talking to an archaeologist on the "front line"
fulfills their desire for an oral tradition as well as to be included in
the process.  Most of the folks are very well informed but non the less
would rather here "their past" from a person than a text book. By the time
it makes the textbook or the gallery it is not theirs any more. Countless
visitors for reasons that only they know have emotionally thanked the crew
here for "doing the work for them". Now in a grander scale this may not
rank up there with great medical breakthroughs for social worth but until
the public recognizes the value of cultural resources there isn't a chance
we can protect them. Jamestown is exceptional only in the number of
visitors that come. In my experienced any site  made accessible to the
public will elicit the same emotional response on the part of the public.
                                                                all the best,
                                                                Eric Deetz
                                                                Jamestown Rediscovery
                                                                Jamestown, Virginia