Tom Wheaton offered some opinions that I would like to diagree with-but
friendly like.  He thought archaeologists should not pretend to be
historians. It seems to me that an archaeologist working in a historical
period (whenever that happens to be in one's area) who is not in part a
historian is not a very good archaeologist.  Archaeologists are not mere
antiquarians, they are classicists, anthropologists, historians etc.
depending on their focus.  I am lead to understand that archaeologists in
Britain are given training in conservation as well as working closely with
conservators.  It would seem to me that American archaeologists could learn
from this-as it is the archaeologist in the field who must often make
important decisions.  I have taken some prelimminary courses with the Getty
which has made me aware of important strategies in conservation.  It doesn't
make me a conservatopr, but the information will reduce the harm I will do to
important archaeological materials.  In the practical world, it is crucial
that archaeologists learn some basic conservation techniques apporpriate to
the materials they may encounter.