I agree with PC (see below) but he should not say "over-educated, 
self satisfied leaches frittering their tax dollars on luxury 
projects" as that is dangerously too close to the truth for all the 
humanities and social sciences. I say, in regard to archaeology, that 
we "are frosting on the cake of civilization" and who wants to eat 
plain cake. Of course if the economy collapses then the frosting 
usually goes first (but cf. the Great Depression).

One of our local Philadelphia TV news shows has just started its own 
"Golden Fleece Awards", which former Senator Proxmeier (sp?) of Rhode 
Island used to be famous for giving out for federally supported 
research projects. In almost all of their selections they are, like 
the Senator years ago,  wrong with one exception. It is amazing how 
the amount of $$$ runs up and up for each project. They have targeted 
projects from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences 
but so far have not hit archaeology.

All the programs being discussed (and I have never seen the "Time 
Team America" show), including the Antiques Road Show, are positive 
except and if they endorse looting and looted items. The specific 
shows on Public TV are in turn wonderful for the profession.

The Director of the Supreme Council for Egyptian Archaeology (whose 
PhD, by the way, is from Penn) is, is someone implied, a showman but 
he is also very successful at advancing Egyptology with the 
international public and getting people to come to Egypt to see the 
sites and museums. I hear, PC, that he wants a certain rock back from 
the British Museum - this is going to be fun to watch. A suggestion 
for our English colleagues who must know the Queen or at least the 
PM. Why not return the rock but have it in the Cairo Museum for 10 
years (Egypt should own it), then move it for 10 years to Paris (the 
French found it), then to the British Museum for 10 years (the 
English stole it). By the time it made the rounds a new generation in 
each city, who had never seen it, would go to their museum for the show.

Fortunately (?) with 19th/20th century properly excavated 
archaeological materials nobody seems to want them or to curate them.

Bob Schuyler


At 03:56 AM 3/12/2010, you wrote:
>I f there was a referendum on such things most of the people on this
>list would be out of  a job as many in the public see us as
>over-educated, self satisfied leaches frittering their tax dollars on
>luxury projects. A touch of populism if it explains anything of why
>archaeology is important or interesting does no harm especially in the
>current economic climate. Remember hundreds of sites are currently -this
>minute- being bulldozed, plowed (American sp?) out or dug with
>inadequate budgets and resources all over the planet.
>
>pc