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Somebody has passed to me a link to an online magazine called LoveArch[aeology]. this is a mixture of the good, the bad and the wacky with some arresting photogrtaphy. The reason why I was sent it though is an article in the second issue (pp 6-8) about the televised artefact hunting shows in the US that caused so much controversy (so much that National Geographic have reportedly suspended theirs due to public outrage). what is more interesting is the reference to the same phenomenon appearing on UK TV:
well, yes, what DO we think of the mass media commodification of heritage into a mass of collectables that can be dug up and collected for personal entertainment, or sold off for personal profit? What will people make of the "Britain's Secret Treasure" series (ITV 16th - 22nd July on a TV near you if you are in the UK)? About the collecting and/or sale of artefacts? Have a strong opinion, or don't you really care? Write and let them know at the email address above (though I assume it will have an "at" in it before the gmail'). Will public outrage in Britain lead to the suspension of the Treasure Hunters' show "BST"?
Now, while I love the people at LoveArchaeologyMagazine for being almost unique amongst archaeologists in pointing out the problems with BST, I'm really disappointed in the disclaimer at the end of the article. Look at this:
The standard English madhouse disclaimer - the creed and mantra of the uncritical PAS supporter. Now I would like to query just why this disclaimer is here. In what way are these mythical good collectors in Great Britain "nothing like" their fellow collectors depicted on the shows? Do these 'good collectors' only occur in Great Britain, and not in - for example - Poland? Let the authors of that disclaimer say WHY they think most tekkies in the UK are "responsible" and how they define that and why they dismiss the Heritage Action Artefact Erosion Counter so glibly. Go on, tell us.
[PS, both the author of that note as well as the original review seem to be anonymous - why?]
Somebody has passed to me a link to an online magazine called LoveArch[aeology]. this is a mixture of the good, the bad and the wacky with some arresting photogrtaphy. The reason why I was sent it though is an article in the second issue (pp 6-8) about the televised artefact hunting shows in the US that caused so much controversy (so much that National Geographic have reportedly suspended theirs due to public outrage). what is more interesting is the reference to the same phenomenon appearing on UK TV:
Now, while I love the people at LoveArchaeologyMagazine for being almost unique amongst archaeologists in pointing out the problems with BST, I'm really disappointed in the disclaimer at the end of the article. Look at this:
The standard English madhouse disclaimer - the creed and mantra of the uncritical PAS supporter. Now I would like to query just why this disclaimer is here. In what way are these mythical good collectors in Great Britain "nothing like" their fellow collectors depicted on the shows? Do these 'good collectors' only occur in Great Britain, and not in - for example - Poland? Let the authors of that disclaimer say WHY they think most tekkies in the UK are "responsible" and how they define that and why they dismiss the Heritage Action Artefact Erosion Counter so glibly. Go on, tell us.
[PS, both the author of that note as well as the original review seem to be anonymous - why?]
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