Focus on UK Metal detecting: "People Like us"

John Carman (as quoted by Heritage Action here) reflects on the real problems underlying archaeological outreach and "community archaeology":

“For us to alter our behaviour to accommodate the excluded — by changing what we do — will mean that we will cease to be archaeologists. For them to change to accommodate us will mean they lose their own sense of who they are. As archaeologists we can do nothing about this because we would cease to be archaeologists if we did.”

Is that why the PAS have recently changed (again) what it is they say they do?

It was formerly known as the largest community archaeology project in the UK, but now tends to be a gateway to public archaeological knowledge.

What they fail to explain (again) is what they mean by "public archaeological knowledge", if it is public, why does it need a "gateway"? More Bloomsburian gobbledygook.Heritage Action live in hope that one day, what Carman says will be admitted by all "and British policy on portable antiquities will change from cajoling those who clearly won’t listen to absolutely insisting they all act in the common interest".

Vignette" Middle class (fence-owning) family (Guardian)