Dead and Buried: The attack on Archaeology in the UK
Another day, another archaeology program closing in the UK. It is a definate trend now, and its hard not to get discouraged. The thing about this that really bothers me though, is which Univerties are closing. Cambridge, Oxford and Durham are safe, but the places that are largely working class or cater to mature students (such as Sheffield and Worcester)? Those programs are getting the axe. Heritage should belong to everyone, and diversity in British archaeology is already a huge problem (in that we really dont have any).
This is not the 19th century, heritage should be more than a rich mans hobby. Archaeology is a window on to the past, it lets us see the everyday, the common people and those who get left out of history books. It lets us challenge racist and sexist naratives about the past, and renforces the idea that humans, no matter where or when they are from, are human.
History matters, the past matters. And while I firmly believe that you can and should be able to dig without a degree (the apprenticeship scheme MOLA just rolled out looks excellent), making archaeology degrees inacessable to everyone who doesnt go to a Russel Group university is, in my oppinion, an act of cultural vandalism in and of itself.
If you want to help:
The link to the Worcester petition is here
And the excellent Dig4Arch campain is here
