If writing archaeology at 1am at the office makes me a damned pompous pseudo-intellectual, then you're going to have to read my (N)IM... the Mummy's Curse upon this forum for sapping my high-minded pseudo-intellectual energies...

Posted by Inbanana Jones from 207.138.224.172 on September 17, 2000 at 04:12:33:

In Reply to: "Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory." (nim) posted by bud-arc on September 17, 2000 at 01:06:25:

The archaeology can hold on for a minute.
So, regards one B. Fagan: yeah, he's kind of an old fob, but hey, he's a populist, he gets the lay folks interested.
The crusty voice of experience suggests that there IS much adventure to be had doing archaeology today, but it's not quite the sort with gunplay and chases. No, I'm talking about folklore... No, wait, damnit, I'm talking about the adventure of being in this crazy business in the first place, getting to mess with old stuff and ideas for a living (well, not as much of a living as my friends at the dot-coms have, but I CAN afford some sauces for my ramen)...
But I digress; yes, there is adventure in doing something most people only dream of doing; they may think the Incas lived in Mexico, and they may ask you why those Indians buried their arreyheads in two-meter-square holes in the ground right next to the highway, or they may say "ooh! how many dinosaurs have you found?"...
But PEOPLE LOVE ARCHAEOLOGY and most of them are probably secretly jealous of those who are in the field (har har); 'course, they eat better and paid off student loans years ago, but hey, Indy couldn't afford any better than a crappy old leather jacket and beat-up clothes, so what do you want...

You're right about many of the more vivid figures of our discipline's early history. But there were plenty of nerds who had adventures too.
And besides, why should one romanticize this job? It's already exciting.
I suggest that "the anthropologist as hero" (in Susan Sontag's words) is an outmoded concept; sure, good for getting dates, but before you get all cocky and adventurous, at least have something to say (i.e., learn some of those boring scientific techniques); then your dates will be even MORE impressed, as your colleagues respectfully listen to you over drinks...

And besides, most people out there in those exotic places full of archaeological treasures (i.e., "the sweating, cursing natives") would beat the crap out of anyone in a New York minute who tried to pull some Indiana Jones act on them; if those natives didn't laugh them out of the country first...
The best adventure out there is the feeling one gets in making connections between the ancient stuff from the earth and its meanings and interpretation in our own world. Now, I ain't advocating a whole-hog dive into a "Shanks/Tilley-esque interpretive archaeology", but just look around at the many ramifications of the past in the present day: check out politics and culture in Latin America, all across Africa, Asia - China in particular; and even here in the US of A, pal; part of the adventure of archaeology is discovering how vibrant and excitingly politicized the ancient past is today. Who needs a truck full of nazi scumbags chasing you when you have it in your power (as an archaeologist and hopefully as an educator) to participate in the process of people shaping their identity to resonate with that of people dead for millenia?

That's the tirade. Check out David Hurst Thomas's latest book, "Skull Wars", for more perspective on the dynamism energizing archaeology today.
Oh, and it wouldn't kill you to wear a tie to Society of American Archaeology meetings, either. After a few drinks at the hotel bar, it's got a lot more savoir faire than crusty old field boots...

Cheerio
Back to work Inby

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"If I offended you, then I am sorry." (nim) bud-arc 12:57:16 9/17/2000 (0)

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: The archaeology can hold on for a minute.
: So, regards one B. Fagan:  yeah, he's kind of an old fob, but hey, he's a populist, he gets the lay folks interested.
: The crusty voice of experience suggests that there IS much adventure to be had doing archaeology today, but it's not quite the sort with gunplay and chases.  No, I'm talking about folklore...  No, wait, damnit, I'm talking about the adventure of being in this crazy business in the first place, getting to mess with old stuff and ideas for a living (well, not as much of a living as my friends at the dot-coms have, but I CAN afford some sauces for my ramen)...
: But I digress; yes, there is adventure in doing something most people only dream of doing; they may think the Incas lived in Mexico, and they may ask you why those Indians buried their arreyheads in two-meter-square holes in the ground right next to the highway, or they may say "ooh! how many dinosaurs have you found?"...
: But PEOPLE LOVE ARCHAEOLOGY and most of them are probably secretly jealous of those who are in the field (har har); 'course, they eat better and paid off student loans years ago, but hey, Indy couldn't afford any better than a crappy old leather jacket and beat-up clothes, so what do you want...

: You're right about many of the more vivid figures of our discipline's early history.  But there were plenty of nerds who had adventures too.
: And besides, why should one romanticize this job?  It's already exciting.  
: I suggest that "the anthropologist as hero" (in Susan Sontag's words) is an outmoded concept; sure, good for getting dates, but before you get all cocky and adventurous, at least have something to say (i.e., learn some of those boring scientific techniques); then your dates will be even MORE impressed, as your colleagues respectfully listen to you over drinks...

: And besides, most people out there in those exotic places full of archaeological treasures (i.e., "the sweating, cursing natives") would beat the crap out of anyone in a New York minute who tried to pull some Indiana Jones act on them; if those natives didn't laugh them out of the country first...
: The best adventure out there is the feeling one gets in making connections between the ancient stuff from the earth and its meanings and interpretation in our own world.  Now, I ain't advocating a whole-hog dive into a "Shanks/Tilley-esque interpretive archaeology", but just look around at the many ramifications of the past in the present day:  check out politics and culture in Latin America, all across Africa, Asia - China in particular; and even here in the US of A, pal; part of the adventure of archaeology is discovering how vibrant and excitingly politicized the ancient past is today.  Who needs a truck full of nazi scumbags chasing you when you have it in your power (as an archaeologist and hopefully as an educator) to participate in the process of people shaping their identity to resonate with that of people dead for millenia?

: That's the tirade.  Check out David Hurst Thomas's latest book, "Skull Wars", for more perspective on the dynamism energizing archaeology today.
: Oh, and it wouldn't kill you to wear a tie to Society of American Archaeology meetings, either.  After a few drinks at the hotel bar, it's got a lot more savoir faire than crusty old field boots...

: Cheerio
: Back to work Inby

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