http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/archaeologicalsalaries.pdf

I will leave people to read it.

It is quite far-reaching and will be open to (indeed it welcomes) debate.

In a nutshell, the Council decided to not allow ROs to reduce salaries, but will work on a system of Pay Bands rather than minima ( I would say a bit like the overlapping bands of BAJR) and finally that in 2010-2011 there will be no increase in pay rates.

That simplifies a complex document – so do please take the time to read it before commenting.

Come here to join the debate

http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/mod/vanillaforum/vanilla/comments.php?DiscussionID=135

Pay deals in the UK could come under renewed pressure next year despite signs of an economic recovery, a new study has warned.

According to the Labour Research Department (LRD), a significant number of long-term pay deals are set to expire next year and this is one of several factors that will place downward pressure on salaries.

It found that one in seven deals in 2010 will be long-term arrangements, compared to one-quarter of settlements in 2009.

Lewis Emery, the LRD’s pay and conditions researcher, believes a number of other factors could keep pay deals on the low side next year, despite signs of growth since April.

He said: “At least four crucial questions overshadow the chances of continuing pay growth: Will current pay freezes be lifted? What kind of pay offers will employers make with fewer long term deals setting the pace? Will Retail Price Index inflation return? And most decisively of all, what will happen with public sector pay?”

Recently, research by Incomes Data Services revealed that a third of businesses have imposed a pay freeze so far during 2009.

http://www.lrd.org.uk/issue.php?pagid=1&issueid=1345

However, averaged over the whole year, however, the picture does not look quite so bleak. From August 2008-July 2009, 30% overall received less than a 2% rise, including cuts and freezes, covering almost one-third of the workforce; however, a significant 22% (over one-fifth) of deals were for 4% or more, covering 13% of the workforce. This leaves over two-fifths (41%) of deals achieving between 2% and 3.99%, applying to almost half (49%) of workers.

So I would suggest a wait and see – Lets wait until April 2010 and see where we are as an industry, before saying freeze. I don’t feel we know enough… and given that the planned return in the main VAT rate to 17.5% from January 2010 would affect us all. Continued weak or frozen wage growth would imply a squeeze on disposable incomes (which for a 15k a year – working every week! – is already non-existent) , potentially undermining prospects for consumer spending and an economic recovery in general. Accommodation? Travel? lots to mull over. AND this is complicated.

I don’t have a full handle on this yet, so perhaps the IfA could comment more on the statement

Where did this come from, as it seems to have taken up a Council Meeting, and must have origins

What appears to be the carved top of a sarcophagus was unearthed when builders were excavating and reinforcing a wall alongside the old ruined church in Temple, Midlothian.

But the inscriptions, which include symbols similar to those found in Viking monuments, in medieval graves and in West Highland Celtic carvings, have baffled archaeologists.

Crispin Phillips, who is renovating a house alongside The Old Parish Church, said: “I was on a mission to repair the wall – which was falling into the graveyard. We got near the bottom of the foundations and found something buried there.

“We found one stone carved with a cross and then another with these carvings on it.”

read more

[embed]http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/getEdFrontImage.aspx?ImageID=446337[/embed]

Current Archaeology is pleased to announce that the English Heritage Presentation of Archaeological Heritage Research Awards will be joining in this year as part of the Archaeology 2010 conference at the British Museum, February 26-28, 2010. ( a date for your diary – As both BAJR and Past Horizons will be there as well)

But this is not the only award they have with the Robert Kiln Trust award and the Jeffrey May awards to name only another two. Cash prizes and lovely things to have on your CV. Closing date for all is 15 November.

English Heritage Award for the Presentation of Heritage Research competition is designed to highlight the fascinating research being done in the heritage sector. We aim to bring it out of monographs and specialist journals and to the attention of the wider public, whose understanding and support are crucial to the preservation of our heritage. Anyone who works, or has participated in, research on British and Irish archaeology, historic buildings and heritage conservation is encouraged to enter the competition.

Three prizes are offered: an open first prize of £1,500, a runner-up prize of £500, and an under-30 prize of £500. Entrants should send in a completed entry form including a summary of their proposed presentation, not to exceed 750 words (up to two figures may also be included), to arrive no later than 15 November 2009.

View details on this award here…

The Jeffrey May Award is named in honour of Jeffrey May, an issue editor for Current Archaeology and a long-term friend and supporter. The award, for the best article submitted by a new writer for either Current Archaeology or Current World Archaeology magazine, consists of a £1,000 prize and publication of the article.

View details on this award here…

The Robert Kiln Trust award is given for the best project, or a series of works or projects, carried out in the UK by a voluntary body or individual. Robert Kiln was a great believer in amateur participation and his charitable trust, founded in the early 1970s, has distributed more than £1 million to conservation, the arts and archaeology. This award is meant to carry on Robert Kiln’s tradition of encouraging higher standards of fieldwork and excavation in the amateur ranks. There will be a small prize given. Additionally, each finalist will be given two free tickets to the Archaeology 2010 conference.

View details on this award here…

So what are you waiting for….. the opportunity to get recognition and some very useful money for either yourself or your project.!! Just think what you could do with £500, £1000 or even £1500. So stop reading this… and get along to here NOW!    http://www.archaeology.co.uk/grants-awards/

Recently on the American Archaeology Fieldwork website the following website was highlighted, after it appeared in a google ad.

http://www.wediganasaziruins.com/

but they are not alone, with other sites offering a chance to dig up entire sites and keep your finds.

What about this one

Randy’s Dig is a private pay dig on private property located in

Kerr County, Texas – the heart of The Texas Hill County.

Dig for arrowheads 7 days a week.

http://www.randysdig.com/

and of course the wonderfully named Digfest

http://austindiggers.com/digfest2009.html

Digfest diggers

Here, we are seeing mining of sites… this goes beyond surface collection or any other type of artefact collection from the topsoil….this is mining that bears a resemblance to the site looting we see in Bulgaria and Iraq for example.

the image below is from http://www.savingantiquities.org/feature_iraq.php

Looters waving from Isin. the archaeological site in Iraq

Can you spot the difference?  I can’t…   the entire removal of an archaeological site in a disorganised and unskilled way is deplorable?   Is it illegal?   Well seems that Private land is Private in the USofA   and you can do anything it seems…  BUT…  what about the states legislation of Native American Artefacts and burials?  What happens if they hit one?   worth a look by the authorities Hmmmmmm

The Archaeology Fieldwork has sent these websites to AZ SHPO and AGs office – but will it force them to be more secrative…  and who are these ‘diggers’?

Seems that this is more common than we thought..  but some collectors are not that happy either and demand support and action

http://www.dirtbrothers.org/editorial/boycottTAAA.html

Luigi Garlaschelli says his reproduction of the shroud disproves the claims of its strongest supporters.

An Italian scientist says he has reproduced one of the world’s most famous Catholic relics, the Shroud of Turin, to support his belief it is a medieval fake, not the cloth Jesus was buried in. Luigi Garlaschelli created a copy of the shroud by wrapping a specially woven cloth over one of his students, painting it with pigment, baking it in an oven (which he called a “shroud machine”) for several hours, then washing it. . . “Basically the Shroud of Turin has some strange properties and characteristics that they say cannot be reproduced by human hands,” he told CNN by phone from Italy, where he is a professor of organic chemistry at the University of Pavia. “For example, the image is superficial and has no pigment, it looks so lifelike and so on, and therefore they say it cannot have been done by an artist.” His research shows the pigment may simply have worn off the cloth over the centuries since it was first “discovered” in 1355, but impurities in the pigment etched an image into the fibers of the cloth, leaving behind the ghostly picture that remains today.

Read Full Article here…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1217752/Henge-stones-Unearthed-site-monuments-little-sister.html

Sadly this was supposed to be a surprise for February..  but the Daily Mail got hold of the story…  however, it looks like they are quoting the great and the good relating to this story…

Professor Tim Darvill, Stonehenge expert at Bournemouth University, said: ‘This adds to the richness of the story of Stonehenge.

so did is this an exclusive…or a leak….    we want to know

A Bluestone Patio, that bears no resemblance to Bluehenge!

Anyway…  I heard about it from Stonepages as we prepare the podcast news…  so I may as well confess I will be reporting on this…  and perhaps have my tuppence worth as well.     You have not listened to our Podcast news??    where have you been?
http://www.stonepages.com/news/podcast.xml

At least this time nobody can point any fingers at me…  I was at Hadrian s wall at the time guv…   I’ve got witnesses!

The Board and Council of the National Trust for Scotland have shown blatant disrespect to donors, volunteer supporters and employees by failing to consult them about the deep and sudden financial crisis and their incredible decision to close or mothball eleven properties held “in trust for the nation”.

To avoid a fait accompli at September’s AGM an Extraordinary General Meeting should be called before the Board and Council causes any more harm to the NTS.
The Fact Is…

But for the alertness of the press the incredible decision by the Board and Council of the National Trust for Scotland to close eleven properties held by that body “in trust for the nation”, the Trust’s 300,000 members would be faced with a fait accompli at September’s AGM.

Safeguarding the marvellous and varied assets built up all over Scotland since 1935 should be the priority through proper maintenance, safeguarding and marketing on an annual basis.

The views of members have been ignored by an undemocratic Board and an unwieldy Council which includes representatives from many Scottish organisations.

Where funds are insufficient the entire membership should be consulted.

So say the In Trust for Scotland group
http://www.intrustforscotland.org.uk/

The crisis is funding is extreme, with many properties mothballed and incredibly the headquarters themselves at Charlotte Square (a Flagship property) is to be sold!

September 26th sees the AGM of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) vote on a confidence motion in, first, the Chair, Shonaig MacPherson and then the Board, high on the agenda.

The result will be of purely academic interest to Ms MacPherson who is becoming an experienced passenger in the ejector seat. She has, as we reported, just recently announced that she is to stand down as Chair of NTS  sometime between now and this time next year. In January this year she departed as Chair of the Intermediary Technology Institute.

A divisive figure from the start of her position with the Trust, an article in today’s Sunday Herald, A Crisis of Trust,  quotes Rob Gibson MSP, deputy Convenor of the Holyrood Economy, Energy amd Tourism Committee describing MacPherson as ‘totally inappropriate’ for the requirements of her post.

whats going on???

read more here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8272700.stm

Culture Minister Mike Russell said it was not for government to interfere in the trust’s workings but that he recognised elements of its “complex and Byzantine” governance needed to change.

Mr Russell said: “At the end of the day the trust has to solve its own problems, come together as an organisation, a membership organisation with huge responsibilities but huge opportunities, and move forward.

let cross our fingers that they do.

OPEN ARCHIVE – a new web based system for accessing our past

The wealth of information gathered by local archaeological groups and societies on excavations, surveys and documentary research is one of the important sources of data for the study of archaeology in the UK.  Currently, this archive of British archaeology is stored locally, within libraries and local history centres as well as with the originating group themselves.  In addition, PhDs and other research can be found in locations often scattered throughout the country.  The premise of Open Archive is to collect the records of the past and present and share them with everybody.

Open Archive is an accessible library of user generated reports and publications where archaeology societies, PhD research students, graveyard recording and community groups can share their discoveries with a wide audience.

The easy to use interface combines intuitive searches by period, type of project and location with a map based view showing the location of the selected documents.  Each item can then be viewed as either a short description or as the complete publication.  This resource creates a public portal to the records of our shared heritage that were previously only available on a few local archaeology group websites OR as paper copies in the local library.  The idea is to allow this to be both interactive and open to sharing via feeds and direct data transfer.

The data entry form is modelled exactly on the Discovery and Excavation Scotland (DES) fields, and has the potential to allow direct transfer of this data to the record.  (For future projects this would mean every record sent to Open Archive that is located in Scotland could be automatically be sent to the DES along with a copy of the report.)  In addition, we are working on automatically sending Treasure Trove reporting, Open Archive is developing for the future and your comments are welcome.

Loading the pdf versions of the document onto Open Archive is a quick step by step process, maintaining ease of use without compromising the value of the information gathered.  The more users that utilise this secure public archive, the more useful it becomes, building a written record of the past in Britain by those that know it best.

Free to register and use, we are currently in consultation to help take paper records and transform them into searchable digital formats, where the rediscovery of these publications may even re-ignite interest in the area.

Open Archive is exactly that – a public resource, created for everyone.

You can view the current Version here http://www.openarchive.co.uk

and we welcome comment info@digitalpast.co.uk

David Connolly and Steve White (Digital Past)

http://bajrfed.co.uk/mod/vanillaforum/vanilla/comments.php?DiscussionID=45

A new image for commercial archaeology??

A fascinating insight into the business side of archaeology from the telegraph.  A brave move by Headland..  and a real eye opener (I HOPE!!)    SO have a look and get involved in teh debate..  is this the truth?  or is it unfair?