Five years ago, I wrote a short piece – under the title ‘The best degree?’ (CA 270) – responding to the suggestion in CA 268 that Archaeology was under threat as a university subject. Certainly there were reasons to be concerned, and that remains true today. But there are also reasons to be optimistic. In this follow-up essay, I will review the current state of the discipline and the opportunities (and challenges) it presents. I still believe that an Archaeology degree is the best grounding for those wishing to be archaeologists, arguably the best for those wanting to enter the broader heritage sector, and certainly an excellent preparation for most other (seemingly unrelated) careers.
‘A unique education’
Students taking Archaeology with the intention of becoming archaeologists can do so now with a very good chance of success, whether in fieldwork or in the many other jobs archaeology and the heritage sector offer – for example, as specialists, analysts, scientists, and conservators. Although questions circulate about the sustainability of field archaeology programmes that generate yet more data – as well as the public benefit of such endeavours – major infrastructure projects like HS2 and Heathrow’s third runway look set to create a situation where entry- and higher-level field archaeology jobs outnumber those qualified to fill them, at least in the short- to medium-term. Meanwhile, for those with the desire to study the subject but without the aspiration to pursue it as a career, the transferable skills it provides are unrivalled in their diversity.
Moreover, contrary to what some might suggest, Archaeology has retained its sense of fun both as a degree subject and as a career. It leaves an indelible mark on those who study it, and in my experience most archaeologists are humane, thoughtful, inquisitive, inclusive, and considerate citizens. They have an active and genuine interest in understanding and improving the world around them, and are tolerant of the many behaviours, practices, and attitudes that have shaped it. They have learnt this partly through their studies – the subject is, after all, the study of all people through the material traces they have left behind, however long ago or recently they were left. Archaeology attracts people with open minds. It is the study of the everyday, not only the exceptional or the iconic – something therefore that everyone can relate to, whatever their social status.
Neolithic France: a seismic moment