#74 Navajo Nation Wants Return of Remains

"Navajo Nation Wants Return of Remains"

Complex issues arise in this article including NAGPRA concerns and possibly an unconstitutional taking without compensation by the government.  

It seems like the Navajo Nation wants swift and immediate action on their lawsuit and the return of remains and artifacts but it's unlikely their going to get it.  The governement has too many hoops to jump through and too many regulations to consider.  I'm sure the NPS archaeologists want to do the right thing but their hands are likely tied.

Looking forward to see how this turns out.  Could have implications that impact parks across the nation.

#73 Alice Gorman, Space Archaeologist

Alice Gorman, Space Archaeologist

My dream is to have all these wild theories that no one believes or to be an expert in something like, oh, I don't know, SPACE ARCHAEOLOGY!  Then, one night, I'm awakened by a phone call from NASA telling me that there is a problem on Mars, or the Moon, and only I can solve it.

That probably won't happen but you can be a space archaeologist.  Check out this great article about Alice Gorman.

#72 Where is the Passion?

I’ve worked for about 15-20 different archaeology companies in most areas of the nation.  Those companies include small mom-and-pops up to big engineering firms and everything in-between.  Maybe I’ve just been unlucky but none of the companies I’ve worked for have ever given me the sense of joy and excitement that my wife gets when she goes to work, talks about work, or pretty much does her work at home.  I’d really like to change that, or see someone else do it, at the very least.

You see, several years ago my wife took up knitting again.  She had been taught by her grandmother when she was a kid but didn’t do much with it for most of her life.  As she started to really get back into it and started doing more complicated patterns, even attempting to design a few of her own, her passion for it started to develop.  I wasn’t sure where this passion would go or whether it would develop further but one thing was certain: she didn’t feel that way about archaeology (did I mention that she is an archaeologist too?).

So, a few months ago a position opened up at the local yarn store.  Well, it’s more than a store, really.  It’s a locally based international online retailer of all sorts of knitting related items.  She decided to take a huge pay cut and lifestyle change and got a job with the company. I’ve never seen her more happy!  We went to the company holiday party last week and I was amazed at the outpouring of support from the employees and from the owner.  People were moved to tears when they talked about how much they love working there and how much they love working for the owner.  I think I’ve been in archaeology too long because it all seemed like something out of a movie.  Do people really think that way about a job?  Do they “love” their employer and what they do?  Yes.  Believe it or not, they do.  This is no small company either.  They have almost 40 employees all working out of the same building.

Now, I certainly love my job.  I love talking about it, writing about it, and podcasting about it.  What I don’t love is the work environment that many of us have to deal with.  It’s a real spirit killer.  How many times have you said to either new techs or people that aren’t in the business that this type of archaeology has a high turn-over?  I’ve said it lots of times.  That’s ridiculous!  We have a job that many people would kill for!  Of course, most people think it’s all fortune and glory and Indiana Jones but that’s beside the point.     I think that we should feel passion for what we do and we should have a happy, up beat, and encouraging work environment.  From what I know of leadership that attitude comes straight from the top.

Sometimes you never even see the person at the top that writes the reports, or at least signs their name to them.  They’re there though and you can see their influence acting on and through their employees.  Ever work for a crew chief or field supervisor that is a real ass and seems to hate life?  Or, better yet, ever work for one that is only concerned with getting as many acres surveyed or sites recorded in the shortest time possible that they possibly can?  That attitude comes from above, usually.

So, why are CRM archaeologists so seemingly unhappy with their jobs?  Better yet, why do we continue to work for companies that piss us off or make us unhappy?  I imagine for most of us it’s because we don’t want to give up that sense of security (money), and, we still love archaeology and will do anything to stay in the profession.  I think that this dedication and passion should be rewarded by treating employees with the respect they deserve.  After all, no company would be able to function with out it’s field techs.

My vision for a company that I’d like to work for involves intense collaboration and socialization.  All of the employees would be working in a large, open space, with no cubicles or walls between them.  The PI would be out there too.  He/she would not be in an office down the hall where they are largely unapproachable.  I don’t know exactly what the office would look like but I know I wouldn’t want walls.  People need to feel like they are part of a team and I don’t think a sterile, quiet, cubicled environment is the way to do that.

I also think that giving more benefits to the employees keeps them happier.  My wife’s employer is giving everyone in the company a health and wellness stipend starting the first of the year.  It’s to encourage everyone to go out and be healthy.  They are making plenty of money, why not spread it around?  

How do you give more benefits to the employees in a cash-strapped field?  Work smarter.  I truly feel that by eliminating most paper, in the field and in the office, you could save a medium-sized company hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.  That’s not just in paper costs either.  That includes maintaining copiers and printers, having people type up the forms in the office, and storage of all of the field forms for decades to come.  Everything can be done digitally and last generation’s archaeologists need to realize that the digitization of our world is not something to be feared.  Just remember three things about digital documents and data: backup, backup, backup.  That’s it.  

There are some companies that are not opposed to technology.  I don’t know of any CRM companies that are using tablets in the field just yet but there may be some out there.  There are certainly academic projects that have gone completely digital and are even drawing feature maps and rock art on iPads.  We have the resources to be as technologically advanced a field as others, we just have to take that first step.  When we start saving all of this money, while not lowering our prices to clients because we have to continue to value our work appropriately, we can start giving more back to our employees.

I also feel that professional development and intellectual development should not be treated like something that is secondary to getting that next survey done.  I would love to see a company where people all the way down to the field tech level are rewarded for going to conferences, presenting papers, and attending local talks, or even giving them.  The more we know about current research the better we will be on our own projects.  I would reward people for giving local talks on archaeology and projects in the area too.  What are we doing all of this for anyway?  The public has a right, and usually a desire, to know about the archaeology in their backyard and in the state they live in.  Tell them about it.  

It would be great to see a year-end bonus structure that was based on a points system.  Points could be given for presenting a paper, giving a talk, going to a conference, or anything related to communicating archaeology to someone else.  

I’m trying not to make this into a huge rant.  I love my field and I want to see it get better.  I want to see people that are happy to be heading out into the field for one more session.  I want to see people telling their friends and family that they wouldn’t want to work in any other field for anyone else and that they are very happy with their lives and with the decisions that they’ve made regarding archaeology.  I just don’t see that right now.

Please, if I’ve just had bad luck and you work for a company that makes you shout tidings of joy out the windows of skyscrapers then leave a comment.  If you work for an employer that makes you LOVE going to work everyday and encourages you to better yourself professionally and intellectually, leave a comment.  If you are a venture capitalist and want to fund my new company, call me!

#71 Archaeological Hierarchy

The Great Basin has been a cruel mistress these past few years.  Since I was in the Navy and my division chief, Chief Davis told me that you’re up or out, meaning that you either move up or move out of the way for others, I’ve been motivated to climb whatever ladder I’ve been on.  Working in the South that meant get a Master’s degree and you can run projects and write reports.  You can even run a company some day.  I thought it worked that way in the west which is why I went to graduate school.  I had a lot to learn.

When I finished graduate school and returned to the Great Basin I somewhat expected a position to land at my feet because I took the initiative to educate myself and gain the necessary qualifications for advancement.  That’s not how it works here.  At every company I’ve worked for I’ve seen people with BA’s running projects and writing reports.  True, there are always a few MA’s around but you don’t need an MA to gain a higher level of responsibility out here.  

One drawback to this system is that those BA’s that have worked at a company for a few years, have a lot of security, and have a lot of responsibility, also have no desire to leave and get a higher degree.  Why should they?  If then never want to run a company and don’t mind always taking direction from someone else then why would they even want to move up?  It’s a system that doesn’t quite seem fair to those that choose to become better archaeologists by taking the initiative to get more education.

Now, I know some of my readers will say that just getting an advanced degree doesn’t make you smarter and it doesn’t make you a better archaeologists.  You’re right.  It doesn’t.  What it does do, however, is exposes you to different levels of resources and different ways of thinking.  A graduate course is a great place for networking and for learning some writing skills.  Of course a great archaeologist is always learning and trying to do better.

Another frustrating aspect of the Great Basin is that even if you do have an advanced degree and years of experience you will likely start out at the bottom of any company you work for.  I know someone that has an MA and over 20 years of experience running projects and writing reports and he’s answering to BA level project supervisors.  He’s a nice guy and doesn’t seem to mind but it’s unfair to him.  Because all of his experience is in the eastern United States all of his years of leadership experience and his experience with clients is thrown out the door.  How do they get away with that here?

I’d love it if a few PI’s in the Great Basin could comment on this post and tell me why they treat people this way and how this sort of system came about.  I don’t want this post to make it sound as though I’m bitter or anything.  I can see how it could come off that way.  Clearly, I’ve chosen to stick around and be a player in this crazy system.  I just want to know why it is so different than how the rest of the country appears to be.

My next post will be a detailed account of how I’d like a company to run.  It’s a pie-in-the-sky idea and probably wouldn’t be profitable but it’s a dream anyway.  I need to win millions on a game show so I can bring the idea to fruition.  I think that if the company were started, staffed, and filled with technology from a money source that didn’t involve clients then it could be self-sustaining.  I know there’s no real money in archaeology and that you can’t get rich doing it but I think you can run a company that focuses on its employees as the bottom line rather than on the clients.  Sure, the clients pay the bills, but the company would be nothing without the techs.  Many businesses treat their employees well while still managing to keep the client happy.  

There is one simple change that I know would be simple and easy to make.  Everyone would be in the same space.  I’d want to get away from the system where the grumbly old PI is off in an office somewhere and people are afraid to talk to him/her.  If everyone is in the same space, with no cubicle walls, then a more collaborative approach can be taken.  If you’re worried that they’ll gossip too much or get too distracted then don’t hire people that don’t share your passion.  There are plenty of high quality, passionate, out-of-work archaeologists out there just waiting for their shot.

I’ll save the rest for the next post…

See you in the field.

#70 Happy Birthday “On the Origin of Species”

Charles Darwin’s most well known publication “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life” was published on this day, November 24, 1859, 152 years ago.  Today, the book and the theory that it proposed is still the subject of controversy and discussion.

Darwin proposed through his book the Theory of Natural Selection.  The biologist Ernst Mayr summarizes the theory: 

• Every species is fertile enough that if all offspring survived to reproduce the population would grow.
• Despite periodic fluctuations, populations remain roughly the same size.
• Resources such as food are limited and are relatively stable over time.
• A struggle for survival ensues.
• Individuals in populations vary significantly from one another.
• Much of this variation is inheritable.
• Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less likely to reproduce; individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to survive and more likely to reproduce and leave their inheritable traits to future generations, which produces the process of natural selection.
• This slowly effected process results in populations changing to adapt to their environments, and ultimately, these variations accumulate over time to form new species.

Got it? Good.

Darwin worked on refining his theory for several decades.  He drew on his own research and on his travels on the HMS Beagle. In 1855 a paper written by Alfred Russel Wallace described a theory of natural selection that was very similar to Darwin’s.  Charles Lyell urged Darwin to publish his theory before he got scooped.  Darwin was reluctant to publish his theory in a paper and wanted to write a large treatise in book form.

On June 18, 1858, while Darwin was working on his book, he received a package from Wallace.  In it was a twenty page paper that essentially laid out Darwin’s theory.  Wallace wanted Darwin to present the paper to the Linnaean Society for him.  Darwin’s colleagues Lyell and Hooker urged him to present a joint paper to the Society so they could get equal credit.  The papers were read on July 1, 1858 with little reaction from the scientific community.

Darwin began to write an abstract of his work following the July meeting.  In March publishing agreements were arranged and on November 24 the book was finally published.  Of the published copies about 1,170 were initially available for sale.  Three thousand copies of the second edition was printed on January 7, 1860 and included corrections and a response to religious objections.  The book has since been published in over 25 languages.

So, this Thanksgiving give thanks for Darwin’s dedication to his science and his life’s work.  While you’re at it, give thanks to all of the scientists in this world and throughout history that have made your life better.  Look around you and you’ll realize how difficult your life would be had things like plastic and electricity not been invented and used for creative purposes.

Excellant "On the Origin of Species" graphic novel.Enjoy your dinner and remember that you’ll be sleepy this evening not because of tryptophan but because of the trials of dealing with family, the struggles of food preparation, and the 5,000 calories in carbohydrates that you just consumed.

See you in the field!

#69 Shovelbums Guide Part 9.2: Holiday Wish List

Here is the second installment of my Holiday Wish List for new and current archaeologists.  Enjoy.

Clipboard.  There are three different materials clipboards can be made of.  There are the simple wooden ones, simple and enclosed plastic types, and aluminum clip boards.  Companies usually have a few of the simple wooden ones available but for long term use they are less than adequate.  On surveys and on excavations a number of forms are needed and have to be stored.  A clip board that stores a few forms is of great use to any field archaeologist.

The plastic clipboards that have an interior storage compartment are far cheaper than aluminum ones.  They have their ups and downs, though.  The up side is that they are light, cheap, don't freeze in the winter and don't get scorching hot in the summer.  The down sides are that they are more fragile and can break easily.  A lot of people, however, prefer this type of clipboard.

The aluminum clipboard is my prefered type.  I have the side opening type.  There are two other types that I've seen in wide use.  They are the bottom opening and the type with a clipboard on the outside and storage beneath it (my wife prefers that one).  The aluminum clipboards are sturdy and will likely not break any time soon.  However, they can reach severely high temperatures in direct sunlight and freezing cold temperatures in the winter.  They will also leave black stains on your hands, as will most aluminum objects, such as pin flags.  That being said, I just prefer them.  They seem more permanent, more professional, and more sturdy.  To each his own, though.

Munsell Soil Color Book.  This item is for the serious archaeologist.  Munsell soil color books are used throughout the world in identifying soil colors using a standard definition.  I won't get into the problems with the Munsell book.  If you're an archaeologist you're aware of it.  Most of the time you only need a few pages from the Munsell book.  You can buy replacement pages which would be adequate for most people.  However, if you want the entire book it'll cost you.

Orange Vest.  Many archaeology projects take place on active construction sites or in areas that will soon be construction sites.  Orange vests are usually required in these areas.  Sometimes archaeologists, the smart ones, wear vests during hunting season to aviod getting mistaken for a homeless ungulate.  Often, a company will provide you with a vest.  The vest will likely smell pretty foul and not fit.  Having your own vest would be preferable.  Buy a lightweight vest with several pockets.  They'll come in handy.  You don't want a thick, warm vest.  Chances are you will wear the same vest all year round.  In the summer you'd want it to not be too warm.  In the winter you'd want it to be big enough to wear over multiple layers of cold weather gear.

Hard Hat.  Often, a hard hat is required at the same time a vest is.  You're required to wear a hard hat on all active mining sites so if you work in the west, prepare to wear a sweaty, ill-fitting, hard hat provided by your company or by the mine.  Hard hats can be purchased for $6-$80.  The cheap ones are usually just as good as the expensive ones.  Often, the only difference is style and color.  A good fitting hard hat can mean the difference to a miserable survey and a tolerable one.

Dental Picks.  These are used to remove hardened material from artifacts and to excavate delicate items in a solidified matrix, among other things.  Dental picks are the easiest gift to get for the archaeologist in your life.  Often, you can ask your dentist to hang on to the old ones for a while and they will.  Before I went to Africa several years ago I got about 50 of them from my dentists.  They were invaluable.  Dental picks are free and fragile so get a lot of them.  Of course, a field CRM archaeologist can go for an entire career and never need one so know the needs of your archaeologist friend.

If you can think of other items that archaeologists might want leave me a note in the comments.  This post is for you.  Make it better!  Give a link to this post to those that are buying presents for you so you can be assured that you get the appropriate gear for the holidays.

Have a safe winter and I'll see you in the field!

#68 Episode 02 of the new podcast is up!

Check out Episode 02 of the new podcast!  Click on podcast in the navigation bar at the top.  You can subscribe via the feed link in the right margin, you can download the podcast at the bottom of the post, or, soon, you can subscribe and download via iTunes.

I'm really excited about making this podcast work.  Bear with me as to my tone, the music, and the flow.  It's a work in progress.  With that in mind, I welcome any suggestions, comments, and criticisms.  Also, if you think you can do a better job, PLEASE DO!  We need more podcasts for the CRM field.  As far as I know, there aren't ANY out there.  There is a lot we have to say and I think more than a few people wouldn't mind hearing it.

Thanks.  Tell your friends!