How Professional and Avocational Archaeologists Can Collaborate for the Greater Good
Archaeology isn’t just for people with PhDs and fancy excavation tools. Some of the most valuable insights into our past come from passionate artifact collectors and avocational archaeologists—everyday people who love history just as much as the pros do. But here’s the kicker: these groups don’t always get along. Enter the Society for American Archaeology (SAA), which decided to change the game by creating a task force dedicated to bridging the gap between professionals and collectors.
In this article, we’ll break down what the SAA Task Force did, why it matters, and how their findings are helping to bring together professionals and amateur enthusiasts to preserve history. Spoiler alert: it involves mutual respect and a lot of learning from each other!
The Divide: Why It’s Time to Work Together
For the past 50 years, professionals and avocational archaeologists (i.e., those without formal training but with a passion for artifacts) have drifted apart. Collectors, despite their valuable contributions, often feel dismissed or looked down upon by professionals. And archaeologists worry that collectors, even when acting legally, might harm the archaeological record by not following best practices.
But wait—aren’t we all in this for the same reason? To learn about and preserve the past? The SAA thought so, and in 2015, they put together a task force to help professional archaeologists, avocational archaeologists, and artifact collectors (also called “Responsible and Responsive Stewards” or RRS) work better together.
The Task Force to the Rescue
The task force had a clear mission:
- Define the appropriate relationships between archaeologists and collectors.
- Develop a position statement on how to collaborate ethically.
- Promote actions that encourage positive relationships.
Led by Bonnie Pitblado and Michael Shott, the task force brought together 12 experts from all corners of archaeology: from museum curators and professors to professional collectors. Their goal? To hash out how to work together without stepping on each other’s toes—or, more importantly, the archaeological record.
So, What Was the Big Issue?
One of the main problems is how professional archaeologists view collectors. There’s a fear that collectors, even those acting legally, may not always document their finds well, which can result in lost historical data. Meanwhile, collectors often feel left out and dismissed by professionals who don’t value their contributions.
The task force took on these tough questions:
- Who counts as a professional archaeologist? The task force defined professional archaeologists as those with formal training and certification. However, they emphasized the importance of respecting the contributions of avocational archaeologists and collectors, provided they follow ethical guidelines.
- When is it ethical to collaborate? It is ethical to collaborate when collectors adhere to legal standards and ethical codes. The SAA stressed that professionals should only collaborate with Responsible and Responsive Stewards (RRS) who respect archaeological ethics and are willing to document and share their findings.
- What about the commercialization of artifacts? The commercialization of artifacts—buying and selling archaeological finds—remains a contentious issue. While the task force acknowledged that this happens, they discouraged it and recommended that artifacts should be preserved and shared for educational purposes, rather than treated as commodities.
After months of lively debates and over 140 pages of email exchanges, the task force drafted a position statement outlining how archaeologists and collectors can work together—ethically and productively.
Getting Feedback from the People Who Matter
The task force didn’t stop at creating a statement; they sent it out for feedback. They got responses from 249 stakeholders, including archaeologists, artifact collectors, and museum professionals.
Here’s what they heard loud and clear:
- Archaeologists, stop being rude to collectors! A little respect goes a long way.
- The statement needs to tackle the issue of commercialization (i.e., the buying and selling of artifacts) more thoroughly.
- Don’t forget about descendant communities—they’re key stakeholders in this too.
- Public education is crucial! Both archaeologists and collectors need to better educate each other and the public.
The task force took this feedback seriously, making important tweaks to their final statement.
The Final Word: SAA’s Position Statement
In 2018, after a lot of give and take, the SAA Board approved the task force’s final statement. The heart of the statement is about respect—between professional archaeologists and the Responsible and Responsive Stewards (RRS) of the past. These are collectors who legally and ethically preserve artifacts and want to learn from professionals, and vice versa.
The statement doesn’t encourage the casual collection of artifacts from archaeological sites. But it recognizes that many collectors hold important historical objects that archaeologists can learn from. By working together under ethical guidelines, both sides can protect and share valuable information.
Key Takeaways from the Statement
Here’s what you need to know about the SAA’s position statement:
- Respect for Ethics: Professional archaeologists don’t have to break their ethical codes to work with collectors, but they should engage with those who follow legal and ethical guidelines.
- Collectors Can Contribute: Many collectors hold critical archaeological data. By collaborating, archaeologists can gain insights that might otherwise be lost.
- Education Is Key: Archaeologists and collectors should learn from each other, and they should share what they know with the public.
So, What’s Next? Recommendations for the Future
The SAA didn’t just release a statement and call it a day—they laid out practical steps to keep the momentum going. Here are some of their top recommendations:
- Teach archaeologists about the value of private collections: These collections can be treasure troves of information, but only if we know how to engage with the collectors who manage them.
- Collaborate to document sites and collections: Archaeologists and collectors should work together to record archaeological data, which could otherwise be lost.
- Create national databases for private collections: These would be similar to the UK’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, helping to document and preserve privately held artifacts.
- Encourage public curation or best practices: Collectors should consider donating their collections to museums, but if that’s not possible, they need to know how to properly care for their finds.
- Join forces for education: Collectors should get involved in training programs and archaeological organizations to improve their skills and share their knowledge.
Conclusion: A New Era of Collaboration
The SAA task force has laid the groundwork for a future where professional archaeologists and avocational collectors can work hand-in-hand to preserve history. By respecting each other’s knowledge and skills, we can ensure that more archaeological discoveries are preserved, studied, and shared for generations to come.
Call to Action
If you’re interested in learning more about how archaeologists and collectors can collaborate, check out the full SAA statement on collaboration here. Who knows? You might just be inspired to join the next big archaeological discovery!
References
McKern, W.C.
1937. The Amateur in Archaeology. Bulletin of the Texas Archeological and Paleontological Society, 9, 108–111.
McKern, W.C., Arthur C. Parker, M.R. Harrington, and Carl E. Guthe
1935. Editorial. American Antiquity, 1, 1–5.
Pitblado, Bonnie L., and Michael J. Shott
2015. Special Section: Pros and Cons of Consulting Collectors. The SAA Archaeological Record, 15(5), 11–39.