Additional Information

Available Through

Taylor & Francis Online

Language

English

Notes

Themed Issue: The ethics of archaeological practice in Africa

Abstract: In 2008 the Metolong Cultural Resource Management (MCRM) Project embarked upon an ambitious four-year programme that coupled heritage mitigation with capacity building for heritage management in Lesotho. Ahead of western Lesotho's Metolong Dam, a corps of ten Basotho was trained in archaeological field skills and participated in archaeological and anthropological mitigation operations supervised by a team from the University of Oxford. While the MCRM Project's training programme was a success, the Project has recently come to an end and employment opportunities for trainees have not emerged. Infrastructure for heritage management in Lesotho remains under-resourced and there is little indication that future large-scale development projects will promote capacity building in that area. The consequences of this state of affairs will include not only an industrial deficit, but also an impoverishment of workable conceptions of heritage produced by Basotho communities and particular to development in Lesotho. This paper discusses the ethical crossroads at which we find ourselves when capacity building programmes end without producing employment opportunities or enhanced heritage management infrastructure. We explore possible future directions for independent trainee-led co-operatives, regional accreditation and codes of practice for trainees and the devolution of responsibility for ensuring adequate standards of heritage management.

Additional tags: African archaeology; Lesotho; cultural resource management; employment; heritage management; archaeological training; development

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

• Adequate Preparation for Research Projects
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Colleagues, Employees, and Students
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Employers and Clients
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to the Public
• Integrity of Research Methodology
• Procedures for Field Survey or Excavation

CIfA Codes

• Principle 1: Adherence to ethical and responsible behaviour in archaeological affairs
• Principle 2: Responsibility for the conservation of the historic environment
• Principle 3: Responsibility for acquiring and recording reliable information of the past in archaeological research
• Principle 5: Recognition of aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers in all matters of employment

Keywords & Terms

• Accountability
• Employer/Client Relationships
• Environmental Impact and Issues
• Equity and Representation; Discrimination and Harassment
• Funding, Employment, and/or Compensation for Work
• Impact on Communities - Local, Descendant, etc.
• Management of Cultural Resources, Heritage, History
• Preservation of Archaeological Resources
• Professional Qualification
• Professional Standards
• Promotion of Archaeological Research/Archaeology as Scientific Discipline
• Protection and Non-Disclosure of Archaeological Sites
• Public Interest, Collaboration, Education, and Outreach
• Respect for and Responsibility to Affected Groups
• Standards of Data Collection, Recordation, Analysis
• Standards of Training and Student/Teacher Responsibilities

Topics & Issues

• Compensation for Work
• Contract Archaeology
• Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
• Development vs. Conservation
• Ethical Responsibilities of Archaeologists
• Heritage Management
• Job Security, Unemployment, and Compensation