Additional Information

Available Through

Sage Journals

Language

English

Notes

Abstract: Although community engagement is an important archaeological goal, working with the avocational metal-detecting community is still under debate. Two North Carolina field school projects successfully integrated avocationalists in their metal detection surveys using two different types of interaction strategies. The first technique was incorporating individual volunteer avocationalists; the second method was working with a single avocational club. Teaming up with the well-established group, as opposed to independent volunteers, offered the best overall research results. At Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, the project survey strategies, built on lessons learned at Troublesome Creek Ironworks, proved to increase artifact recovery by about one-third.

Additional tags: community engagement; metal detecting; avocational archaeologists; public engagement

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

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

CIfA Codes

• 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

• Anti-Commercialization
• Avoid, Discourage, and Report Unethical and Illegal Activity
• Consultation/Partnership with Affected Groups
• Impact on Communities - Local, Descendant, etc.
• Public Interest, Collaboration, Education, and Outreach

Topics & Issues

• Amateur and Advocational Archaeology
• Collaboration in Archaeology (i.e. Communities, Non-Archaeologists, etc.)
• Ethical Case Studies
• Metal Detecting
• Working with Student Volunteers and the Public