Heritage Seminar: Unsustainable damage to East Anglian heritage
Is East Anglia’s buried and unexplored heritage being pilfered in an unsustainable way?
Speaker: Paul Barford (Warsaw)
Date: 10 April 2013
Abstract
Over the past decade, discussions in the UK of the amateur collecting of archaeological artefacts have concentrated on two facets of this complex problem: the use of the objects themselves for museum display or as a source of information about the past, and dealing with criminal activity among searchers. An equally valid topic, the effect of these activities on the preservation of the archaeological record, has tended to be ignored in the current debate. At what rate is the archaeological record being avoidably damaged by artefact hunting, and to what degree is this damage being effectively mitigated by current policies?
(old site) Heritage Futures 
I am very much looking forward to hearing Paul speak in person, however I do wonder whether, when he has to present factual evidence in person, whether or not he will fall into own trap of personal vitriol and flagrant ‘classism’ which sadly ruin his otherwise interesting blog.
Then, Mr Sommerfiled, come along and see. I look forward to discussing these issues with you.
Paul Barford
Paul Barford tends to let his personal agendas turn into his typical ad hominem attacks on others that get in the way of real dialogue and discussion of the issues that he tries to elaborate on.Therefore I tend to view his blog as close to being based upon facts as Harry Potter is to the science of Sorcery. I will be going and am hoping to see how well he stands up to academic scrutiny when challenged by those who are better informed and without personal agendas. Should be a very interesting seminar indeed.
Clare, I am not sure why my blog and Harry Potter are being discussed here in the same breath. The title of the seminar is not about “blogging” or “dialogue” but something else. I would hope we can keep discussion there on topic rather than allowing the debate to yet again be driven off-topic by those with their own personal agendas that conflict with the need to have some real debate on these fundamental issues.
To take up your point, I do wonder though whether, Clare, you consider my blog (and I stress MY blog) is about metal detecting – or whether it is about presenting some personal opinions (it is a blog) about portable antiquity collecting in a wider context.
Suppose, Clare, the archaeological record IS indeed being pilfered in an unsustainable way, not just in the UK, what kind of “dialogue” do you foresee and with whom? If this was happening, despite most archaeologists trying to apply a “partnership” approach, would you continue to plug away at those involved (all busily ignoring, and determined to deflect attention from, the issues)? Or would an alternative solution not be to turn to trying to produce something to inform a wider public about these issues and their broader contexts and get them talked about? It is their heritage too.
Why would a blog not be a suitable means of doing the latter? My blog is about collecting, its effects and wider contexts, not an attempt to reach out to those doing it and causing all the damage.
As for the fact that it discusses real cases and what real people do and write, would you advise that I write about invented examples and generalizations? Given their accessibility on the Internet – why not take actual (and verifiable) examples of bad practice and go through why they may be considered to be bad in a readily understandable way? Is that “classism”?
But I stress it is my understanding that my blog is not the subject of this seminar. We only have two hours to discuss the topic which is.
So we know who is who, I am going to sign my full name Clare
Paul Barford (medievalist and archaeoblogger from Poland)
Let us deal with some facts here, Paul Barford is a FORMER Archaeologist who has not practiced archaeology as a profession for a very long time, but instead chooses to snipe at, belittle and smear those that do actually practice archaeology as both a profession and discipline. How can somebody with so little credential and with such a track record of archaelogicial mysogony be given any credence with regard to the topic they speak about?. Paul Barford is seen as someone who for whatever reason, seems very bitter and twisted about archaeology in the UK (why does he not still practice archaeology when he is apparently so passionate about it?) and knowing full well his archaeological career is over, chooses to trash both his career (he has nothing left to lose career wise)and those of others in the same way that a petulant child breaks their toys when told to put them away. Yes there are indeed issues with regards to the topic he speaks about but Paul is not the man to take the lead on addressing them as he lacks forst hand current experience and most certainly is bereft of any solutions other than to undermine all and sundry on both sides of the debate in order to promote himself to a position above his station. In days before, we had vanity publishing, now we have vanity Blogging and Paul is a fine example of this self promoting cult of celebrity.
As for debate, well there is no debate according to Paul, he is right and everyone else is wrong- end of discussion.
I for one, along with a few of my colleagues are looking forward to this event immensely as he really is sticking his head and weak arguments well above the parapet in his vanity glory hunt of a ‘presentation’.
there are some important points to make. Is the hunt for portable antiquities sustainable, especially in East Anglia? what is the intellectual impact? Can we estimate how much material goes unreported? I am looking forward to a rigorous and, I suspect, vigorous discussion.
Can anyone confirm what Paul Barfords academic and current professional credentials actually are, if any?
It is strange he never mentions his academic qualifications (if any) and the last I heard was that he does taxi driving around Warsaw and a bit of translation work. Whatever he does do, his Blog must take up an immense amount of his time judging by the time he spends scouring the internet and forums for any little tit bit or morsel of information that he can then Blog about. Anyone in normal employment or certainly archaeology, simply wouldn’t have the time to spend on Blogging like he does. Perhaps he can clarify the matter during his talk.
He’s a Taxi driver??? Really??? An ex Pat Taxi driver with no formal qualifications is going to lecture us about current UK archaeology? There appears to be a distinct lack of academic quality control if that is the case.
Well the old curmudgeon had his 15 minutes of fame and I for one was pleased to see a slight mellowing of his tone in certain areas of discussion. It did highlight to myself and some others that in person, Barfords debate is stripped of it’s vitriolic fervor and propagandist elitism (Keyboard warrior mentality) and instead focuses on the topic rather than the persons involved, leading to some actual headway of resolution. The fact that Barford was called to account on various matters and had facts presented to him that went against his perception, did seem to take the edge off his fervent position. Perhaps Barford will now take time to reflect on his big bad blogging ways of old and actually realise that to effect change, one has to lead by many intricate mechanisms of polite manipulation and not merely be the bitter and twisted web polemicist, criticising all and sundry around him and in doing so, alienating BOTH sides of the argument.
So, having seen Barford actually speak in person and to see the bombastic rhetoric curtailed, I hope that this is carried forward in his future blogging- UK Heritage and Archaeology deserves it !!
“Is East Anglia’s buried and unexplored heritage being pilfered in an unsustainable way?” Presumably the alternative is that it can be pilfered in a sustainable way.
How can you, David Gill, expects facts from a man who reckons the Artefact Erosion Counter is factual! You truly deserve one another.
Who paid for Barford to travel from Warsaw for this lecture? In a time of the ever shrinking public purse, I hope the money did not come out of the taxpayer, Liam
Liam, This seminar was well attended and allowed discussion about a topic that is so important for the heritage of East Anglia.