Since the increasing reliance on developers to fund archaeological work through the 1980s, and the implementation of Planning Policy Guidance Note 16 (PPG16) in 1990, British 'commercial' archaeologists have become increasingly distanced from their academic colleagues. This monograph examines the situation within contemporary 'commercial' archaeology and considers the challenges faced by those employed within that sector, including the impact of commercial working practices on pay and conditions of employment and the process of excavation and knowledge production. This monograph provides a fascinating insight into the working environment of commercial archaeologists and demonstrates how camaraderie and love of their job is often just enough to outweigh the adversity they face in the form of low wages, poor employment conditions and career prospects.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Figures
• Tables
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• Introduction
  • A ‘crisis’ in commercial archaeology
  • Reflections on fieldwork and ‘practical archaeology’
  • The nature of invisibility
  • A study of commercial archaeologists
  • Potential research themes
  • Personal reflections
  • Possible findings
• Part One
  • Chapter One - The Origins of Professional Archaeology
    • Introduction
    • Ancient monument legislation
    • Planning legislation before PPG 16
    • Archaeology before PPG 16
    • PPG16 and developer-led archaeology
    • MAP2
    • Conclusion
  • Chapter Two - Invisible Labourers?
    • Introduction
    • Identifying the commercial archaeologists
    • APPAG
    • Comparisons with horticulture
    • A tradition of labouring: The Parkers of Heytesbury
    • The tradition continues
    • “No-one knows the labourer”
    • Conclusion
• Part Two
  • Chapter Three - Profiling the Vocation
    • Introduction
    • Previous surveys
    • Methodology
    • The results
    • Conclusion
  • Chapter Four - In their own words - Tales of the Invisible Diggers
    • Introduction
    • Thematic analysis of the submissions
    • Creative writing
  • Chapter Five - The Interviews – Part one: career paths
    • Methodology
    • Thematic analysis
    • Conclusion
  • Chapter Six - …It’s about taking part
    • Introduction
    • Methodology
    • The project and site hierarchy
    • The diggers
    • Conditions of employment
    • Physiological reactions
    • [2084] makes an impression
    • Discussion: camaraderie in adversity
  • Chapter Seven - The Interviews – Part two: perceptions
    • Introduction
    • Thematic analysis
    • Conclusion
• Conclusion
• Appendix - Catalogue of Recorded Interviews
• References