Page 164 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

VII. Competence and qualifications
Rules 22 and 23 address competence and qualifications, both very central concepts in archaeology, conservation and the heritage
discipline in general. Interventions and activities directed at the underwater heritage should be carried out professionally as the continued well- being of the heritage is at stake. Professional atti- tudes and professional ethics are contextually related.
Underwater archaeologists
 © Wessex Archaeology. A diver putting on his equipment. Surface-supplied diver with the diving helmet and the umbilical device that supplies the diver with air, a communication line, video line to his/her camera, depth guage, acoustic tracking and safety line.
All project members involved
in an underwater archaeological project must possess the necessary knowledge, qualifications, skills, training and understanding to ensure that their actions do not endanger this precious heritage.They must thus be competent in their specific field of action and with respect to the specific task assigned to them in the framework of the project.
The results of archaeological work or investi- gation will outweigh the ‘damage’ to the site that intervention, and in particular excavation, entails if it is professionally and competently carried out. In order to minimise the damage by and maxi- mise the benefit from intervention (such as knowledge about the past) those involved must possess the necessary know-ledge, skills, training and understanding to ensure that their actions do not endanger this precious record. They must be appropriately qualified and competent to undertake the work planned.
Defining competence and
qualification
Competence can be defined as being in adequate possession of the required skills, knowledge, quali- fications and capacity to undertake the task at hand.
Qualification can be defined as ‘a quality, ability or accomplishment that fits a person for some function’ 163
Rule 22.
Activities directed at underwater cultural heritage shall only be undertaken under the direction and control of, and in the regular presence of, a qualified un- derwater archaeologist with scientific competence appropriate to the project.
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Competence and qualifications