Page 168 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

© M. Staniforth. Jun Kimura (Maritime Archaeology Program at Flinders University) and Dr. James Delgado (Institute for Nautical Archaeology/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA) at the Bach Dang battlefield site (1288 AD), Vietnam.
The project was carried out jointly by the Institute of Archaeology,Vietnam, the Vietnam History Academy, the Institute
of Nautical Archaeology, the Maritime Archaeology Program, Flinders University, and the Ecole Francaise d’Extrême Orient.
An archaeological project should take place under the direction
and control of, and in the
regular presence of, a qualified underwater archaeologist with scientific competence appropriate to the project. Depending on
the countries’ requirements the archaeologist should be present all the time or the archaeologist should conduct regular site visits during fieldwork.The responsibility for the intervention and its results lies with the project director and he ensures that the work being executed is line with appropriate standards and according to the agreed project design.
Respecting ethics
Most archaeologists work under local, national or internationally accepted codes of practice and ethics. As members of a range of professional bodies, archaeologists are required to abide by professional standards and codes of conduct. Their work will be subject to peer review and they can be disciplined and exposed if they act in contravention of professional ethics. Bodies such as the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists (ASAPA) in South Africa, the Institute for Archaeologists (IfA) in the United Kingdom, or the Australian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA), are important instruments in setting and maintaining national standards in archaeological qualification and com- petence. Membership of such a body will signify a certain level of qualification and competence in an archaeologist.
Determining qualification
Whether an archaeologist is deemed to be qualified will be determined by the requirements of the competent authority in whose territory the archaeological work takes place. In assessing competence, competent authorities with little experience in this matter may seek advice from professional organizations. Most countries will demand certain qualifications and set minimum standards, but in general terms
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Competence and qualifications