ABSTRACT
In the public eye Every now and then archaeology will hit the headlines, either because treasure has been unearthed and an expert opinion is quoted or because another chunk of the national heritage is about to be dug away. ‘Call for law change after ruling on £20m treasure’, introduces a piece on the Snettisham hoard of gold and silver ornaments while ‘Troy Town under siege after divine intervention’, leads into an article about the preservation of an ancient maze on the Scilly Isles. Being in the public eye at times of crisis creates a rather unbalanced view of archaeology which is compounded by the antics of the fictional archaeologist. By far the most eminent of these during the 1980s was Indiana Jones. He was an heroic figure who, armed only with a floppy hat and a bull-whip, saved western civilization. Most contemporary archaeologists have rather more modest ambitions; yet despite their attempts to hide behind theoretical frameworks and data files archaeology is still seen as a glamorous pastime.
