What Am I?

FourWinds Feb 6, 2006 22:37:06

The email from the Antiquarian Society arrived at a very apt time (for future reference see http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/forum/?thread=30115)

I was listening to a podcast today about what archaeologists do - a very basic overview - when all of a sudden the reader went into a bit of a rant (albeit calmly) about <i>antiquarianism</i>. The basis of it was that antiquarians are money hungry grave robbers!

So, as I ain't one of them what am I? (I'll pause for a few minutes for everyone to make the expected comments ................. )

I'm not an archaeologist cos I ain't got that piece of paper. Am I an amateur archaeologist? EEeeeww!! I hope not!

If 'landscape archaeologist' is a valid tag then can I call myself an amateur landscape archaeologist? Does that sound just too wanky?

The problem is I actually want to be a landscape antiquarian. Can the term antiquarian ever be torn away from its image of landed gentry whizzing around the country ripping apart barrows?

Littlestone Feb 6, 2006 22:43:49

Replying to FourWinds

>Can the term antiquarian ever be torn away from its image of landed gentry whizzing around the country ripping apart barrows?<

Course it can... just prefix antiquarian with 'modern' ;-)

cropredy Feb 6, 2006 22:52:04

Replying to FourWinds

Fourwinds, you are,

The very essence of a" modern antiquarian",
You provide and stimulate information,
You tell it, like it is,
With a humour, lacking in stuffy out of date so-called experts.
Up to date, on the ball, and you care.
Yorks saying;- Theres nowt fecking rong wit reet folk, and thee be all,reet.

nigelswift Feb 6, 2006 23:10:25

Replying to FourWinds

You'll be glad to know that the only other person described as a "landscape/antiquarian" on Google is the Irish artist O'Brien
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:ftcoCYHqm0QJ:www.irishartsreview.com/html/vol21_no4/oben/feature_oben.htm+%22landscape+antiquarian%22&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8

His pictures are bostin, totally Turner.
I guess to paint like that you have to look and look to see the truth of the landscape, so maybe that's a perfectly fair description for what you do.

fitzcoraldo Feb 6, 2006 23:26:40

Replying to FourWinds

Independent Researcher is a fairly neutral sort of title which is difficult to load any meaning or biase on to.

Chris Collyer Feb 7, 2006 19:28:31

Replying to FourWinds

I always liked the term Amateur Prehistorian.
It covers the time span of interest, the fact that most of us don't get paid for it, and doesn't have any other connotations linked to digging anything up, treasure hunting or 'new age' beliefs.

-Chris

cropredy Feb 8, 2006 21:49:44

Replying to FourWinds

Just been listening to some music on HH, that You?
Bloody good who ever tomfourwinds is.
K.

Pilgrim Feb 9, 2006 06:57:18

Replying to FourWinds

.....(behind a low wall, we hear the sounds of feverish digging, clods of earth rise and fall in regular time), then, a voice is heard:

"Right - that should be deep enough"

Suddenly, a head appears above the wall, mud-splattered and grinning like an idiot....

"Hello, FourWinds; Why not call yourself a Psychogeographer?"

The head vanishes, as it's owner dives into the hole he's prepared so he can dodge the flak that will surely come his way....... :-)

Peace

Pilgrim

fitzcoraldo Feb 9, 2006 10:12:02

Replying to FourWinds

You could take your cue from Copey.

"Good morning Mr farmer, I am a forward thinking motherfucker and I would like to walk across your fields and look at your big stones"

nigelswift Feb 9, 2006 10:51:38

Replying to FourWinds

"I am the veriest varlet that
ever chewed with a tooth. Eight yards of uneven
ground is threescore and ten miles afoot with me;
and the stony-hearted villains know it well enough"

Henry IV