Amateur Certification in Archaeology:

Abstract

Amateur and professional archeologists alike have called again and again for more public education, particularly as destruction of archeological sites has accelerated. Several programs focusing on education through certification programs are reviewed. Problems of amateur participation, relevance to the community and university, and publication are discussed. It is concluded that a well-planned program of amateur education and certification can be an effective tool in the creation of a public ethic of conservation. Through such a program, archeology can benefit amateurs and professionals, museums and schools, communities and individuals. In short, it offers the possibility of a true “public archeology.”