Czy polskiej archeologii potrzebny jest kodeks etyki? [Does Polish Archaeology Need a Code of Ethics?]
1999, Zapiski Archeologiczne, Fasc. 3, pp. 13-18
DOES POLISH ARCHEOLOGY NEED A CODE OF ETHICS? Archeology has evolved over the course of a century and a half from the hobby of antiquity lovers to the highly respected auxiliary science of history. The last quarter century has brought an acceleration of its maturation: management of sites instead of exploitation. There is a clear tendency to limit excavation work as non-destructive research techniques are definitely developed. The emphasis is on rescue and preservation work. There is a noticeable tendency towards a comprehensive approach to archeology, and material culture is seen as part of a larger context, including the environment, the historical landscape and the sources still in the ground. The archaeological resources cannot be renewed and the excavations cause irreversible changes. There is a noticeable trend to look for the best methods of conservation, stabilization of archaeological sites and preservation of monuments in situ. Less destructive archaeological research is starting to dominate, and the classic excavation method is reduced to a minimum. Telemetry techniques are increasingly used, allowing information to be recorded using a camera, radar or magnetometers. Thanks to the use of high-resolution satellites and scanners, it is now possible to conduct very accurate theoretical field studies. New discipline is taking root in archaeology – the management of archaeological sites. It was born from the end of World War II on, it developed for good in the 1970s in the U.S., from where it was transferred to Europe. Archaeology as a research discipline extends the definition of its tasks to include the philosophy of managing cultural heritage. It is a systematic and holistic approach when making decisions on research, protection, restoration, development and maintenance of places related to the human past. It is especially important to reconcile the values inscribed in the archaeological site: historical, scientific, aesthetic, economic, cultural, educational, religious and political. The history of conservation of archaeological sites in Poland dates back to the partitions (19th century). The period after the Second World War brought the development of rescue research and outstanding achievements in the research of historical cities. Since 1978, a nationwide research and conservation program for the Polish Archaeological Record has been carried out. On a par with other categories, archaeological monuments are protected by law. For years, research in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean has brought Polish archeology international prestige. An important signal of changes and appreciation of the rank of archaeological heritage in formal and legal terms was the ratification by Poland of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage of 1992. Questions about the ways and limits of human cognition and the ethical responsibility of science are constantly relevant. The discussion of conservation ethics in American archeology began in the 1970s when it was recognized that archaeological testimony was non-renewable and was rapidly disappearing. In Poland, this state is being achieved with difficulty at present. The basis of ethics in archeology is the assumption that every effort should be made to preserve and dispose wisely of the archaeological heritage. It is an urgent task to start a discussion, accept and disseminate by the Scientific Association of Polish Archaeologists a proposal of ethical standards for the conduct of archaeologists. Its implementation will certainly be the right message of the professional community for future archaeologists. The 19th century with its imponderabilia has passed irretrievably, and Erazm Majewski's Ten Archaeological and Prehistoric Commandments in the 21st century may not be enough.
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