EAA Code and Principles: Opportunities and Challenges in Setting the Standards of Archaeological Work in Europe

Abstract

This paper presents the process behind the recent update of the Code of Practice and Principles of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA). The exercise exposed the ethical dilemmas contested in current archaeological discourse in Europe and confirmed the responsibility of an international body to address, rather than suppress, contested issues in archaeology. The review of the EAA Code of Practice and Principles has revealed that it is not possible or even desirable to produce categorical ethical guidelines. It is argued that, despite the challenges in attaining a consensus across diverse archaeological traditions and agendas, the wide membership of the EAA can benefit from the fact that controversial issues are aired and that established archaeological practices in Europe are measured up against those debated in world archaeology.