Berufsfeld: Staatliche Bodendenkmalpflege

Abstract

Archaeology – a discipline that is often said to be an “exotic” subject for aesthetes – is a complex combination of various disciplines in the fields of technology, natural science, and humanities. The predominant task of archaeology is the discovery, preservation, and care of field monuments as part of the nation’s cultural heritage. This task places high demands on all the people working in this field, especially the conservation officers, as they should consider all aspects of their profession. Because of its proximity to engineering and construction industry as well as frequently changing work sites, the profession of the “conservation officer” used to be a male domain. However, practice has shown that women manage to move successfully into this segment. A good conservation officer is required to have complex skills in field archaeology, but also a general knowledge in natural science, law, applied economics, business management, journalism/public relations, scientific analytics, and personnel management. Apart from a strong motivation, a high performance orientation, the willingness to adapt to changing requirements, the ability to perform several tasks simultaneously, and especially social skills should be the special characteristics of every archaeologist working for the national heritage.