75% of archaeologists in Italy work as freelancers, and the majority of them in the field of civil excavations linked to the construction of new works, both private and public, of various kinds, aimed both at renewing the building stock and at upgrading or building from scratch infrastructures and underground utilities. Works that involve excavations very often, or almost always, entail the involvement of the freelance archaeologist; and very often from these excavations emerge materials, structures, traces of more or less ancient human activities. In Italy, finds are by law the property of the state, therefore of everyone, and they should be made accessible and visible to all, as the Faro Convention also teaches us—by some accounts already outdated (adopted in 2005, ratified by Italy in 2020, in reality never applied). But how can a construction site where excavations are underway for purposes very different from archaeological ones be made accessible? How can the local community, and not only them, be made part of the operations taking place under their balconies or in front of their front door? How can a temporary exhibition be organized that, like temporary shops, will have a very limited duration, since the execution of civil works cannot undergo overly prolonged suspensions? And how can any visit be made pleasant and understandable? How can it be publicized? The ethically responsible archaeologist knows that the true and ultimate purpose of their work is to communicate it to the public, to the whole community, to humanity. It would be wonderful to be able to show it as well, at least to those who have the good fortune, the opportunity, the interest to witness live a discovery that will add new pieces to the history of the place.

First Author: Claudia Pizzinato

Keywords:
instant sharing
ethic
human community
limited duration
development-led archaeology