Content:
As an archaeological department within a county museum we faced considerable challenges in 2006 and foward when Swedish archaeological system changed. Field archaeology become exposed to competition, making it a "market”, but at the same time not completely release it from state control. The county administrative boards were stipulated to work for a diversity of contract archaeological actors. Much can be said about the system that emerged, what long-term effects on archaeology this has led to and how the market works, but here we will focus on a new approach and the creation of opportunities from the challenges this paradigm shift in contract archaeology created.
It can be said that it was a shocking and challenging time for the archaeology departments in museums. As a museum we were less suited to a competition-driven contract archaeology than private companies for varied reasons. Since the market was still regulated by the state the volume has not increased significantly, although the number of actors and archaeologists has multiplied. It creates a financial pressure on everyone, and economic survival. It´s our long-term ability to maintain and develop archaeology that the ideas grow into what came to be GRASCA.
The need to broaden contract archaeology and thus the market, we needed to go beyond field archaeology, create and develop new services for archaeology. This created the opportunity to start a new graduate school in cooperation with companies (and museums), based on contract archaeology and the connection between humanistic views and future societies. Through nine doctoral students, GRASCA has broadened the horizons of what archaeology and archaeologists can contribute to the benefit of society and its development. For us, an expanded role for the archaeologist provides an excellent opportunity to contribute in more ways to the benefit of society in addition to the purely economic benefit.