Code de conduite Imprimer
Écrit par Institute of Field Archæologists   
Vendredi, 29 Juin 2007 22:08
Règlement Interne de l’Institute of Field Archaeologists (Institut des Archéologues de Terrain, ndt).
Code de Conduite
Version revue, Octobre 2006.

L’objectif de ce code est de promouvoir les standards de conduite et d’auto-discipline dont doit faire preuve l’archéologue dans l’intérêt du public et dans l’aboutissement de la recherche archéologique.

L’archéologie est l’étude de la nature et du comportement des êtres humains du passé dans leur milieu d’origine. Elle est menée à bien à travers la recherche et l’interprétation des restes matériaux des activités humaines, qui conforment dans leur ensemble le patrimoine archéologique. Le patrimoine archéologique est un bien de nature finie, vulnérable et en voie de disparition.

La compréhension intégrale de notre passé telle que la propose l’archéologue est une partie du patrimoine commun de la société et se doit d’être disponible pour tous. C’est pour cette raison mais aussi parce que le patrimoine archéologique est un bien irremplaçable, que les archéologues ont la responsabilité, soit en tant qu’individus, soit en tant que corporation, de contribuer à préserver le patrimoine archéologique, de l’utiliser à bon escient au cours de leur travail, de mener des études qui permettent l’obtention d’informations fiables, ainsi que de rendre ces études publiques.

L’adhésion à ce Code de conduite exige le respect de ces responsabilités de la part de tout individu engagé dans l’archéologie. Toute personne y adhérant et suivant ses principes est dès lors considérée comme rattachée à des standards de compétence, de responsabilité et de comportement éthique spécifiques dans le cadre de la mise en pratique de l’archéologie.

Le Code signale les standards généraux de la conduite professionnelle auxquels les membres de l’Institut et les organisations sont tenus d’adhérer;tout membre qui enfreint les normes de conduite établies dans le Code sera jugé coupable par un corps de conduite impartial de l’Institut, et sera ou réprimandé, ou suspendu, ou expulsé. L’Institut publie de temps à autres des standards et guides de référence pour le développement des projets d’archéologie, ainsi que sur sa propre politique. Tous les membres sont tenus de respecter ces standards, ces documents de référence et cette politique, dans l’intérêt d’une bonne pratique professionnelle; une liste complète des documents des standards, des guides de référence et de la politique de l’IFA (Institut des Archéologues de Terrain, ndt) publiés à ce jour se trouvent dans la section «Pour aller plus loin» en annexe du Code.

Le Code de conduite a été officiellement ratifié et adopté en tant que règlement interne de l’Institut à l’Assemblée Générale Annuelle tenue le 3 juin 1985, et amendé comme Résolution Ordinaire au cours des Assemblées Générales Annuelles des 12 Septembre 1988, 17 Septembre 1993, 14 Octobre 1994, 22 Septembre 1995, 11 Septembre 1996, 10 Septembre 1997 et 7 Septembre 2000. Sa lecture est complémentaire à celles du Mémorandum et Articles de l’Association, ainsi que du Code de Régulation des arrangements contractuels de l’archéologie de terrain, des régulations disciplinaires, des documents standards et de référence (règlement interne figurant dans l’article 44, rattaché à la troisième clause du Mémorandum).

Principle 1

The archaeologist shall adhere to the highest standards of ethical and responsible behaviour in the conduct of archaeological affairs.

Rules
1.1 An archaeologist shall conduct himself or herself in a manner which will not bring archaeology or the Institute into disrepute.
1.2 An archaeologist shall present archaeology and its results in a responsible manner and shall avoid and discourage exaggerated, misleading or unwarranted statements about archaeological matters.
1.3 An archaeologist shall not offer advice, make a public statement, or give legal testimony involving archaeological matters, without being as thoroughly informed on the matters concerned as might reasonably be expected.
1.4 An archaeologist shall not undertake archaeological work for which he or she is not adequately qualified. He or she should ensure that adequate support, whether of advice, personnel or facilities, has been arranged.1
1.5 An archaeologist shall give appropriate credit for work done by others, and shall not commit plagiarism in oral or written communication, and shall not enter into conduct that might unjustifiably injure the reputation of another archaeologist.2
1.6 An archaeologist shall know and comply with all laws applicable to his or her archaeological activities whether as employer or employee, and with national and international agreements relating to the illicit import, export or transfer of ownership of archaeological material. An archaeologist shall not engage in, and shall seek to discourage, illicit or unethical dealings in antiquities.
1.7 An archaeologist shall abstain from, and shall not sanction in others, conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation in archaeological matters, nor knowingly permit the use of his/her name in support of activities involving such conduct.
1.8 An archaeologist, in the conduct of his/her archaeological work, shall not offer or accept inducements which could reasonably be construed as bribes.
1.9 [deleted]
1.10 An archaeologist shall not reveal confidential information unless required by law; nor use confidential or privileged information to his/her own advantage or that of a third person.3
1.11 An archaeologist shall take account of the legitimate concerns of groups whose material past may be the subject of archaeological investigation.
1.12 An archaeologist has a duty to ensure that this Code is observed throughout the membership of the Institute, and also to encourage its adoption by others (see note on Rule 1.12).4
1.13 An archaeologist shall ensure, as far as is reasonably practical, that all work for which he/she is directly or indirectly responsible by virtue of his/her position in the organisation undertaking the work, is carried out in accordance with this Code.
1.14 An archaeologist may find himself/herself in an ethical dilemma where he/she is confronted by competing loyalties, responsibilities or duties. In such circumstances an archaeologist shall act in accordance with the Principles of the Code of conduct.

Principle 2
The archaeologist has a responsibility for the conservation of the archaeological heritage.

Rules

2.1 An archaeologist shall strive to conserve archaeological sites and material as a resource for study and enjoyment now and in the future and shall encourage others to do the same. Where such conservation is not possible he/she shall seek to ensure the creation and maintenance of an adequate record through appropriate forms of research, recording and dissemination of results.5
2.2 Where destructive investigation is undertaken the archaeologist shall ensure that it causes minimal attrition of the archaeological heritage consistent with the stated objects of the project.6
2.3 An archaeologist shall ensure that the objects of a research project are an adequate justification for the destruction of the archaeological evidence which it will entail.

Principle 3

The archaeologist shall conduct his/her work in such a way that reliable information about the past may be acquired, and shall ensure that the results be properly recorded.

Rules
3.1 The archaeologist shall keep himself/herself informed about developments in his/her field or fields of specialisation.
3.2 An archaeologist shall prepare adequately for any project he/she may undertake.
3.3 An archaeologist shall ensure that experimental design, recording, and sampling procedures, where relevant, are adequate for the project in hand.
3.4 An archaeologist shall ensure that the record resulting from his/her work is prepared in a comprehensible, readily usable and durable form.
3.5 An archaeologist shall ensure that the record, including artefacts and specimens and experimental results, is maintained in good condition while in his/her charge and shall seek to ensure that it is eventually deposited where it is likely to receive adequate curatorial care and storage conditions and to be readily available for study and examination.
3.6 An archaeologist shall seek to determine whether a project he/she undertakes is likely detrimentally to affect research work or projects of other archaeologists. If there is such likelihood, he/she shall attempt to minimise such effects.

Principle 4

The archaeologist has responsibility for making available the results of archaeological work with reasonable dispatch.

Rules
4.1 An archaeologist shall communicate and cooperate with colleagues having common archaeological interests and give due respect to colleagues’ interests in, and rights to information about sites, areas, collections or data where there is a shared field of concern, whether active or potentially so.
4.2 An archaeologist shall accurately and without undue delay prepare and properly disseminate an appropriate record of work done under his/her control.7
4.3 An archaeologist shall honour requests from colleagues or students for information on the results of research or projects if consistent with his/her prior rights to publication and with his/her other archaeological responsibilities.8
4.4 An archaeologist is responsible for the analysis and publication of data derived from projects under his/her control. While the archaeologist exercises this responsibility he/she shall enjoy consequent rights of primacy. However, failure to prepare or publish the results within 10 years of completion of the fieldwork shall be construed as a waiver of such rights, unless such failure can reasonably be attributed to circumstances beyond the archaeologist’s control.9
4.5 An archaeologist, in the event of his/her failure to prepare or publish the results within 10 years of completion of the fieldwork and in the absence of countervailing circumstances, or in the event of his/her determining not to publish the results, shall if requested make data concerning the project available to other archaeologists for analysis and publication.
4.6 An archaeologist shall accept the responsibility of informing the public of the purpose and results of his/her work and shall accede to reasonable requests for information for dispersal to the general public.10
4.7 An archaeologist shall respect contractual obligations in reporting but shall not enter into a contract which prohibits the archaeologist from including his/her own interpretations or conclusions in the resulting record, or from a continuing right to use the data after completion of the project.11

Principle 5

The archaeologist shall recognise the aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers with regard to all matters relating to employment, including career development, health and safety, terms and conditions of employment and equality of opportunity.

Rules
5.1 An archaeologist shall give due regard to the requirements of employment legislation relating to employees, colleagues or helpers.
5.2 An archaeologist shall give due regard to the requirements of health and safety legislation relating to employees or to other persons potentially affected by his or her archaeological activities.
5.3 An archaeologist shall give due regard to the requirements of legislation relating to employment discrimination on grounds of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.
5.4 An archaeologist shall ensure that adequate insurance cover is maintained for persons or property which may be affected by his or her archaeological activities.
5.5 An archaeologist shall give due regard to the welfare of employees, colleagues and helpers in relation to terms and conditions of service. He or she shall give reasonable consideration to any IFA recommended pay minima and conditions of employment.
5.6 An archaeologist shall give reasonable consideration to cumulative service and proven experience of employees, colleagues or helpers when deciding rates of remuneration and other employment benefits, such as leave.
5.7 An archaeologist shall have due regard to the rights of individuals who wish to join or belong to a trade union, professional or trade association.
5.8 An archaeologist shall give due regard and appropriate support to the training and development of employees, colleagues or helpers to enable them to execute their duties.

Note:
1) It is the archaeologist’s duty to have regard to his/her skills, proficiencies and capabilities and to the maintenance and enhancement of these through appropriate training and learning experiences. It is the archaeologist’s responsibility to inform current or prospective employers or clients of inadequacies in his/her qualifications for any work which may be proposed; he/she may of course seek to minimise such inadequacies by acquiring additional expertise, by seeking the advice or involvement of associates or consultants, or by arranging for modifications of the work involved; similar considerations apply where an archaeologist, during the course of a project, encounters problems which lie beyond his/her competence at that time. It is also the archaeologist’s responsibility to seek adequate support services for any project in which he/she may become involved, either directly or by way of recommendation.

2) (a) The archaeologist should also consider his/her position in respect of seeking or accepting financial benefit on his/her own behalf or that of relatives in relation to the recovery or disposal of objects or materials recovered during archaeological work. (b) Archaeologists working on the foreshore and underwater may at times find themselves in difficulty regarding their association with commercial salvors and others engaged in exploiting the underwater cultural heritage. The underlying principles are 1) conserving the seabed heritage, 2) using it economically and in such a way that reliable information may be acquired, 3) dissemination of the results and 4) professional permanent curation of the total site archive. It may be a legitimate part of the archaeologist’s duty to work with commercial salvage organisations or individuals, in respect of recording sites and material, including possible museum acquisitions, and assessing sites and the work that takes place on them. In such dealings, however, archaeologists must ensure that: 1) they do not knowingly permit their names or services to be used in a manner which may promote the recovery of archaeological material unless the primary objective of their work is to preserve the scientific integrity of the total site archive in a permanent professionally curated and publicly accessible collection, and unless provision is
made for its study, interpretation and publication. 2) they do not enter into any contract or agreement whereby archaeological or curatorial standards may be compromised in deference to commercial interests. 3) so far as excavated material is concerned, they do not encourage the purchase of objects in any case where they have reasonable cause to believe that their recovery involved the deliberate unscientific destruction or damage of archaeological sites, and that they discourage the sale and consequent dispersal of excavated material. 4) they do not encourage the purchase of objects where there is reasonable cause to believe that recovery involved the failure to disclose the finds to the proper legal or governmental authorities.

3) The archaeologist should also exercise care to prevent employees, colleagues, associates and helpers from revealing or using confidential information in these ways. Confidential information means information gained in the course of the project which the employer or client has for the time being requested be held inviolate, or the disclosure of which would be potentially embarrassing or detrimental to the employer or client. Information ceases to be confidential when the employer or client so indicates, or when such information becomes publicly known. Where specifically archaeological information is involved, it is however the responsibility of the archaeologist to inform the employer or client of any conflict with his/her own responsibilities under Principle 4 of the Code (dissemination of archaeological information) and to seek to minimise or remove any such conflict.

4) From time to time the Institute receives formal or informal complaints about members and allegations of breaches of its by-laws. An archaeologist’s duty to ensure that the Code of conduct is observed includes providing information in response to a request from the Chair or a Vice Chair, and/or giving evidence to such panels and hearings as may be established for the purposes of investigating an alleged breach of the Institute’s by-laws. This requirement is without prejudice to the provisions of Rule 1.10 regarding confidential information.

5) Dissemination in these rules is taken to include the deposition of primary records and unpublished material in an accessible public archive.

6) Particular attention should be paid to this injunction in the case of projects carried out for purposes of pure research. In all projects, whether prompted by pure research or the needs of rescue, consideration should be given to the legitimate interests of other archaeologists; for example, the upper levels of a site should be conscientiously excavated and recorded, within the exigencies of the project, even if the main focus is on the underlying levels.

7) Dissemination in these rules is taken to include the deposition of primary records and unpublished material in an accessible public archive. This rule carries with it the implication that an archaeologist should not initiate, take part in or support work which materially damages the archaeological heritage unless reasonably prompt and appropriate analysis and reporting can be expected. Where results are felt to be substantial contributions to knowledge or to the advancement of theory, method or technique, they should be communicated as soon as reasonably possible to colleagues and others by means of letters, lectures, reports to meetings or interim publications, especially where full publication is likely to be significantly delayed.

8) Archaeologists receiving such information shall observe such prior rights, remembering that laws of copyright may also apply.

9) It is accepted that the movement of archaeologists from one employment to another raises problems of responsibility for the publication of projects. This ultimate responsibility for publication of a piece of work must be determined either by the contract of employment through which the work was undertaken, or by agreement with the original promoter of the work. It is the responsibility of the archaeologist, either as employer or employee, to establish a satisfactory agreement on this issue at the outset of work.

10) The archaeologist should be prepared to allow access to sites at suitable times and under controlled conditions, within limitations laid down by the funding agency or by the owners or the tenants of the site, or by considerations of safety or the well-being of the site.

11) Adherence to this rule may on occasion appear to clash with the requirements of rule 1.10. A client employer may legitimately seek to impose whatever conditions of confidentiality he/she wishes. An archaeologist should not accept conditions which require the permanent suppression of archaeological discoveries or interpretations.

Mise à jour le Lundi, 14 Septembre 2009 08:37