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A backhoe on an archaeology dig? Is that really a good idea?
It's no problem when you have a master operator like Time Team America's Ian Barclay. With his steady hands at the controls, he can quickly remove layers of topsoil while preserving the delicate archaeology underneath -- saving the team countless hours of digging.
To show off his skills, Ian performed a number of backhoe tricks for the crew at the Fort Raleigh site, including this fancy maneuver with a banana.
If you like this video, checkout The Great Trowel Debate. There is also more to explore at our Facebook page.
It's no problem when you have a master operator like Time Team America's Ian Barclay. With his steady hands at the controls, he can quickly remove layers of topsoil while preserving the delicate archaeology underneath -- saving the team countless hours of digging.
To show off his skills, Ian performed a number of backhoe tricks for the crew at the Fort Raleigh site, including this fancy maneuver with a banana.
If you like this video, checkout The Great Trowel Debate. There is also more to explore at our Facebook page.
Dear Time Team America Producer(s)
My name is Matt Parker and I work in film and television development in Los Angeles. I also received my masters in archaeology from the University of Edinburgh, UK and went on to be a visiting scholar at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, IL.
I have been a Time Team fan for years and just watched the first episode of Time Team America, but I must say I'm disappointed.
Time Team UK, all faults aside, has great production value. Each episode is attacked with an arsenal of investigators, each with their own personality and role. It also has urgency. Though I think the whole, "And we have just three days to do it" pitch is poor archaeology, it gives the show movement and a time line. The proof is in the pudding in TT UK's formula because that show has been on the air for a decade. I didn't see much of that in this American rendition.
Tony Scott in Time Team UK is no archaeologist, but he's got flair and personality. He's engaging and inquisitive. He keeps the tempo high and the viewer learning. Though young and hip, the host of TT America is a sketch artist?? Having a host who's sole job it is to Host is crucial. Given our modern ability to portray archaeology in graphical terms, I for one became disinterested to watch a black and white sketch slowly evolve on paper.
Using TT UK as well as other archaeological shows like THE NAKED ARCHAEOLOGIST as models, TT America is lacking. Teaching the American public about archaeology and keeping them engaged is an uphill battle, and in my opinion TT America needs more production value, some quicker editing, perhaps the identical theme song as TT UK (if it's available), and a host who's job it is to keep the show moving.
I am a great supporter of PBS and its mission and a die hard fan of Time Team. I sincerely hope that Time Team America can live up to its UK counterpart and look forward to finding that out in future episodes this summer.
Kind Regards,
Matt Parker
DOD
The Jon Klane Company