I know that a lot of Jmods are active on this subreddit so that's why I fear that they're gonna listen to the minority that wants to make it just like any other skill in this game.
Archaeology is very unique and you guys absolutely nailed it IMO. Don't ruin it by
appvalley tweaking the XP rates because of a few people that don't understand how MMORPGs work and that you have to invest a lot of time into it.
If you're actually thinking about changing something, at least ask for the opinion from the average Joe by making a poll in-game and not on any social media platform.
Did you buy materials along the way? I am level 74 and just counted I have over 100 damaged artifacts in the bank because I don't have enough materials. I don't plan on buying any, but imagine it would make the journey much faster!