Theoretical Archaeology

T. Kerig, Von Gräben und Stämmen: Zur Interpretation bandkeramischer Erdwerke.

by tim kerig

U. Veit, T. L. Kienlin, Ch. Kümmel, S. Schmidt (Hrsg.),
Spuren und Botschaften: Interpretationen materieller Kultur.
Tübinger Archäologische Taschenbücher, Band 4.
Münster – New York – München – Berlin:
Waxmann 2003
[Seiten 225–244]

T. Kerig, Ian Hodder und die britische Archäologie: Ein Profil.

by tim kerig

In M.K.H. Eggert und U. Veit (Hg.), Theorie in der Archäologie – Zur englischsprachigen Diskussion. Tübinger Archäologische Taschenbücher 1 (Münster 1998) 217-242

Theorising Landscapes: the Concept of Historical Interactive Landscape

by Jaromír Beneš

Co-authored with Marek Zvelebil

Zvelebil,M. - Beneš, J. 1997: Theorising Landscapes: the Concept of Historical Interactive Landscape, in: J.Chapman - P.Dolukhanow (eds.), Lanscape in flux. Central and Eastern Europe in Antiquity. Colloquia Pontica 3., s. 23 - 40. Oxbow Books.

(2008) Voutsaki, S. Greek archaeology: theoretical developments over the last 40 years. Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie 40, 21-28.

by Sofia Voutsaki

Classical archaeology has for a long time been considered a self-contained and conservative discipline. However, the... more Classical archaeology has for a long time been considered a self-contained and conservative discipline. However, the discipline is undergoing a dramatic transformation, as practitioners adopt new interpretive approaches and innovative methods of analysis, inspired by developments in the neighbouring fields of prehistoric archaeology and ancient history. These changes in practice and orientation do not really constitute a unified phenomenon.  Rather different academic traditions are developing, diverging approaches are adopted, and even competing definitions of classical (or Mediterranean ?) archaeology are used alongside each other. Archaeology has not only changed; it has also become a diversified, growing and vibrant field.
This paper will attempt to outline some of the theoretical and methodological changes that have taken place in classical archaeology in the last forty years or so. Although the emphasis will be on Greek archaeology, developments in all areas of the Mediterranean and examples from different periods will be brought into the discussion.

SAARAS: Systematic Assessment And Reform Of Archaeological Systematics (Proposal)

by Kevin C. Nolan

The act of discovery: an ethnography of the subject:object relation in archaeological practice

by Matt Edgeworth

‘The act of discovery: an ethnography of the subject-object relation in archaeological practice’ by Matt Edgeworth. Doctoral thesis. University of Durham, 1991.

(Original and unabridged) 1991 thesis on ethnography of archaeological practice.

Themes covered include:... more (Original and unabridged) 1991 thesis on ethnography of archaeological practice.

Themes covered include:

material resistance
fluidity of emerging materials
rhythms of work and tool-use
archaeological inference-in-action
acquisition and transmission of craft skills
embodied perception of artefacts
phenomenology of archaeological practices

The thesis gives detailed accounts of processes taking place "under the moving blade of the trowel", long before the well-known phrase ‘at the trowel’s edge’ was coined.

Introductory chapters are somewhat out of date, but the main ethnographic section is arguably as relevant as ever. This early work is rarely cited in the post-processual literature. In a recently published book, however, Gavin Lucas describes the thesis as:

“almost unrivalled, even today...a superb analysis of the archaeological operation from a material perspective ...quite ahead of its time... still offers one of the best and sustained analyses of how archaeological facts are produced in the field, from a participant-observer on an excavation of a Bronze Age site in Britain” (Lucas 2012, 'Understanding the archaeological record', p203).

Remembering and forgetting the Great War in New York City

by Ross Wilson

First World War Studies Volume 3, Issue 1, 2012, p.87-106

This article examines the history of the Great War in New York City and the means by which it has been remembered and... more This article examines the history of the Great War in New York City and the means by which it has been remembered and forgotten through the presence and absence of war memorials. New York City played a unique role in the history of the Great War, contributing to the war effort even before the declaration of war by the United States in 1917. The wartime experiences in the city were accompanied by political and racial tensions as fears of foreign influences undermining the city and the wider nation were ever-present. In a city which had witnessed large-scale immigration over the preceding century, fears of unrest or unpatriotic and un-American behaviour preoccupied both the city and the federal government. Nevertheless, the wartime contribution of the city's foreign-born residents was substantial as large numbers registered for military service. As a means of reaffirming the principles of patriotism and an ‘American’ identity for the city, after the Armistice the official bodies and veterans groups worked to develop a singular expression or ‘spirit’ for the local war memorials. As the schemes for a central war memorial for the city floundered, the local memorials served as a means for residents to adopt and adapt this hegemonic expression of ‘American’ identity and form specific memories of the war for each community.

Fenomén času v archeologii - The phenomenon of time in archaeology

by Jaromír Beneš

In Czech with English summary

Paper deals with time phenomenon in archaeology in framework of post-procesual discourse. Article reflecting Prague... more Paper deals with time phenomenon in archaeology in framework of post-procesual discourse. Article reflecting Prague debate of post-modernity in archaeology.

El futuro de la arqueología española

by Felipe Criado-Boado

Published in Jaime Almansa Sánchez (ed.), El futuro de la Arqueología en España. 45 profesionales hablan sobre el futuro de la Arqueología. Colección Charlas de Café, 1: 55-60. Madrid: JAS Arqueología SLU. ISBN 978-84-938146-8-7 (papel) / 978-84-938146-9-4 (electrónica). 2011.

[ES]Desde 2008 hemos vivido una crisis sin precedentes en la empresa de Arqueología como consecuencia del parón... more [ES]Desde 2008 hemos vivido una crisis sin precedentes en la empresa de Arqueología como consecuencia del parón inmobiliario. Se equivocan los que crean que esta crisis sólo afecta a la Arqueología Profesional. Profesionales de la Arqueología somos todos y todas. La crisis de la empresa de Arqueología es una crisis tanto del modelo de negocio como del modelo de práctica que hemos producido en los últimos 30 años. Desmantela el status quo de las administraciones encargadas de la gestión del Patrimonio Arqueológico. Genera nuevos retos a una investigación y formación académica que a duras penas habían sido capaces de adaptarse a las necesidades del nuevo mercado arqueológico y que ahora se desmorona delante de sus ojos pero … sin que lo vean derrumbarse. Y afecta directamente a instituciones anacrónicas como los Museos, Academias, Colegios profesionales, … que ni siquiera se habían adaptado al salto anterior. Los efectos de largo plazo de la crisis de la empresa arqueológica están por llegar. Urge generar nuevos temas de reflexión, investigación y gestión. En una rápida enumeración podemos incluir:
1.Modelo de gestión de la arqueología: ¿qué lugar ocupa una arqueología pública?
2.Modelo de negocio en arqueología: después del boom de la arqueología comercial, ¿qué otras cosas pueden producir valor económico en arqueología y en qué condiciones?
3.Modelo de empresa arqueológica: la empresa arqueológica es un ejemplo genuino de economía del conocimiento, no una empresa de construcción, ¿qué relación tiene la arqueología con las KIBS (knowldege intensive business services)?
4.Interacción profesional: ¿cómo construir una red social de arqueólogo/as, empresas y profesionales de la arqueología? 5.Relación con la sociedad: ¿qué rol le toca a la comunidad y a la arqueología amateur en el estudio y valorización del patrimonio arqueológico? ¿cómo va a contribuir la Arqueología a generar efectos prácticos y transformativos de la realidad social? 6.Relación con contextos interculturales: ¿cuáles son las posibilidades y problemas del patrimonio para crear vínculos sociales en contextos que han evolucionado rápidamente hacia una sociedad multicultural?
7.Problemas epistémicos y filosóficos: ¿cómo vamos a producir sentido en un sistema de saber fisurado por la postmodernidad (necesaria) y la multivocalidad (inevitable)?
8.Problemas éticos y axiológicos: ¿cómo se pueden introducir estándares éticos, y cuáles, en la práctica arqueológica?
[EN]Since 2008, we have been experiencing an unprecedented crisis in the business of Archaeology as a result of the collapse of the real estate sector. Those who believe that this crisis only affects professional Archaeology are wrong. We are all Archaeology professionals. The crisis in our field equally affects the business model and the practical model that we have produced over the last 30 years. It dismantles the status quo of the authorities who are responsible for the management of archaeological heritage. It creates new challenges for a research and academic preparation that have been barely capable of adapting to the needs of the new archaeological market, and which are now being knocked down before its eyes… without being seen to collapse. And it directly affects outdated institutions such as museums, academies or professional associations, which had not even adapted to the previous leap forwards. The long-term effects of the crisis affecting the business of archaeology have yet to arrive. It is essential to create new themes for consideration, research and management. Briefly, we could include the following:
1.The management model of archaeology: what is the position of public archaeology?
2.The business model in archaeology: after the boom of commercial archaeology, which other things can produce economic value in archaeology, and under what conditions? 3.The archaeological enterprise model: archaeological enterprises are a genuine example of the economy of knowledge, not a construction business: what is the relationship between archaeology and knowledge intensive business services (KIBS)?
4.Professional interaction: how is it possible to construct a social network of archaeologists, enterprises and professionals working in the field of archaeology?
5.Relationship with society: what is the role of the community and amateur archaeology in the study and public presentation of archaeological heritage? How will archaeology contribute towards producing practical effects that bring about changes in our social reality?
6.Relationship with intercultural contexts: what are the possibilities and problems affecting heritage to create social links in contexts that have quickly evolved towards a multicultural society?
7.Epistemic and philosophical problems: how are we going to create meaning in a knowledge system that is fractured by postmodernity (something that is necessary) and multivocality (something that is inevitable)?
8.Ethical and axiological problems: how is it possible to introduce ethical standards in archaeological practice, and which should be introduced?

Chorography: History, Theory and Potential for Archaeological Research

by Darrell J. Rohl

Rohl, D.J. (2012) 'Chorography: History, Theory and Potential for Archaeological Research,' pp. 19-32 in Duggan, M., F. McIntosh and D.J. Rohl (eds) (2012), 'TRAC 2011: Proceedings of the Twenty First Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference', Oxford: Oxbow Books.

For the slides presented with the paper at the TRAC 2011 Conference in April 2011, see http://durham.academia.edu/DarrellRohl/Talks/48599/Chorography_An_Evaluation_of_Theory_and_Practice_Past_and_Present

Chorography is a little-known field of theory and practice concerned with the significance of place, regional... more Chorography is a little-known field of theory and practice concerned with the significance of place, regional description/characterization, local history, and representation. A well-established discipline and methodology with demonstrable roots in antiquity and an important role in the development of antiquarian research, regional studies and the establishment of modern archaeology, chorography is useful for understanding the history of scholarship and may continue to provide sound theoretical principles and practical methods for new explorations of archaeological monuments and landscapes. This paper discusses the historical uses of chorography, beginning with practitioners from classical antiquity but emphasizing the uniquely British chorographic tradition of the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Attention is also given to more recent efforts at exploring this tradition by literary scholars, historiographers and archaeological theorists. Careful analysis of works of—and about—chorography allows for the explication of key theoretical principles and practical methods, which are presented and elaborated upon. It is argued that chorography offers a coherent, viable and valuable approach to evaluating the long-term significance of landscapes, monuments and regions, crossing conventional disciplinary divides and connecting past and present. The paper concludes with some thoughts on the benefits of chorography for contemporary research and its potential role in modern archaeology.

Double-artefacts: exploring the other side of material culture

by Matt Edgeworth

2007 ‘Double-artefacts: exploring the other side of material culture’ in Vitor Oliviera Jorge and Julian Thomas (eds) Overcoming the Modern Invention of Material Culture. Special issue of Journal of Iberian Archaeology vols 9/10, 89-96.

This paper looks at artefacts as at once the product of human activity in the distant past and archaeological or... more This paper looks at artefacts as at once the product of human activity in the distant past and archaeological or ethnographic practice in the present or recent past. Hence the phrase - 'double-artefacts'.

Mit Lanzetten durch den practical turn? Zum Wechselspiel zwischen Mensch und Ding aus archäologischer Perspektive

by Stefan Schreiber

Co-authored with Kerstin P. Hofmann,
in print, Ethnographisch-Archäologische Zeitschrift

The function and the meaning of lancets, a key-type of the Late Nordic Bronze Age, have long puzzled archaeologists... more The function and the meaning of lancets, a key-type of the Late Nordic Bronze Age, have long puzzled archaeologists resulting in an ongoing and often controversial discussion. However, the actual handling of lancets has rarely been addressed. In accordance with the practical turn in cultural studies, this article examines the interrelationship between humans and things while proposing a model for symmetrically describing these and their connections within social practices. Materiality, Eigensinn, and affordance of things need to be correlated with knowledge, fitness and skills of humans. Following this, the article discusses the potential benefits as well as the limitations resulting from such an approach. Lancets are ‘unruly’ things. While their potential use can be outlined with regard to their affordance and Eigensinn, their almost exclusively use proven in the archaeological record is as part of grave depositions. Due to the very limited physical capabilities of lancets teamed with their almost boundless ability to convey or to be imbued with various meanings, they may well be used as icons. For praxeological examinations, the artefact category of lancets proves unsuitable in the end. The application of a praxeological perspective inevitably challenges existing classifications. Rather than focussing on the intentions of production this approach takes into account the actual handling of things. Furthermore, along with source criticism new questions and unnoticed problems are being raised. The crucial point is that this approach leads us to a better understanding of the complex relationships between humans and things.

Über die Funktion und Bedeutung der als Leitform des Nordischen Kreises angesprochenen jungbronzezeitlichen Lanzetten wird seit langem kontrovers diskutiert. Auffällig ist jedoch, dass der konkrete Umgang mit den Lanzetten bislang kaum thematisiert wurde. Daher wird im vorliegenden Aufsatz, dem practical turn der Kulturwissenschaften folgend, das Wechselspiel zwischen Menschen und Dingen untersucht und ein Modell vorgestellt, welches erlaubt, Menschen und Dinge aufeinander bezogen in sozialen Praktiken symmetrisch zu beschreiben. Es gilt, die Materialität, den Eigensinn und den Angebotscharakter – Affordanz/affordance – der Dinge in Beziehung zu dem Wissen, der Eignung und der Kompetenz der Menschen zu setzen. Im Anschluss werden die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen eines solchen Ansatzes am Beispiel der Lanzetten erörtert. Die Lanzetten sind sehr widerspenstige Dinge. Ihre potentiellen Verwendungen können zwar mit Hilfe von Affordanz und Eigensinn umrissen werden, die tatsächlichen, in den archäologischen Fundkontexten überlieferten Praktiken sind aber weitgehend auf ihre Deponierung im Grab beschränkt. Aufgrund ihrer geringen physikalischen Tauglichkeit und ihrer zahlreichen Bedeutungsübertragungsangebote liegt vor allem eine Verwendung als Ikon nahe. Die Artefaktkategorie „Lanzette“ erwies sich für praxeologische Untersuchungen letztlich jedoch als ungeeignetes archäologisches Konstrukt. Die ergänzende praxeologische Perspektive führt unweigerlich zum Hinterfragen von Klassifikationen und statt einer einseitigen Fokussierung auf die Herstellungsintention zur stärkeren Berücksichtigung des Umgangs mit den Dingen. So werden neben quellenkritischen Überlegungen neue Fragen und bisher unbeachtete Probleme aufgeworfen, aber vor allem ein besseres Verständnis der komplexen Mensch-Ding-Beziehungen gefördert.

Call for Papers: Kulturerbe=Kulturpflicht?

by Kerstin P. Hofmann

Kulturerbe = Kulturpflicht?
Theoretische Reflexionen zum Umgang
mit archäologischen Orten in Deutschland.
Sektion der AG Theorien in der Archäologie und
des AKs „Archäologie kann Gesellschaft“ i. Gr.
bei der 81. Verbandstagung des West- und Süddeutschen Verbandes für Altertumsforschung
vom 29. Mai bis 2. Juni 2012 in Friedrichshafen

Archaeology and the Second Empiricism

by Christopher Witmore

Forthcoming In F. Herschend, C. Hillerdal and J. Siapkas (eds.) Archaeology into the 2010s.

A return to things themselves obliges one to return to matters fundamental to the nature of empiricism. In revisiting... more A return to things themselves obliges one to return to matters fundamental to the nature of empiricism. In revisiting aspects of the ordinary empiricism – where an ‘objective’ truth was seen to surpass the practices behind its formation – this paper sketches several propositions as to the shape and character of what might be called the ‘second empiricism’; an empiricism that does not discriminate against relations that do not involve human actors and which does not pretend to separate what we know from how we know.

La arqueología en China: anticuarismo prerrevolucionario y Particularismo Histórico

by Ignacio Soriano

Published in Analecta Arqueològica, 0 (2006)

Abstract.
This paper exposes some theoretical and methodological issues considered particularly relevant in the... more Abstract.
This paper exposes some theoretical and methodological issues considered particularly relevant in the Archaeology of China. Summarizes the stages by which has become the discipline, from his birth until today. On the basis of such historical context, shows some aspects that have still a important weight in any archaeological research carried out in China. Reasons and conditions of their origin, subsequent evolution and ongoing success are presented. Fundamental aspects that stand out are the weight of traditional antiquarian historiography and the adoption of the historical-cultural paradigm.

Keywords: China, theoretical Archaeology, History of Archaeology, Historical Cultural paradigm

Excavation as a Ground of Archaeological Knowledge

by Matt Edgeworth

This commentary is part of a wider discussion entitled 'The Role of Archaeological Excavation in the 21st century, which was held at the EAA Conference at Den Haag in 2010 and published in Archaeological Dialogues 18, 2011.

The paper argues the case that, while archaeological practice involves the application of multiple methods and... more The paper argues the case that, while archaeological practice involves the application of multiple methods and techniques, excavation is historically rooted as the core method of the discipline, conditioning all the others. Excavation is to archaeology as ethnography is to social anthropology. It is not only a principal ground of archaeological knowledge production. In a fundamental sense, excavation is constitutive of what it is to be an archaeologist.

Land Flows

by Matt Edgeworth

The fifth chapter from the new book:

Fluid Pasts: Archaeology of Flow by Matt Edgeworth, 2011, Bristol Classical Press (Bloomsbury Academic). Paperback.

Considerations of flow can transform interpretation of otherwise fragmented and disconnected landscapes. Considerations of flow can transform interpretation of otherwise fragmented and disconnected landscapes.

North American Archaeology in the 21th Century

by Randall McGuire

English translation of:L’Arqueologia nord-americana al segle XXI, Corta Zero, 2010, v25, pp. 87-93

Archaeologists in North America are busy doing archaeology. The arguments of the end of the last century over... more Archaeologists in North America are busy doing archaeology. The arguments of the end of the last century over epistemology, theory and philosophy have ebbed and cooled. The differences between Processual, Post-Processual, Marxist and Feminist archaeologies still exist but researchers are now more focused on the practice of archaeology than theoretical differences. Mid-level articulations that effectively cross cut theoretical differences have facilitated this move from thinking about archaeology to practice. These articulations include increasing research on the recent past and contemporary world, the realization that archaeology can serve multiple publics and collaboration with diverse communities. A major focus of contemporary archaeological practice has been on building public scholarship. Some archaeologists have used such scholarship as political activism. Most North American archaeologists continue to study the ancient past but they can no longer see such research as a refuge from the present.

Rivers as entanglements of nature and culture

by Matt Edgeworth

This is the first chapter from a recently published book on the archaeology of rivers (and other flows of materials through landscapes). 

Fluid Pasts: Archaeology of Flow by Matt Edgeworth, published September 2011, Bristol Classical Press (Bloomsbury Academic). Paperback.

The general proposition put forward in this introductory chapter is that rivers should be regarded as dynamic... more The general proposition put forward in this introductory chapter is that rivers should be regarded as dynamic entanglements of nature and culture. If considered purely as natural systems, their cultural dimension gets excluded. If considered as cultural artefacts through and through, their wild aspect is neglected. It goes on to argue that those branches of archaeology which take ‘land’ as their subject (whether the ‘landscape’ or ‘wetland’ variety) should encompass dynamic liquid flows – including flows of solid material eroded, carried and deposited by water – within their remit.  

Monasteries of Manufacture: Questioning the Origins of English Industrial Architecture

by Paul Belford