Abstract
Around the world, millions of people live with dementia. Archaeologists have advanced heritage engagement as a form of therapy, for example, through museum object handling. Here, the author proposes an alternative focus, arguing that archaeology can contribute to research on the materialities of care. Through a case study of a ‘dementia assemblage’ curated by an avocational archaeologist, the author documents the embodied and material traces of the collector's earlier archaeological practices, their increasing comfort in handling stone as dementia progressed and their sustained interest in the pareidolic properties of things. The results contribute to a wider understanding of the important role of materiality for those living with dementia.
Highlights
Dementia is an urgent public health priority, with an estimated new diagnosis every three seconds (Alzheimer’s Disease International 2021)
Archaeology can provide diverse opportunities for creative engagement, entertainment, education and even exercise for those living with dementia and for their carers
The article presents a contemporary case study of a lithic assemblage curated by an individual with dementia, exploring aspects such as the enduring personal significance of stone and embodied knowledge practices within assemblages—aspects which bear witness to altered cognitive and sensorial engagements
Summary
Dementia is an urgent public health priority, with an estimated new diagnosis every three seconds (Alzheimer’s Disease International 2021). The article presents a contemporary case study of a lithic assemblage curated by an individual with dementia, exploring aspects such as the enduring personal significance of stone and embodied knowledge practices within assemblages—aspects which bear witness to altered cognitive and sensorial engagements.
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