Community Archaeology in the Netherlands

Abstract

In the Netherlands, the public is and has always been quite interested in archaeology. Dutch archaeologists primarily answer this interest by inviting the audience to experience archaeology via open days, exhibitions, books, and so on. There is, however, little inclusion and active participation of the public in the actual fieldwork and in knowledge production. There are no community archaeology projects as they exist in, for instance, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, in which (part of) the control in fieldwork lies in the hands of the participants and in which multiple voices are included in research planning, design, and interpretation. Our engagement with the public only allows for passive engagement. It is mainly about informing, educating, and entertaining people, it has little to do with concepts like inclusiveness, empowerment, multivocality, or with the democratization of knowledge production. Even though there are both practical and historic reasons for this current practice of public engagement, it is increasingly being acknowledged by members of the archaeological community that it is no longer the answer to the modern day societal wishes and needs. The main aim of this article therefore is to explore the possibilities of a more collaborative and participatory archaeology in the Netherlands and to contribute to its development by discussing suggestions for future approaches.