Abstract
The epistemological principles of natural science dominate the archaeological discourse. Methods and theories developed exclusively for natural science are used in archaeology without further ado. Archaeological institutions employ experts on scientific methods. University departments, scholarship foundations and other institutions spend large amounts of money on projects and education with an explicit connection to natural science. The significance and outcome of such projects are hardly ever questioned. In this article the background of the present situation is analysed. It is also argued that archaeologists should pay more attention to life. It is in the ontology of life that we as archaeologists seek a significant meaning in history, not in explanations of present conditions constructed with methods developed for natural science. It is stated that archaeologists should tum to the first science —philosophy —if our mission, which is to explore the ontological aspects of life, shall become explicit in the discourse of archaeology.
Highlights
In 1963 Science in Archaeology (Brothwell, Higgs & Clark 1963) was published
Already the title excludes archaeology as a science, which indicates that archaeology first becomes scientific when archaeologists use science
In the preface it is stated that archaeological studies in themselves can not give any valuable information: "Archaeological studies are increasingly dependent upon a variety of scientific disciplines for valuable information" (Brothwell, Higgs &, Clark 1963, Preface)
Summary
The epistemological principles of natural science dominate the archaeological discourse. Methods and theories developed exclusively for natural science are used in archaeology without further ado. Archaeological institutions employ experts on scientific methods. University departments, scholarship foundations and other institutions spend large amounts of money on projects and education with an explicit connection to natural science. The significance and outcome of such projects are hardly ever questioned. It is argued that archaeologists should pay more attention to life. It is in the ontology oflife that we as archaeologists seek a significant meaning in history, not in explanations of present conditions constructed with methods developed for natural science. It is stated that archaeologists should tum to the first science —philosophy. —if our mission, which is to explore the ontological aspects of life, shall become explicit in the discourse of archaeology. Johan Hegardt, Departntent of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala Universi ty, S:t Eriks torg 5, SE-753 l0, Uppsala, Sweden
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