Springs Eternal

Abstract

This chapter begins with discussion of the contemporary tensions and debates surrounding springs, including barriers to their conservation and the framing of the past in media coverage and springs conservation narratives. It then draws on entanglement theory to summarize the preceding chapters and examine the ways that springs are caught up with geological, hydrological, social, economic, and political forces. It argues that conservation can be fruitfully enhanced by an archaeological sensibility that draws attention to springs’ historical significance and to the remnants of the past still visible in the present. Indeed, the archaeological and historical significance of springs should be intrinsic to their value today. It further argues that there is continuity between past and present practice, with springs functioning as gathering places that draw people for ritual purposes. This continuity provides a bridge spanning the chasm of time and demonstrating the relevance of past experience to modern conundrums.