TeachingthroughRather thanabout

Abstract

AbstractThe practice of archaeology has always had an educational component. This article attempts to draw from the rich literature in education and museum studies to situate the practice of public archaeology as a sub-discipline, which will allow practitioners to not only achieve a set of goals but also evaluate that achievement. Public archaeology is becoming more professionalized, but, at the same time, the field is suffering from the difficulties of forging a new identity. Within the archaeological community, practitioners of sub-disciplines, such as historical archaeology, have successfully drawn upon a diversity of perspectives both within and outside of archaeology to achieve maturity. While remaining grounded in anthropological tradition, public archaeologists must become conversant in several other fields to reach a true professionalization of this emerging sub-discipline. Public archaeology would become synonymous with archaeology education and stand distinct from the related endeavours of archaeology outreach and teaching archaeology.