Abstract
Migrations have always been a much debated topic in archaeology. In the first hal f of the 20th century migrations were a common explanation for change in the material culture, but they were also used in a nationalistic and chauvinistic way. After the Second World War a reaction came and many archaeologists rejected migrations as a relevant explanation, whereby migrations more or less disappeared from the archaeological discourse. Such changes in the archaeological interest could be linked to public opinions of the times, as well as to reactions within the discipline. In conclusion it is argued that a discussion about past migrations is important, not least in order to question prevailing ideas about a cultural homogeneity or "pureness" in the past.
Highlights
Migrations have always been a much debated topic in archaeology
The main theme of the following discussion is how migrations have been used in the history of archaeology, and whether those archaeological perspectives are connected with the general opinions of the
The doubt about migrations in archaeology was present in Norway as well (Magnus Myhre & Myhre 1972), a country which was occupied by the Germans in the Second World War
Summary
Migrations have always been a much debated topic in archaeology. In the first hal f of the 20'" century migrations were a common explanation for change in the material culture, but they were used in a nationalistic and chauvinistic way. The migration theories of today, in disciplines like sociology and history, are quite different from this, and people's movements are studied in a number of ways This is not the place to discuss the big question of which movements of people are to be called "migrations"; it is enough to establish the fact that the theoretical debate of today groups many different courses of events under the concept (Cohen 1996).Titles like "Traveling Cultures" (Clifford 1992) and "Cultures in Conflict" (Bitterli 1989) illustrate the interest in people's movements and the cultural meetings and clashes they cause. One telling example of such changes is the question of a people's origin, their Urheimat (Kossinna 1978; Oxenstierna 1948; Tunberg 1940), or who were the first settlers of an area (Eriksen 1996) In this debate migrations naturally had a large part. In the 20'" century one could observe that people had quite different motives for their migrations, not least to find work and seek one's fortune somewhere else
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