Archaeological Practice Research Articles

Digging up concrescences: a hermeneutics for process archaeology

ABSTRACT In this paper I build on the process philosophy of Whitehead and on enactive approachs to hermeneutics, to suggest that if we want to conceive of archaeological practice in terms of a process archaeology, then rather than characterizing it as ‘digging up the past’, it is better to think of it as digging up concrescences. From the perspective of enactive hermeneutics, no artifact (from past or present) is a completely determinate matter of fact; its meaning is enacted in an ecology of practices, and should be understood as part of a dynamical network (of uses and beliefs) that changes when viewed from different perspectives. To the extent that an artifact retains an affordance-related meaning, whether original or new, it remains a concrescence and is never reducible to a determinate matter of fact.

Introduction to the Special Issue on 3D Methodologies in Mediterranean Archaeology

This issue brings together several papers originally presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America in a panel entitled, “Three-Dimensional Archaeology Comes of Age.” This collection takes stock of a decade’s worth of groundbreaking transformation in archaeological practices with a focus on the ancient Mediterranean. Over this time, a subtle transition has occurred in which contentious debates over the value and practicality of 3D tools, such as photogrammetry, 3D scanning, 3D reconstruction, and virtual reality (VR), have given way to an emergent consensus that these constitute a new and important class of recording and heuristic instruments. Rather than seek to cover this fundamental shift in a comprehensive matter, this issue presents a characteristic cross-section of current archaeological research-based on three-dimensional computational methodologies. The content cuts across some 3,000 years of Mediterranean archaeology, from the Aegean Bronze Age to the later Roman Empire, underlining the discipline-wide impact of this methodological revolution. It seeks to shed light on how digital tools are transforming not just the ways we record data, but the very questions archaeologists ask of this information and how this will shape methodological and analytical trends in the next decade and beyond.

Una entrevista con Antonio Gilman Guillén. Segunda parte

Esta contribución completa la entrevista con Antonio Gilman Guillén, cuya primera parte se publicó en Trabajos de Prehistoria 77 (1). Gilman es Profesor Emérito de la California State University-Northridge (EE. UU.), fue director de Trabajos de Prehistoria (2015-2018) y ha dedicado la mayor parte de su trabajo a la Prehistoria Reciente de la península ibérica. Los temas tratados en esta segunda entrega se agrupan en dos bloques. En el primero de ellos se plasman sus reflexiones sobre la experiencia de su relación con la Arqueología española. Se repasan sus opiniones sobre la arqueología tradicional bajo el franquismo, el proceso de modernización, con sus rasgos específicos, y las tendencias recientes y los cambios más relevantes en el registro arqueológico. Estas cuestiones se abordan desde su experiencia como investigador extranjero en España y sus propias contribuciones científicas. También se presta atención a su actividad como recopilador crítico de la cronología radiocarbónica ibérica. El segundo bloque se dedica al contexto intelectual de su práctica arqueológica. Se discuten sus raíces en la segunda generación de la New Archaeology y las aportaciones del marxismo a la consolidación de un funcionalismo crítico con sentido histórico y sus referentes teóricos en la obra de autores como Childe, Adams o Wolf. Se examinan en este contexto sus puntos de vista en relación con algunos de los temas que definen el campo de su trabajo como prehistoriador: los problemas del origen de la desigualdad social y el Estado, las formas políticas de las “sociedades intermedias” y la “Revolución del Paleolítico Superior”. Se hace referencia también a los desafíos que presenta el desarrollo de la “ciencia arqueológica” y particularmente la paleogenética, y su influencia en el retorno de la arqueología histórico-cultural y difusionista. Finalmente, se valora la contraposición entre las tradiciones del historicismo europeo y la Arqueología antropológica norteamericana y el momento actual de esta última.

Desafios e estratégias para a gestão de coleções de remanescentes humanos na Amazônia

Neste texto destacamos a situação das coleções formadas por remanescentes de corpos humanos recuperados de contextos arqueológicos na Amazônia. Os desafios de conservação e acondicionamento desses acervos se relacionam tanto a fatores técnicos quanto a prática arqueológica em si. Através do histórico de pesquisa dos remanescentes humanos do sítio Curiaú Mirim – I, AP, desde sua escavação até a recente revisão dos processos curatoriais, desejamos observar problemas comuns a instituições e coleções na Amazônia. As soluções e reflexões apresentadas, embora não esgotem o problema, apontam para a importância dos processos curatoriais para a gestão desses acervos. Ademais, debatemos a necessidade de profissionais especializados, de abordagens mais éticas sobre materiais sensíveis e de fortalecimento das redes de colaboração entre pessoas e instituições.

Arqueologia indígena dos povos do rio Mapuera: entrevista com Jaime Xamen Wai Wai

Durante a VI Semana Internacional de Arqueologia dos Discentes MAE-USP, realizou-se uma entrevista com o arqueólogo Jaime Xamen Wai Wai. Convidado para palestrar na Mesa sobre Arqueologias Indígenas, aproveitou-se a ocasião para entrevistá-lo a respeito de sua trajetória na Arqueologia, das motivações que o levaram a cursar a universidade e quais suas opiniões a respeito das contribuições que o olhar de um arqueólogo indígena pode trazer à disciplina. Estimulante, as respostas de Xamen trazem os desafios pessoais e as reflexões a respeito das práticas, categorias e classificações arqueológicas.

Formidling fra felt i den digitale tidsalder

Most archaeologists agree that public outreach is an important part of archaeological practice. Communication of fresh results from excavations and new research creates both legitimacy and greater understanding of our activities. In Norway, large scale archaeological excavations are often funded by the public sector, and public outreach is considered an important way of giving something back to society. Still, reaching out to the public is often downgraded during stressful fieldwork and considered as something you do when (or if) you have some spare time. This is unfortunate, because fieldwork is what most people associate with archaeology and has a huge potential when it comes to public outreach. In 2017-2019 the University of Bergen carried out a large excavation project, Sotrasambandet. While excavating 12 sites, we wanted to reach the public as well, to present fresh findings, introduce them to our methods, tell stories from the excavation and of course of what Stone Age life in Western Norway could have been like. In total, we produced 56 films and several different texts, and used social media as well as “open day” (evt. public day?), talks and small exhibitions to reach people. The films got great feedback, and were appreciated by schoolchildren, politicians and journalists alike.

Making Heritage. A Case Study on the Impact of Contract Archaeology on Museum Collecting in Sweden

Since taking off as an industry in Sweden in the 1980s, contract archaeology has changed not only the role of field archaeologists but also that of museums and the formation of collections. This paper discusses some of the effects of the commercialization of archaeological services through a case study of past and present collection practices. Data records are compared from three different archaeological investigations at the site Nya Lödöse (1473-1621) in Gothenburg. Each excavation represents a particular era in archaeological practice. The data are used to compare and analyse collecting practices within contemporary contract archaeology. Separately, a survey among contract archaeology units examines the implementation of legislative guidelines and day-to-day practices and suggests several causes for anomalies in the selection and discarding of finds in the case study. Combined, the findings of the case study and the survey results, suggest that contract archaeology leaves a specific imprint on collections in archaeological museums, impacting their compilation, and therefore influencing future research as well as the experience of the public.

Innovative Approaches to Teaching Archeology in Higher School

The aim of the article is to characterize the key innovative approaches to teaching archeology in higher education institutions on the basis of modern methods of forming competencies in students and the experience of their own scientific and pedagogical activity. Research methods: generalizing, problematic, interactive, empirical, modeling, system-structural methods and the case method. The main results. The history of archaeological researches of Kremenets region is analyzed and theoretical and scientific-methodical substantiation of their practical application is made. In particular, archaeological finds of O. Tsynkalovskyi, Yu. Shumovskyi, excavations on the mountain of Kulychivka and others are analyzed. The appropriateness of conducting classes in the archeology department of the local lore museum is motivated. Some key innovations in archeology teaching and competence formation in higher education applicants are identified: problematic lectures, small group work, workshops, various effective tools for visualization and organization of knowledge, etc. The variants of use of intellect maps for archeological cultures and application of the method of mind-mapping are offered. It is shown how a student-centered approach is implemented in the educational process and what forms and methods of teaching are appropriate to it. Effective methods of organizing and controlling students’ independent work while studying archeology issues are proposed. The emphasis is placed on the importance of soft skills competency formation for the teacher’s future activities. The importance of archeological practice for professional competencies’ formation in students is outlined. The formation process of programmatic learning results is monitored. Brief conclusions. The importance of mastering modern advanced learning technologies as a tool for forming the competencies of specialists is emphasized. The role of the teacher as a facilitator, which stimulates the student’s independent work and shapes his competences, is highlighted. The importance of digital technologies in project creation and students’ creative tasks is shown. Practical importance. The results are recommended for use in the study and teaching of the course “Archeology” in universities, for development of cultural and educational projects for young people in order to promote historical and archeological sights. The originality is that the publication discloses the author’s experience of teaching archeology to students of the specialty “History”. Teaching features for Generation Z are considered. Scientific novelty. The most effective innovative methods and methods of teaching archeology using a student-centered approach are formulated. The article type: theoretical-applied.

INSIDE THE CASTS OF THE POMPEIAN VICTIMS: RESULTS FROM THE FIRST SEASON OF THE POMPEII CAST PROJECT IN 2015

The first casts of the forms of Pompeian victims of the AD 79 eruption of Mt Vesuvius were successfully achieved under the directorship of Giuseppe Fiorelli in 1863. To date, 104 individuals have been cast by restorers and archaeologists during the course of excavation. The methods used to obtain these casts were not well documented. It was always assumed that plaster or lime cement was merely poured into voids which preserved the impression of organic remains buried in the ash that covered the site during the catastrophe. It was also assumed that the undisturbed skeletal remains of victims were encased within the casts. The initial aim of the Pompeii Cast Project was to study these bones to build on and test the results of an earlier study of the large sample of Pompeian human remains that were disarticulated by post-excavation activities. Apart from providing information about the people who did not manage to escape the eruption, the project aimed to challenge previous interpretations of the lives and activities of these victims that were solely based on superficial inspection and circumstantial evidence.Twenty-six casts were subjected to CT scanning or X-ray analysis in 2015. The results were unexpected. It was clear that the casts had been considerably manipulated. Bones were often removed prior to casting, and other elements had been introduced. This ongoing project has now been expanded to establish how these casts were achieved, to better understand nineteenth- and twentieth-century archaeological and restoration practice.

(Uns)table assemblage

An abandoned table in a forgotten avocational workroom exposes the temporalities of archaeological practice and conventional lithic artefact analysis, and reveals creative encounters around the co-creation of self and stone.

Is Archaeological Practice Obscuring our Understanding of the Late Roman Fifth Century?

The fifth century in Northern Gaul is traditionally characterised by barbarian invasions, conflict, abandonment, and large migrations. However, there is little material evidence that can inform us on the identity, origin, and activities of local communities. This paper addresses the role of archaeological practice in obscuring the Late Roman fifth century. First, the state of research for the Late Roman period in the region of Flanders (Belgium) is presented to illustrate issues concerning identification, chronology, and interpretation of the material record in Northern Gaul. Second, the impact of theory and narratives on the collection of archaeological data is briefly reviewed, followed by an examination of the influence of classification, periodisation, and time perception on archaeological practice and their role in the persistence of current biases. Finally, some considerations are offered for new approaches to identify and interpret the material record from the Late Roman fifth century.

Degrowth and a sustainable future for archaeology

AbstractIt is increasingly acknowledged that 21st-century archaeology faces serious challenges from a variety of directions, ranging from the theoretical to the practical. Above all, the discipline’s entanglement with capitalism, capitalist ideologies and capitalist institutions is simply unsustainable. The concept ofdegrowthinvolves a reconceptualization of archaeology’s possible future(s) in terms of a withdrawal from capitalism and an emphasis on collective and caring praxis looking towards both a sustainable future and the possibilities of the immediate present. A degrowth approach to archaeology can provide a useful supplement to existing critiques and proposed alternatives to current practices. Degrowth proposals such as reorienting economic behaviours towards cooperative, convivial anddépense(communal use of surplus) activities while freeing people to pursue work they find meaningful have potential applications in archaeological practice that address some of the problems currently facing the discipline.

Ludovic McLellan Mann and the Cambusnethan bog body

This article considers the circumstances, aftermath and legacy of the discovery of a bog body near Cambusnethan in North Lanarkshire in 1932. The body of a man and a unique jacket were assessed by Ludovic McLellan Mann soon thereafter and removed to Glasgow Museums where they remain today. The body was popularly perceived to be a Scottish Covenanter although there is no scientific or historical evidence of this, and Mann himself was vague. In an attempt to provide some clarity, this article traces the interplay between archaeological and historical evidence, as well as contemporary popular memory around the find. There is an enduring belief the body was a Covenanter, exemplified by a cairn in Greenhead Moss Community Nature Park in Lanarkshire which has displayed the story since 1997. In the last 25 years, there have been repatriation claims for the remains and the story was raised in the Scottish Parliament. Thus, Mann's archaeological practice continues to shape opinion today although in this case his work was exemplary. Whilst the ‘Covenanter in the bog’ was not Mann's myth, this article reveals how the story evolved and why it remains in the popular consciousness across Scotland.

Vinča Burials in the Research of Miloje M. Vasić

Miloje M. Vasić (1869–1956) is considered to be the founding father of Serbian archaeology. This paper directly challenges, as based on detailed archival research, the prevailing view that his excavation of the Vinča archaeological site is a model standard for Serbian archaeology. Instead, Vasić’s handling of the excavation was selective, non-systematic and destructive when viewed today from the perspective of modern practices.
 Vasić originally gained authority based on the discovery of Vinča, a prehistoric archaeological site that contains layers from the Neolithic to the middle ages. In his zeal to uncover “prehistory”, he deliberately ignored the other archaeological layers present. The most significant example of neglected archaeological remains is his excavations of Vinča’s medieval cemetery where he did not document observations systematically. This prioritization of the importance of one archaeological period over another was reflected in the further development of archaeology in Serbia, so that medieval archaeology was treated as marginal and second-rate compared to others.
 The aim of this paper, therefore, is to contextualize Vasić’s approach through the methods used in the history of archaeology. The key research question thereof is how Miloje M. Vasić failed to document the burials at the Vinča site, which is the consequent reason why there is little to no documented evidence of them.
 The theoretical and methodological basis of the analysis is based on the approach of Gavin Lucas who views the creation of the primary field documentation as testimony. Lucas notes that the debate concerning knowledge production had drifted from merely an epistemological issue to a phenomenon centered around archaeological practice. Here the key questions have come to concern the social and material setting of knowledge production and not the objective coherence of the argument.
 Burials that were noted in Vasić’s documentation are categorized into four groups: 1) unwanted or medieval burials; 2) incidental burials originating from prehistory 3) an “ossuary” from Vinča containing nine skeletons and 4) imagined multiple cremations based on one found cremation. Therefore, even while documenting several “lateral” prehistoric graves, he entirely omitted any thorough documentation of the medieval cemetery, considering them of less import.
 If there is any lesson that may be learned from this journey through the history of archaeological practice, it is that archaeological documentation as a form of testimony should be done ethically, adequately and responsibly. It should not be done according to the practices of the “bad science” of its founding-fathers.

Biography of a Painted Vessel from Starčevo: Discovering Layers of Meaning

Scientific interest in the painted pottery of the Starčevo culture in Serbia dates back to the very beginnings of research and the first works on the relative-chronological systematization of the Early and Middle Neolithic of the central Balkans. This paper presents the deconstruction of our established notion of painted ceramics as the ultimate parameter of relative-chronological dating, the most representative material reflection of the cultural identity of the people of Starčevo culture and the highest achievements of Starčevo culture. The paper discusses circumstances and archaeological practices through which this ingrained view and knowledge of painted pottery was formed. The research is based on the analysis of the biography of a painted vessel from the Starčevo-Grad site, having in mind that a detailed life history of an object can shed light on wider phenomena in the archaeological discipline. The aim of this paper is to remind that objects do not have a single essential meaning, but that their meaning shifts and builds through changes in the historical and social context, as well as through changes of actors gathered around certain practices in which the objects are used. The biography of the painted vessel is therefore viewed as a series of assemblages of relations in two planes, through which its identity and layers of meaning were built. The first plane is the Neolithic, in which the focus is on the practices of painting and use, and the second is her life in the role of an archaeological artifact, during which she moves from the sphere of scientific research and musealization to the sphere of negotiating contemporary cultural identities. By applying a new analytical approach, we discovered that this vessel was not very skilfully and carefully painted, and that as such it does not testify to the highest achievements of Starčevo culture, but to a social practice, learning, apprentices and mastering the skill of pottery painting. Therefore, I believe that by reducing painted pottery to relative-chronological parameters and luxury objects, we lose sight of the possibilities through which we can build much more diverse interpretations of the past.

Honoring and Embodying the Mandate of Community-Accountable Archaeology: Perspectives from the Indo-Hispano/a Southwest

The lack of diversity in the archaeological community is worsened by the sense of exclusivity created at the meeting of archaeological practice and descendant communities. The authors’ work, carried out in partnership with Indo-Hispano/a communities in New Mexico, attempts to counteract this steep gradient of inclusion through the incorporation, professionalization, and leadership of our research collaborators. Our work confronts historical paradigms denying the significance of late colonial and Mexican period community-making in the Southwest, bringing to light the problematic nature of prior historical silences for their propagation of essentialist notions of indigeneity. The dehistoricization of the Indo-Hispano/a political, social, and economic present can be combated by archaeologies that emphasize community priorities for the direction of research. Central to such commitments is an archaeological praxis which not only fully recognizes the political nature of the work, but translates that potential through a cooperative program of action and inclusion.

Use of Metal Detectors in Archaeological Research

Nowadays, the usage of remote sensing methods is an integral part of archaeological research. Remote scanning devices significantly reduce time for conducting archaeological research and allows a researcher concentrate efforts on searching and studying of archaeological sites more optimally. One of such devices for remote geophysical sounding is a metal detector. The article briefly presents information about the history of geophysical method development, based on the creation and improvement of a ground-based sensing device – the metal detector. Moreover, the author gives examples of its foreign experience in archaeological research as an additional scanning tool, where, in combination with traditional research methods, the metal detector is effective and significantly increases the statistics of metal artifacts found. In addition, the effective capabilities and the feasibility of using a metal detector in various regions of Ukraine, in the process of conducting modern archaeological research (archaeological explorations, stationary archaeological excavations and scientific and rescue studies), are examined based on the author’s personal experience. The algorithm of working with a metal detector at various archaeological sites, both entire complexes and individual objects, is analyzed. The research was carried out exclusively within the framework of professional archaeological ethics: metal detection was carried out purely during the work of archaeological expeditions in the area of the relevant monuments identified by permits. The metal detector was used for the systematic detection of metal artifacts in combination with standard methods of archaeological practice in general. In this article, a metal detector research is primarily considered as a means of obtaining important scientific information, and not as a tool for digging up metal artifacts. To conclude, methodological recommendations for the metal detector usage and issues related to the regulation of its usage in the examination of archaeological sites are presented.

The Internationalization and Institutionalization of Archaeology, or, How a Rich Man’s Pastime Became an International Scientific Discipline, and What Happened Thereafter

Archaeology has been an “international” discipline since it emerged as a separate field of intellectual endeavor by the mid-eighteenth century. During the nineteenth century and into the twentieth it gradually became more institutional, as museums increasingly sponsored detailed work and universities began to teach archaeology. However, for its entire existence, the flow of “archaeological capital” has been unidirectional, from “North” to “South”, and archaeology has sometimes served as a cover for less respectable activities. Additionally, during the twentieth century, archaeology, as practiced in major industrial nations and in developing regions, diverged, both in intent and in execution. Furthermore, the practice of archaeology in the Old World and the New World, and in developed and developing nations, has grown in different ways, with foreign actors being at various times eagerly solicited, welcomed, tolerated, denied entry, or expelled. This paper examines these processes, and suggests possible reasons for why archaeology as a discipline has evolved as it has in different parts of the world during the past decades.

Experimental Heritage as Practice: Approaching the Past through the Present at the Intersection of Art and Archaeology

This article presents the emerging transdisciplinary practice of Experimental Heritage as performed within an ongoing Irish-Swedish research project involving artists and archaeologists. The project is undertaken simultaneously in western Ireland and south-eastern Sweden. It explores the chosen Irish and Swedish landscapes of Clare and Öland, their similarities and differences, with the aid of combined and integrated artistic and archaeological practices. The starting points for common explorations are: stone and water, movement and time/the multitemporal, and the tangible and intangible aspects of landscape experience. In a transdisciplinary process we explore new ways of combining art, archaeology and heritage within and between these landscapes. One path towards fulfilling the aims is to explore art, archaeology and heritage through the senses. A phenomenological landscape perspective and an eco-cultural approach is combined with Performance Studies and movement-based practice. These perspectives and methodologies are paired with artistic and archaeological approaches to research such as those conducted through poetry, music, performance, visual arts, physical surveys, mapping and excavations. Methods of working have developed from walking in the landscape to sketching, through visuals, sound and movement, group dialogue, team building and exploring the materiality of making. Group movement-based workshops are used to support receptivity and inner listening for decision making through somatic principles and the senses. The project encourages transdisciplinary as well as translocal practice to arrive at new approaches and perspectives on how the past matters to us in the present and how it might have an impact on the future. To achieve both transdisciplinary and translocal ways of working through art and archaeology/heritage, we need to expand beyond conventional art and archaeology/heritage research, communication and presentation within the well-known framework of universities, cultural history museums and art institutions. The constraints of these conventions are substituted by alternative settings in the landscape. This landscape-based practice includes method development across disciplines, times and geographic distances. It also includes collaborations with people from local communities that can contribute their perspectives, experiences and stories to the explorations. The advantage of Experimental Heritage as practice in the landscape is its ability to challenge our current worldview to better understand other times and cultures as well as our own. This in turn provides us with new tools to create alternative futures resting on care and respect for the need for diversity and breaking not only with boundaries set up between nature and culture but also hierarchies of central and peripheral. We intend to find out more about the multitemporal layers in the landscapes surrounding us and how they relate to our inner landscapes of multitemporal perception. The combination and equal roles of artists and archaeologists as well as the contributions of researchers and members of the local communities in this work is crucial. Equality and diversity encourage transdisciplinary knowledge development.

Profiling an unlocated source: Group 3d obsidian in prehistoric and early historic near East

Provenancing of obsidian artefacts has become an increasingly common practice in Near Eastern archaeology. However, knowledge of the geological sources of obsidian remains variable. The Group 3d source remains the prime example; it was identified as chemically distinct in the 1960s and can be recognised as eastern Anatolian but it still lacks a specific geological location and has remained a minor detail in most publications. This article draws attention to the previously underappreciated importance of the source in later prehistoric periods, profiling assemblages of Group 3d obsidian artefacts from Ubaid and Chalcolitihic Kenan Tepe and Halaf Domuztepe in south east Turkey, as well as more isolated artefacts from a further twelve sites. It reviews our knowledge of the chemical composition of Group 3d obsidian and its physical characteristics. The article also explores the spatial and chronological distribution of this type of obsidian, which had a particular significance from the 7th millennium cal. BC onwards.