Archaeology, or
archeology,
[1] is the study of
human activity in the past, primarily through the recovery and
analysis of the
material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes
artifacts,
architecture,
biofacts (also known as eco-facts) and
cultural landscapes (the
archaeological record). Because archaeology employs a wide range of different procedures, it can be considered to be both a
social science and a
humanity,
[2] and in the
United States, it is thought of as a branch of
anthropology,
[3] although in
Europe, it is viewed as a separate discipline.
Archaeology studies human
prehistory and
history from the development of the first
stone tools in eastern Africa 4 million years ago up until recent decades.
[4] (Archaeology does not include the discipline of
paleontology). It is of most importance for learning about
prehistoric societies, when there are no written records for historians to study, making up over 99% of total human history, from the
Paleolithic until the advent of literacy in any given society.
[2] Archaeology has various goals, which range from studying
human evolution to
cultural evolution and understanding
culture history.
[5]
The discipline involves
surveying,
excavation and eventually
analysis of data collected to learn more about the past. In broad scope, archaeology relies on cross-disciplinary research. It draws upon
anthropology,
history,
art history,
classics,
ethnology,
geography,
[6] geology,
[7][8][9] linguistics,
semiology,
physics,
information sciences,
chemistry,
statistics,
paleoecology,
paleontology,
paleozoology,
paleoethnobotany, and
paleobotany.
Archaeology developed out of
antiquarianism in
Europe during the 19th century, and has since become a discipline practiced across the world. Since its early development, various specific sub-disciplines of archaeology have developed, including
maritime archaeology,
feminist archaeology and
archaeoastronomy, and numerous different scientific techniques have been developed to aid archaeological investigation. Nonetheless, today, archaeologists face many problems, such as dealing with
pseudoarchaeology, the looting of artifacts, a lack of public interest, and opposition to the excavation of human remains.
History
Antiquarians
The science of archaeology (from
Greek ἀρχαιολογία,
archaiologia from
ἀρχαῖος,
arkhaios, "ancient" and
-λογία,
-logia, "
-logy")
[10] grew out of the older multi-disciplinary study known as antiquarianism. Antiquarians studied
history with particular attention to ancient artefacts and manuscripts, as well as historical sites. Antiquarianism focused on the empirical evidence that existed for the understanding of the past, encapsulated in the motto of the 18th-century antiquary, Sir
Richard Colt Hoare, "We speak from facts not theory". Tentative steps towards the systematization of archaeology as a
science took place during the
Enlightenment era in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.
[11]
In Europe, philosophical interest in the remains of
Greco-
Roman civilisation and the rediscovery of classical culture began in the late
Middle Age.
Flavio Biondo an Italian
Renaissance humanist historian created a systematic guide to the ruins and
topography of ancient Rome in the early 15th century for which he has been called an early founder of archeology. Antiquarians, including
John Leland and
William Camden, conducted surveys of the English countryside, drawing, describing and interpreting the monuments that they encountered.
First excavations
An early photograph of Stonehenge taken July 1877
One of the first sites to undergo archeological excavation was
Stonehenge and other megalithic monuments in
England.
John Aubrey was a pioneer archaeologist who recorded numerous
megalithic and other
field monuments in southern England. He was also ahead of his time in the analysis of his findings. He attempted to chart the chronological stylistic evolution of handwriting, medieval architecture, costume, and shield-shapes.
[12]
Excavations were also carried out in the ancient towns of
Pompeii and
Herculaneum, both of which had been covered by ash during the
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. These excavations began in 1748 in Pompeii, while in Herculaneum they began in 1738. The discovery of entire towns, complete with utensils and even human shapes, as well the unearthing of ancient
frescos, had a big impact throughout
Europe.
However, prior to the development of modern techniques, excavations tended to be haphazard; the importance of concepts such as
stratification and
context were overlooked.
[13]
Development of archaeological method
The father of archaeological excavation was
William Cunnington (1754–1810). He undertook excavations in
Wiltshire from around 1798,
[14] funded by Sir
Richard Colt Hoare. Cunnington made meticulous recordings of
neolithic and
Bronze Age barrows, and the terms he used to categorise and describe them are still used by archaeologists today.
[15]
One of the major achievements of 19th century archaeology was the development of
stratigraphy. The idea of overlapping strata tracing back to successive periods was borrowed from the new
geological and
palaeontological work of scholars like
William Smith,
James Hutton and
Charles Lyell. The application of stratigraphy to archaeology first took place with the excavations of
prehistorical and
Bronze Age sites. In the third and fourth decades of the 19th century, archaeologists like
Jacques Boucher de Perthes and
Christian Jürgensen Thomsen began to put the artifacts they had found in chronological order.
A major figure in the development of archaeology into a rigorous science was the army officer and
ethnologist,
Augustus Pitt Rivers,
[16] who began excavations on his land in England in the 1880s. His approach was highly methodical by the standards of the time, and he is widely regarded as the first scientific archaeologist. He
arranged his artefacts by type or "
typologically, and within types by date or "chronologically". This style of arrangement, designed to highlight the evolutionary trends in human artefacts, was of enormous significance for the accurate dating of the objects. His most important methodological innovation was his insistence that
all artefacts, not just beautiful or unique ones, be collected and catalogued.
[17]
William Flinders Petrie is another man who may legitimately be called the Father of Archaeology. His painstaking recording and study of artefacts, both in Egypt and later in
Palestine, laid down many of the ideas behind modern archaeological recording; he remarked that "I believe the true line of research lies in the noting and comparison of the smallest details." Petrie developed the
system of dating layers based on pottery and ceramic findings, which revolutionized the chronological basis of
Egyptology. Petrie was the first to scientifically investigate the
Great Pyramid in Egypt during the 1880s.
[18] He was also responsible for mentoring and training a whole generation of Egyptologists, including
Howard Carter who went on to achieve fame with the discovery of the tomb of 14th-century BC pharaoh
Tutankhamun.
The first stratigraphic excavation to reach wide popularity with public was that of
Hissarlik, on the site of ancient
Troy, carried out by
Heinrich Schliemann,
Frank Calvert,
Wilhelm Dörpfeld and
Carl Blegen in the 1870s. These scholars individuated nine different cities that had overlapped with one another, from prehistory to the
Hellenistic period.
[19] Meanwhile, the work of Sir
Arthur Evans at
Knossos in
Crete revealed the ancient existence of an equally advanced
Minoan civilization.
[20]
The next major figure in the development of archaeology was Sir
Mortimer Wheeler, whose highly disciplined approach to excavation and systematic coverage in the 1920s and 1930s brought the science on swiftly. Wheeler developed the
grid system of excavation, which was further improved by his student
Kathleen Kenyon.
Archaeology became a professional activity in the first half of the 20th century, and it became possible to study archaeology as a subject in universities and even schools. By the end of the 20th century nearly all professional archaeologists, at least in developed countries, were graduates. Further adaptation and innovation in archaeology continued in this period, when
maritime archaeology and
urban archaeology became more prevalent and
rescue archaeology was developed as a result of increasing commercial development.
[21]
Purpose
The purpose of archaeology is to learn more about past societies and the development of the
human race. Over 99% of the development of humanity has occurred within
prehistoric cultures, who did not make use of
writing, thereby not leaving written records of themselves that can be studied today. Without such written sources, the only way to learn about prehistoric societies is to use archaeology. Many important developments in human history occurred during prehistory, such as the
evolution of humanity during the
Paleolithic period, when the
hominins developed from the
australopithecines in
Africa and eventually into modern
Homo sapiens. Archaeology also sheds light on many of humanity's technological advances, for instance the ability to use fire, the development of
stone tools, the discovery of
metallurgy, the beginnings of
religion and the creation of
agriculture. Without archaeology, we would know little or nothing about the use of material culture by humanity that pre-dates writing.
[22]
However, it is not only prehistoric, pre-literate cultures that can be studied using archaeology but historic, literate cultures as well, through the sub-discipline of
historical archaeology. For many literate cultures, such as
Ancient Greece and
Mesopotamia, their surviving records are often incomplete and biased to some extent. In many societies, literacy was restricted to the
elite classes, such as the
clergy or the
bureaucracy of court or temple. The literacy even of
aristocrats has sometimes been restricted to deeds and contracts. The interests and world-view of elites are often quite different from the lives and interests of the populace. Writings that were produced by people more representative of the general population were unlikely to find their way into
libraries and be preserved there for posterity. Thus, written records tend to reflect the biases, assumptions, cultural values and possibly deceptions of a limited range of individuals, usually a small fraction of the larger population. Hence, written records cannot be trusted as a sole source. The material record may be closer to a fair representation of society, though it is subject to its own biases, such as
sampling bias and
differential preservation.
[23]
Theory
There is no one singular approach to archaeological theory that has been adhered to by all archaeologists. When archaeology developed in the late 19th century, the first approach to archaeological theory to be practiced was that of
cultural-history archaeology, which held the goal of explaining why cultures changed and adapted rather than just highlighting the fact that they did, therefore emphasizing
historical particularism.
[24] In the early 20th century, many archaeologists who studied past societies with direct continuing links to existing ones (such as those of
Native Americans,
Siberians,
Mesoamericans etc.) followed the
direct historical approach, compared the continuity between the past and contemporary ethnic and cultural groups.
[24] In the 1960s, an archaeological movement largely led by American archaeologists like
Lewis Binford and
Kent Flannery arose that rebelled against the established cultural-history archaeology.
[25][26] They proposed a "New Archaeology", which would be more "scientific" and "anthropological", with
hypothesis testing and the
scientific method very important parts of what became known as
processual archaeology.
[24]
In the 1980s, a new
postmodern movement arose led by the British archaeologists
Michael Shanks,
[27][28][29][30] Christopher Tilley,
[31] Daniel Miller,
[32][33] and
Ian Hodder,
[34][35][36][37][38][39] which has become known as
post-processual archaeology. It questioned processualism's appeals to scientific positivism and impartiality, and emphasized the importance of a more self-critical theoretical
reflexivity.
[citation needed] However, this approach has been criticized by processualists as lacking scientific rigor, and the validity of both processualism and post-processualism is still under debate. Meanwhile, another theory, known as
historical processualism has emerged seeking to incorporate a focus on process and post-processual archaeology's emphasis of reflexivity and history.
[40]
Archaeological theory now borrows from a wide range of influences, including
neo-Darwinian evolutionary thought,
phenomenology,
postmodernism,
agency theory,
cognitive science,
Structural functionalism,
gender-based and
Feminist archaeology, and
Systems theory.
Methods
An archaeological investigation usually involves several distinct phases, each of which employs its own variety of methods. Before any practical work can begin, however, a clear objective as to what the archaeologists are looking to achieve must be agreed upon. This done, a site is
surveyed to find out as much as possible about it and the surrounding area. Second, an excavation may take place to uncover any archaeological features buried under the ground. And, third, the data collected from the excavation is studied and evaluated in an attempt to achieve the original research objectives of the archaeologists. It is then considered good practice for the information to be published so that it is available to other archaeologists and historians, although this is sometimes neglected.
[41]
Remote sensing
Before actually starting to dig in a location,
satellite imagery can be used to look where sites are located within a large area.
[42]
Field survey
The archaeological project then continues (or alternatively, begins) with a
field survey. Regional survey is the attempt to systematically locate previously unknown sites in a region. Site survey is the attempt to systematically locate features of interest, such as houses and
middens, within a site. Each of these two goals may be accomplished with largely the same methods.
Survey was not widely practiced in the early days of archaeology. Cultural historians and prior researchers were usually content with discovering the locations of monumental sites from the local populace, and excavating only the plainly visible features there.
Gordon Willey pioneered the technique of regional settlement pattern survey in 1949 in the
Viru Valley of coastal
Peru,
[43][44] and survey of all levels became prominent with the rise of processual archaeology some years later.
[45]
Survey work has many benefits if performed as a preliminary exercise to, or even in place of, excavation. It requires relatively little time and expense, because it does not require processing large volumes of soil to search out artifacts. (Nevertheless, surveying a large region or site can be expensive, so archaeologists often employ
sampling methods.)
[46] As with other forms of non-destructive archaeology, survey avoids ethical issues (of particular concern to descendant peoples) associated with destroying a site through excavation. It is the only way to gather some forms of information, such as
settlement patterns and settlement structure. Survey data are commonly assembled into
maps, which may show surface features and/or artifact distribution.
Inverted kite aerial photo of an excavation of a Roman building at Nesley near Tetbury in Gloucestershire.
The simplest survey technique is surface survey. It involves combing an area, usually on foot but sometimes with the use of mechanized transport, to search for features or artifacts visible on the surface. Surface survey cannot detect sites or features that are completely buried under earth, or overgrown with vegetation. Surface survey may also include mini-excavation techniques such as
augers,
corers, and
shovel test pits. If no materials are found, the area surveyed is deemed
sterile.
Aerial survey is conducted using
cameras attached to
airplanes,
balloons, or even
Kites.
[47] A bird's-eye view is useful for quick mapping of large or complex sites. Aerial photographs are used to document the status of the archaeological dig. Aerial imaging can also detect many things not visible from the surface.
Plants growing above a buried man made structure, such as a stone wall, will develop more slowly, while those above other types of features (such as
middens) may develop more rapidly. Photographs of ripening
grain, which changes colour rapidly at maturation, have revealed buried structures with great precision. Aerial photographs taken at different times of day will help show the outlines of structures by changes in shadows. Aerial survey also employs
ultraviolet,
infrared, ground-penetrating
radar wavelengths,
LiDAR and
thermography.
[48]
Geophysical survey can be the most effective way to see beneath the ground.
Magnetometers detect minute deviations in the
Earth's magnetic field caused by
iron artifacts,
kilns, some types of
stone structures, and even ditches and middens. Devices that measure the
electrical resistivity of the soil are also widely used. Archaeological features whose electrical resistivity contrasts with that of surrounding soils can be detected and mapped. Some archaeological features (such as those composed of stone or brick) have higher resistivity than typical soils, while others (such as organic deposits or unfired clay) tend to have lower resistivity.
Although some archaeologists consider the use of
metal detectors to be tantamount to treasure hunting, others deem them an effective tool in archaeological surveying. Examples of formal archaeological use of metal detectors include musketball distribution analysis on
English Civil War battlefields, metal distribution analysis prior to excavation of a 19th-century ship wreck, and service cable location during evaluation. Metal detectorists have also contributed to archaeology where they have made detailed records of their results and refrained from raising artifacts from their archaeological context. In the UK, metal detectorists have been solicited for involvement in the
Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Regional survey in
underwater archaeology uses geophysical or remote sensing devices such as marine magnetometer,
side-scan sonar, or sub-bottom sonar.
[49]
Excavation
Archaeological excavation existed even when the field was still the domain of amateurs, and it remains the source of the majority of data recovered in most field projects. It can reveal several types of information usually not accessible to survey, such as
stratigraphy, three-dimensional structure, and verifiably primary context.
Modern excavation techniques require that the precise locations of objects and features, known as their
provenance or provenience, be recorded. This always involves determining their horizontal locations, and sometimes vertical position as well (also see
Primary Laws of Archaeology). Likewise, their
association, or
relationship with nearby objects and
features, needs to be recorded for later analysis. This allows the archaeologist to deduce which
artifacts and features were likely used together and which may be from different
phases of activity. For example, excavation of a site reveals its
stratigraphy; if a site was occupied by a succession of distinct cultures, artifacts from more recent cultures will lie above those from more ancient cultures.
Excavation is the most expensive phase of archaeological research, in relative terms. Also, as a destructive process, it carries
ethical concerns. As a result, very few sites are excavated in their entirety. Again the percentage of a site excavated depends greatly on the country and "method statement" issued. In places 90% excavation is common.
Sampling is even more important in excavation than in survey. It is common for large mechanical equipment, such as
backhoes (
JCBs), to be used in excavation, especially to remove the
topsoil (
overburden), though this method is increasingly used with great caution. Following this rather dramatic step, the exposed area is usually hand-cleaned with
trowels or
hoes to ensure that all features are apparent.
The next task is to form a
site plan and then use it to help decide the method of excavation. Features dug into the
natural subsoil are normally excavated in portions to produce a visible
archaeological section for recording. A feature, for example a pit or a ditch, consists of two parts: the
cut and the
fill. The cut describes the edge of the feature, where the feature meets the natural soil. It is the feature's boundary. The fill is what the feature is filled with, and will often appear quite distinct from the natural soil. The cut and fill are given consecutive numbers for recording purposes. Scaled plans and sections of individual features are all drawn on site, black and white and colour photographs of them are taken, and
recording sheets are filled in describing the
context of each. All this information serves as a permanent record of the now-destroyed archaeology and is used in describing and interpreting the site.
Analysis
Once artifacts and structures have been excavated, or collected from surface surveys, it is necessary to properly study them, to gain as much data as possible. This process is known as post-excavation analysis, and is usually the most time-consuming part of the archaeological investigation. It is not uncommon for the final excavation reports on major sites to take years to be published.
At its most basic, the artifacts found are cleaned, cataloged and compared to published collections, to classify them
typologically and to identify other sites with similar artifact assemblages. However, a much more comprehensive range of analytical techniques are available through
archaeological science, meaning that artifacts can be dated and their compositions examined. The bones, plants and pollen collected from a site can all be analyzed (using the techniques of
zooarchaeology,
paleoethnobotany, and
palynology), while any texts can usually be
deciphered.
These techniques frequently provide information that would not otherwise be known and therefore contribute greatly to the understanding of a site.
Virtual archaeology
Some time around 1995 archaeologists started using
computer graphics to build virtual
3D models of sites such as the throne room of an ancient Assyrian palace or ancient Rome.
[50] This is done by collecting normal photographs and using computer graphics to build the virtual 3D model.
[50] In more general terms,
computers can be used to recreate the environment and conditions of the past, such as objects, buildings, landscapes and even ancient battles.
[50] Computer simulation can be used to simulate the living conditions of an ancient community and to see how it would have reacted to various scenarios (such as how much food to grow, how many animals to slaughter, etc.)
[50]
Computer-built
topographical models have been combined with
astronomical calculations to verify whether or not certain structures (such as pillars) were aligned with astronomical events such as the sun's position at a
solstice.
[50]
Drones
In Peru archaeologists use drones to speed up survey work and protect sites from squatters, builders and miners. Small drones helped researchers produce three-dimensional models of Peruvian sites instead of the usual flat maps – and in days and weeks instead of months and years.
[51]
Drones have replaced expensive and clumsy small planes, kites and helium balloons. Drones costing as little as £650 have proven useful. In 2013 drones have flown over at least six Peruvian archaeological sites, including the colonial Andean town Machu Llacta 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) above sea level. The drones continue to have altitude problems in the Andes, leading to plans to make a drone
blimp, employing open source software.
[51]
Jeffrey Quilter, an archaeologist with Harvard University said, "You can go up three metres and photograph a room, 300 metres and photograph a site, or you can go up 3,000 metres and photograph the entire valley."
[51]
In September 2014 drones weighing about 5 kg (11 lb) were used for 3D mapping of the above-ground ruins of the Greek city of
Aphrodisias. The data is being analysed by the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Vienna.
[52]
Academic sub-disciplines
As with most
academic disciplines, there are a very large number of
archaeological sub-disciplines characterised by a specific method or type of material (e.g.,
lithic analysis,
music,
archaeobotany), geographical or chronological focus (e.g.
Near Eastern archaeology,
Islamic archaeology,
Medieval archaeology), other thematic concern (e.g.
maritime archaeology,
landscape archaeology,
battlefield archaeology), or a specific
archaeological culture or
civilization (e.g. Egyptology,
Indology,
Sinology).
Historical archaeology
Historical archaeology is the study of cultures with some form of writing.
In
England, archaeologists have uncovered the long-lost layouts of medieval villages abandoned after crises of the 14th century (such as the
Black Death) and the equally lost layouts of 17th-century
parterre gardens swept away by a change in fashion.
[citation needed] In downtown
New York City archaeologists have exhumed the 18th century remains of the
African burial ground.
Ethnoarchaeology
Ethnoarchaeology is the archaeological study of living people.
[53][54][55][56][57][58] The approach gained notoriety during the emphasis on middle range theory that was a feature of the processual movement of the 1960s. Early ethnoarchaeological research focused on hunting and gathering or foraging societies. Ethnoarchaeology continues to be a vibrant component of post-processual and other current archaeological approaches.
[59][60][61][62] Ethnoarchaeology is the use of ethnography to increase and improve analogs, which are then used as analogies to interpret the archaeological record. In short, ethnoarchaeology is the application of ethnography to archaeology.
[63]
Experimental archaeology
Experimental archaeology represents the application of the experimental method to develop more highly controlled observations of processes that create and impact the archaeological record.
[64][65][66][67][68] In the context of the logical positivism of processualism with its goals of improving the scientific rigor of archaeological
epistemologies the experimental method gained importance.
Experimental techniques remain a crucial component to improving the inferential frameworks for interpreting the archaeological record.
Archaeometry
Archaeometry is a field of study that aims to systematize archaeological measurement. It emphasizes the application of analytical techniques from physics, chemistry, and engineering. It is a field of research that frequently focuses on the definition of the chemical composition of archaeological remains for source analysis.
[69] Archaeometry also investigates different spatial characteristics of features, employing methods such as space syntax techniques and
geodesy as well as computer-based tools such as
geographic information system technology.
[70] Rare earth elements patterns may also be used.
[71] A relatively nascent subfield is that of archaeological materials, designed to enhance understanding of prehistoric and non-industrial culture through scientific analysis of the structure and properties of materials associated with human activity.
[72]
Cultural resources management
While archaeology can be done as a pure science, it can also be an applied science, namely the study of archaeological sites that are threatened by development. In such cases, archaeology is a subsidiary activity within
Cultural resources management (CRM), also called heritage management in the United Kingdom.
[73] Today, CRM accounts for most of the archaeological research done in the United States and much of that in
western Europe as well. In the US, CRM archaeology has been a growing concern since the passage of the
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, and most taxpayers, scholars, and politicians believe that CRM has helped preserve much of that nation's history and prehistory that would have otherwise been lost in the expansion of cities, dams, and highways. Along with other statutes, the NHPA mandates that projects on federal land or involving federal funds or permits consider the effects of the project on each
archaeological site.
The application of CRM in the United Kingdom is not limited to government-funded projects. Since 1990
PPG 16[74] has required planners to consider archaeology as a
material consideration in determining applications for new development. As a result, numerous archaeological organisations undertake mitigation work in advance of (or during) construction work in archaeologically sensitive areas, at the
developer's expense.
In England, ultimate responsibility of care for the historic environment rests with the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport[75] in association with
English Heritage.
[76] In
Scotland,
Wales and
Northern Ireland, the same responsibilities lie with
Historic Scotland,
[77] Cadw[78] and the
Northern Ireland Environment Agency[79] respectively.
Among the goals of CRM are the identification, preservation, and maintenance of
cultural sites on public and private lands, and the removal of culturally valuable materials from areas where they would otherwise be destroyed by human activity, such as proposed construction. This study involves at least a cursory examination to determine whether or not any significant archaeological sites are present in the area affected by the proposed construction. If these do exist, time and money must be allotted for their excavation. If initial survey and/or test excavation indicates the presence of an extraordinarily valuable site, the construction may be prohibited entirely. CRM is a thriving entity, especially in the United States and Europe where archaeologists from private companies and all levels of government engage in the practice of their discipline.
Cultural resources management has, however, been criticized. CRM is conducted by private companies that bid for projects by submitting proposals outlining the work to be done and an expected budget. It is not unheard-of for the agency responsible for the construction to simply choose the proposal that asks for the least funding. CRM archaeologists face considerable time pressure, often being forced to complete their work in a fraction of the time that might be allotted for a purely scholarly endeavor. Compounding the time pressure is the vetting process of site reports that are required (in the US) to be submitted by CRM firms to the appropriate
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). From the SHPO's perspective there is to be no difference between a report submitted by a CRM firm operating under a deadline, and a multi-year academic project. The end result is that for a Cultural Resource Management archaeologist to be successful, they must be able to produce academic quality documents at a corporate world pace.
The annual ratio of open academic archaeology positions (inclusive of
Post-Doc, temporary, and non tenure track appointments) to the annual number of archaeology MA/MSc and PhD students is grossly disproportionate. This dearth of academic positions causes a predictable excess of well educated individuals who join the ranks of the following year's crop of non-academically employed archaeologists. Cultural Resource Management, once considered an intellectual backwater for individuals with "strong backs and weak minds"
[80] has reaped the benefit of this massive pool of well educated professionals. This results in CRM offices increasingly staffed by advance degreed individuals with a track record of producing scholarly articles but who have the notches on their trowels to show they have been in the trenches as a
shovelbum.
Popular views of archaeology
Permanent exhibition in a German multi-storey car park, explaining the archaeological discoveries made during the construction of this building
Early archaeology was largely an attempt to uncover spectacular artifacts and features, or to explore vast and mysterious abandoned cities. Early archaeology was mostly done by upper class, scholarly men. This generalization laid the foundation for the modern popular view of archaeology and archaeologists. This generalization has been with western culture for a long time. Another popular thought that dates back to this era is that archaeology is monetarily lucrative. A large majority of the general public is under the impression that excavations are undertaken for money and not historical data.
[citation needed] It is easy for the general public to hold this notion for that is what is presented to them through general media, and has been for many decades.
The majority of the public view archaeology as being something only available to a narrow demographic. The job of archaeologist is depicted as a "romantic adventurist occupation".
[81] To generalize, the public views archaeology as a fantasized hobby more than a job in the scientific community. The audience may not take away scientific methods from popular cinema but they do form a notion of "who archaeologists are, why they do what they do, and how relationships to the past are constituted".
[81] The modern depiction of archaeology is sensationalized so much that it has incorrectly formed the public's perception of what archaeology is. The public is often under the impression that all archaeology takes place in a distant and foreign land, only to collect monetarily or spiritually priceless artifacts.
Such pursuits continue to fascinate the public. Books, films, and video games, such as
Indiana Jones,
King Solomon's Mines,
The City of Brass,
Relic Hunter,
The Mummy,
Stargate, and
Tomb Raider all testify to the public's interest in the discovery aspect of archaeology.
Indeed it is a widely held belief that the general public takes many of their stereotypical ideals of archaeologists and archaeology from these films. The Indiana Jones movies have put forth the image of the able-bodied white western male who is comfortable in both the classroom and holding his own against baddies, and while Indiana Jones scholars like to point to this real life archaeologist and that one as the prototype for the character it is likely that coming up with a character who is a rugged, sexually appealing male that is smart enough to have a doctorate and can still save your life while under extreme peril could not have been difficult for screenwriters.
[82] While the
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movies and video games stereotype female archaeologists as needing to be wealthy and fit and have a parent who carried weight in their field to be successful, as she is not considered herself to be an archaeologist so much as she is a treasure hunter. From the original 1932 Mummy film with Boris Karloff the viewing public is first shown the idea of archaeology taking place in a distant land on film, an idea which continued throughout all of the above films. There are subsequently numerous movies which all take place in warm and exotic locales, including all four Indiana Jones movies both Tomb Raider movies and three more mummy films after the franchise was re-imagined.
So while it is clear that film makers are at the very least drawing attention to archaeology in a way that other sciences cannot boast,there is certainly a very real disconnect between where archaeology is actually practiced (all over the world, often in mud or snow as often as in the sandy deserts) and by whom it is done these days (primarily young women seems to be the answer). Archaeology in popular culture is arguably thriving, and will likely continue to do so in the form of highly exaggerated films as that is what the public want. It therefor remains the job of the everyday archaeology to inform their students about the grand tradition of these films and to show them the parallels that will ultimately draw new scientists into the field of archaeology.
Much thorough and productive research has indeed been conducted in dramatic locales such as
Copán and the
Valley of the Kings, but the bulk of activities and finds of modern archaeology are not so sensational. Archaeological adventure stories tend to ignore the painstaking work involved in carrying out modern surveys,
excavations, and
data processing. Some archaeologists refer to such off-the-mark portrayals as "
pseudoarchaeology".
[83]
Archaeology has been portrayed in the mainstream media in sensational ways. This has its advantages and disadvantages. Many practitioners point to the childhood excitement of Indiana Jones films as their inspiration to enter the field.
[84][85] Archaeologists are also very much reliant on public support; the question of exactly who they are doing their work for is often discussed.
[86]
Current issues and controversy
Public archaeology
Motivated by a desire to halt looting, curb
pseudoarchaeology, and to help preserve archaeological sites through education and fostering public appreciation for the importance of archaeological heritage, archaeologists are mounting public-outreach campaigns.
[87] They seek to stop looting by combatting people who illegally take artifacts from protected sites, and by alerting people who live near archaeological sites of the threat of looting. Common methods of public outreach include press releases, and the encouragement of school field trips to sites under excavation by professional archaeologists.
[citation needed] Public appreciation of the significance of archaeology and archaeological sites often leads to improved protection from encroaching development or other threats.
One audience for archaeologists' work is the public. They increasingly realize that their work can benefit non-academic and non-archaeological audiences, and that they have a responsibility to educate and inform the public about archaeology. Local heritage awareness is aimed at increasing civic and individual pride through projects such as community excavation projects, and better public presentations of archaeological sites and knowledge.
[citation needed] The U.S.Dept. of Agriculture,
Forest Service (USFS) operates a volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program called the Passport in Time (PIT). Volunteers work with professional USFS archaeologists and historians on national forests throughout the U.S. Volunteers are involved in all aspects of professional archaeology under expert supervision.
[88]
In the UK, popular archaeology programs such as
Time Team and
Meet the Ancestors have resulted in a huge upsurge in public interest.
[citation needed] Where possible, archaeologists now make more provisions for public involvement and outreach in larger projects than they once did, and many local archaeological organizations operate within the
Community archaeology framework to expand public involvement in smaller-scale, more local projects. Archaeological excavation, however, is best undertaken by well-trained staff that can work quickly and accurately. Often this requires observing the necessary
health and safety and indemnity insurance issues involved in working on a modern
building site with tight deadlines. Certain charities and
local government bodies sometimes offer places on research projects either as part of academic work or as a defined community project.
[citation needed] There is also a flourishing industry selling places on commercial
training excavations and archaeological holiday tours.
[citation needed]
Archaeologists prize local knowledge and often liaise with local historical and archaeological societies, which is one reason why
Community archaeology projects are starting to become more common. Often archaeologists are assisted by the public in the locating of archaeological sites, which professional archaeologists have neither the funding, nor the time to do.
The Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI), self-described as "an independent, nonprofit, tax-exempt (501[c][3])", is a research and education corporation registered in Oregon in 1999. The ALI founded an online
Archaeology Channel to support the organization's mission "to develop ways to make archaeology more effective both in gathering important information about past human lifeways and in delivering that information to the public and the profession."
[89]
Pseudoarchaeology
Pseudoarchaeology is an umbrella term for all activities that falsely claim to be archaeological but in fact violate commonly accepted and scientific archaeological practices. It includes much fictional archaeological work (discussed above), as well as some actual activity. Many non-fiction authors have ignored the scientific methods of processual archaeology, or the specific critiques of it contained in
post-processualism.
An example of this type is the writing of
Erich von Däniken. His 1968 book,
Chariots of the Gods?, together with many subsequent lesser-known works, expounds a theory of ancient contacts between human civilisation on Earth and more technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilisations. This theory, known as
palaeocontact theory, or
Ancient astronaut theory, is not exclusively Däniken's, nor did the idea originate with him. Works of this nature are usually marked by the renunciation of well-established theories on the basis of limited evidence, and the interpretation of evidence with a preconceived theory in mind.
Looting
A looter's pit on the morning following its excavation, taken at
Rontoy,
Huaura Valley,
Peru in June 2007. Several small holes left by looters' prospecting probes can be seen, as well as their footprints.
Stela of a king named
Adad-Nirari. Object stolen from the Iraq National Museum in the looting in connection with the
Iraq war of 2003.
Looting of archaeological sites is an ancient problem. For instance, many of the tombs of the Egyptian
pharaohs were looted during
antiquity.
[90] Archaeology stimulates interest in ancient objects, and people in search of artifacts or treasure cause damage to archaeological sites. The commercial and academic demand for artifacts unfortunately contributes directly to the
illicit antiquities trade. Smuggling of antiquities abroad to private collectors has caused great cultural and economic damage in many countries whose governments lack the resources and or the will to deter it. Looters damage and destroy archaeological sites, denying future generations information about their ethnic and cultural heritage. Indigenous peoples especially lose access to and control over their 'cultural resources', ultimately denying them the opportunity to know their past.
[91]
In 1937 W. F. Hodge the Director of the
Southwest Museum released a statement that the museum would no longer purchase or accept collections from looted contexts.
[92] The first conviction of the transport of artifacts illegally removed from private property under the
Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA; Public Law 96-95; 93 Statute 721; 16 U.S.C. § 470aamm) was in 1992 in the State of Indiana.
[93]
Descendant peoples
In the United States, examples such as the case of
Kennewick Man have illustrated the tensions between
Native Americans and archaeologists, which can be summarized as a conflict between a need to remain respectful toward sacred burial sites and the academic benefit from studying them.
For years, American archaeologists dug on Indian burial grounds and other places considered sacred, removing artifacts and human remains to storage facilities for further study. In some cases human remains were not even thoroughly studied but instead archived rather than reburied. Furthermore, Western archaeologists' views of the past often differ from those of tribal peoples. The West views time as linear; for many natives, it is cyclic. From a Western perspective, the past is long-gone; from a native perspective, disturbing the past can have dire consequences in the present.
As a consequence of this, American Indians attempted to prevent archaeological excavation of sites inhabited by their ancestors, while American archaeologists believed that the advancement of scientific knowledge was a valid reason to continue their studies. This contradictory situation was addressed by the
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA, 1990), which sought to reach a compromise by limiting the right of research institutions to possess human remains. Due in part to the spirit of
postprocessualism, some archaeologists have begun to actively enlist the assistance of
indigenous peoples likely to be descended from those under study.
Archaeologists have also been obliged to re-examine what constitutes an archaeological site in view of what native peoples believe to constitute sacred space. To many native peoples, natural features such as lakes, mountains or even individual trees have cultural significance. Australian archaeologists especially have explored this issue and attempted to survey these sites to give them some protection from being developed. Such work requires close links and trust between archaeologists and the people they are trying to help and at the same time study.
While this cooperation presents a new set of challenges and hurdles to fieldwork, it has benefits for all parties involved. Tribal elders cooperating with archaeologists can prevent the excavation of areas of sites that they consider sacred, while the archaeologists gain the elders' aid in interpreting their finds. There have also been active efforts to recruit aboriginal peoples directly into the archaeological profession.
Repatriation
A new trend in the heated controversy between
First Nations groups and scientists is the
repatriation of native
artifacts to the original descendants. An example of this occurred June 21, 2005, when community members and elders from a number of the 10
Algonquian nations in the
Ottawa area convened on the Kitigan Zibi reservation near
Maniwaki, Quebec, to inter ancestral human remains and burial goods — some dating back 6,000 years. It was not determined, however, if the remains were directly related to the Algonquin people who now inhabit the region. The remains may be of Iroquoian ancestry, since Iroquoian people inhabited the area before the Algonquin. Moreover, the oldest of these remains might have no relation at all to the Algonquin or Iroquois, and belong to an earlier culture who previously inhabited the area.
The remains and artifacts, including
jewelry,
tools and
weapons, were originally excavated from various sites in the
Ottawa Valley, including
Morrison and the
Allumette Islands. They had been part of the
Canadian Museum of Civilization's research collection for decades, some since the late 19th century. Elders from various Algonquin communities conferred on an appropriate reburial, eventually deciding on traditional
redcedar and
birchbark boxes lined with redcedar chips,
muskrat and
beaver pelts.
Now, an inconspicuous rock mound marks the reburial site where close to 80 boxes of various sizes are buried, no further scientific study is possible. Although negotiations were at times tense between the Kitigan Zibi community and museum, they were able to reach agreement.
[94]
Kennewick Man is another repatriation candidate that has been the source of heated debate.
