Dear all,
Call for Papers – the Manchester Interpretative Archaeology Colloquia
(ManIAC) 2004 presents:
THE FUTURE IN THE PAST: new perspectives on forward thinking in ancient
society
A colloquium to be held at the University of Manchester, June 15, 2004.
http://www.art.man.ac.uk/ARTHIST/maniac/
The power of hindsight in archaeology, exploring the succession of past
material residues, is a documentation of actions and events that have
already taken place at some point in the past. This is emphasised by the
chronological narratives that show a sequence of archaeological events
leading towards the present day. This hindsight is in many ways a
constriction to the interpretation of how past societies considered their
own future, simply because for the scholar this future has already
happened and is clearly represented by the material residue. We are
beginning to understand how the past and memory were integral for ancient
societies, but can the conception of the future for ancient society really
be understood?
This has been explored in some recent studies. For example, it has been
suggested that in some parts of Britain prehistoric monuments are
constructed through a preordained sequence of modifications, whilst other
regions or monuments display a rather more ad hoc approach to
construction. These ideas pose some interesting questions that
participants are asked to consider for the colloquium:
•Are there regional practices of construction of monuments or other
buildings that show evidence of preconception in form and design, or an ad-
hoc approach to construction, or both?
•How does the planning process in pre-literate societies differ to that of
today’s, and in what way can this offer an understanding of the future in
the past? Is ‘design’ as a term a hindrance for archaeological
understanding?
•Monuments also appear to be modified generations or hundreds of years
after their construction (building upon the past), yet the people
modifying these places are also constructing new monuments. Are these
constructed with (long-term) future modification in mind (or modification
of mind)? Are these places built upon the past through memory, or built as
a memorial for the future, or simply a residue of a performance for the
present?
•How are future memories actively created?
•Can prophecy, premonition and prediction be studied/theorised?
•How may we begin to interpret the motivations, uncertainties, risks, and
unintentional or serendipitous actions in the past?
Abstracts of 250-350 words should be submitted by May 1st to:
EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
A small grant at limited availability is on offer as support for travel
and/or accommodation expenses to this conference. Please contact for
further details if required.
Regards,
Marcus
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