Dear all
I think Dan is right that we need to make our case far better (and far more often). In this particular case it may be that the journalist didnt quite get it, quoting Lisa as being interested in the 20th century but relativizing this immediately by pointing to a methodological interest with future archaeologists in mind who will then study a more distant (and by implication more real) past. Surely, contemporary archaeology is not merely of methodological concern, in the same way that others practiced "ethnoarchaeology" in the past? I assume that all this is the journalist's take on the topic. But it is significant nevertheless.
One of the biggest obstacles for the public acceptance of contemporary archaeology is the public perception of archaeology which is very much seen as a discipline preoccupied with discovery and promising great revelations, bringing lost civilizations back to life, etc. This is not what contemporary archaeology has to offer (in most cases!), but it is not what most non-contemporary archaeology has to offer either. The difference is that non-contemporary archaeologists and journalists reporting about them often manage to give their stories a popular spin by evoking these popular clischees. This is our big opportunity in archaeology (for which many other subjects envy us) -- and in contemporary archaeology we, too, need to realise this.
I think that both The Van and the Campsite (as well as a number of other contemporary archaeology projects I know of) would have benefitted in their popular perception from some major "discoveries" and "revelations". The best part of the Van story (to me anyway) were the missing fingerprints on some of the parts but not all that much was made of this particular discovery in the public domain, and it is a fairly minor discovery and revelation at that. The Heeley City Farm project, on the other hand, seems to have found a suitable spin, as Jim pointed out. My point is that I dont think it does us much good if we focus exclusively on academic, methodological issues all the time. Lets think about mass audiences more often and ask us everytime: so what's new here? What's the story?
PS Contemporary archaeology is obviously not only firmly aligned with historical archaeology, as Dan correctly points out, but also with prehistoric archaeology, and for the very same reason: "it's all archaeology, and all archaeology is contemporary".
all the best for now, wish I could come to Oxford
Cornelius
---
Cornelius Holtorf
University of Kalmar, Sweden
soon Linnaeus University
http://web.comhem.se/cornelius
________________________________________
Från: Discussion List for Contemporary and Historical Archaeology [[log in to unmask]] för dan Hicks [[log in to unmask]]
Skickat: den 1 september 2009 20:24
Till: [log in to unmask]
Ämne: Campsite archaeology/CHAT conference
I couldn't resist a comment on Jim Symonds' post --
In my recent experience 'tell me something I don't know' has been a question addressed
much more commonly and explicitly by archaeologists working on the C20 than by early
modern archaeologists. This need not be the case. We should remember that we're just a
generation away from precisely the same concerns about the utility of Romano-British
archaeology.
The argument - which has been used most effectively by Marxist archaeologists in the US
- that doing fieldwork provides a focus for public debate (like about climate change, as in
Jim's example) can be a strong one. We might note that no-one complained when Lisa
was doing oral history or archive research, so clearly fieldwork has a particular power for
public debate about the past.
But we all need to make the case more strongly for the value of archaeological
perspectives: perspectives that cover the whole of the human past, not just some canon
of great sites, themes or periods. Personally, I feel very hopeful that that is happening.
One major challenge for those working in historical archaeology is not to allow
'contemporary archaeology' to become something different from 'historical archaeology'.
It's all archaeology, and all archaeology is contemporary (which was the thinking behind
the CHAT group being called 'contemporary and historical' not 'contemporary or
historical').
More debate on this at CHAT next month in Oxford I'm sure -- where Lisa is giving a
paper and Jim will be a discussant.
Which leads me to the main point -- to remind everyone that delegate registration is
moving fast, and that if you want to attend (or if you're a speaker) you need to send in
your registration form and payment asap -- full details are here --
http://www.contemp-hist-arch.ac.uk/news.htm
Looking forward to seeing many of you in Oxford,
DH
On Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:29:00 +0100, J Symonds <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
>I heard Lisa on Radio 4 and was impressed. The trouble is I am committed to
>contemporary archaeology, and already believe that it is worthwhile.
>
>Looking at the comments posted in response to the Guardian article it is clear
>that we have a long way to go before contemporary archaeology can be accepted
>as a mainstream and worthwhile archaeological endeavour.
>
>Having said that, work at Heeley City Farm in Sheffield this summer on a
>Victorian terraced house was able to make links to modern concerns over the use
>of fossil fuels and global warming, and the need to recycle, and thereby gained
>broad-based community interest and support.
>
>'Tell me something that I don't already know' is nevertheless still the big
>question that needs to be countered as we push the boundaries.
>
>J.
>
>
>
>
>Quoting dan Hicks <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>> For interest -- Lisa Hill's work in Forest of Dean in todays Guardian, also
>> picked up with
>> interview with Lisa on today's Radio 4 PM programme -
>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/outdoors/article6815635.ece
>>
>> DH
>>
>> --------------------------
>> contemp-hist-arch is a list for news and events
>> in contemporary and historical archaeology, and
>> for announcements relating to the CHAT conference group.
>> -------
>> For email subscription options see:
>> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/archives/contemp-hist-arch.html
>> -------
>> Visit the CHAT website for more information and for future meeting dates:
>> http://www.contemp-hist-arch.ac.uk
>> --------------------------
>>
>
>
>Dr James Symonds FSA FSA (Scot) MIFA
>Director
>Archaeological Research & Consultancy at the University of Sheffield (ARCUS)
>Unit R6
>Riverside Block
>Sheaf Bank Business Park
>Prospect Road
>Sheffield S2 3EN
>
>Tel: ++44 (0)114 222 5106
>Fax: ++44 (0)114 2797158
>
>www.sheffield.ac.uk/arcus
>
>--------------------------
>contemp-hist-arch is a list for news and events
>in contemporary and historical archaeology, and
>for announcements relating to the CHAT conference group.
>-------
>For email subscription options see:
>http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/archives/contemp-hist-arch.html
>-------
>Visit the CHAT website for more information and for future meeting dates:
>http://www.contemp-hist-arch.ac.uk
>--------------------------
--------------------------
contemp-hist-arch is a list for news and events
in contemporary and historical archaeology, and
for announcements relating to the CHAT conference group.
-------
For email subscription options see:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/archives/contemp-hist-arch.html
-------
Visit the CHAT website for more information and for future meeting dates:
http://www.contemp-hist-arch.ac.uk
--------------------------
--------------------------
contemp-hist-arch is a list for news and events
in contemporary and historical archaeology, and
for announcements relating to the CHAT conference group.
-------
For email subscription options see:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/archives/contemp-hist-arch.html
-------
Visit the CHAT website for more information and for future meeting dates:
http://www.contemp-hist-arch.ac.uk
--------------------------
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