The comforts of unreason

An article on the contributions of alternative archaeology to our world view

Link

From the book Public Archaeology By Nick Merriman

Article written by Tim Shadla-Hall

Public Archaeology is a new sub-field of this discipline, which comprises the study of the interaction of archaeology with the public sphere. For the first time this text presents a broad introduction to this subject with chapters from some of the key players on this emerging field. Topics discussed include the politics and economics of archaeology, the antiques trade, and the restitution of archaeological material.

I think the profession should do more to promote the public field schools, such as those run by the Texas Archaeological Society: www.txarch.org...

These are open to anyone, and you really learn more about the subject doing things "hands on" than you do by reading at random.

Sadly, most are offered through colleges, which don't publicize them well. I'm all for people getting out and seeing the world and helping out with some research projects. Scientists always need a few extra hands!

I agree completely. I use to help run (for college level students) archaeological fields schools in Cyprus. More importantly we were able to get some of the local people interested (especially goat herders and olive farmers) who were very valuable in making surface finds.

When I used to dig for my Mentor Dr. George Agigino, we used to bring in lots of volunteers from outside the discipline.

Even now that I am not in the field, I still enjoy the occasional foray into survey archeology on a contractual basis for the USFS and I alway try to bring in locals from outside to help.

Yep survey archaeology is my favorite too- I rather dislike the necessary but boring knees in the dirt with a toothbrush stuff.

Once we had to do some emergency rescue archaeology and actually used a bulldozer (took off the top layers of what turned out to be a small tower) to get down to the bronze age stuff.

Originally posted by Hanslune
Yep survey archaeology is my favorite too- I rather dislike the necessary but boring knees in the dirt with a toothbrush stuff.

Once we had to do some emergency rescue archaeology and actually used a bulldozer (took off the top layers of what turned out to be a small tower) to get down to the bronze age stuff.

My primary dig, earlyman, "Blackwater draw, NM" we used bull dozers, backhoes and trenchers to get down to the fertile ground; then plenty of paintbrush and trowel work. Kill site with mammoth and Bison.

The current survey contractor I work for uses an ultralight aircraft and gps for the initial survey. Great fun!!



[edit on 22-3-2008 by whaaa]

In Cyprus we used 1950s British Army aerial recon photos to look for bronze age sites.

After a few weeks we got use to thinking "bronze age wise" and looked for water sources, defensiablility, access to the sea shore and (ancient) woods. Several times we found sites without being able to see them but by following those clues. (They rarely built more than half a klic from a water site.

Also used British troops to dig test holes for us - as training in digging in. man did the troops hate that - and their sergeants just loved it.