An Archaeology of the Margins

An Archaeology of the Margins
Author: A. José Farrujia de la Rosa
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2013-11-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 146149396X

This book analyses the problematics of archaeological heritage management in the Canary Islands, which are echoed in other parts of the world where the indigenous heritage is under-represented. The present-day management of Canarian archaeological heritage has a very specific and unusual context given that the archipelago is located on the fringes of Europe, belonging to Spain and therefore to the European Unión, but geographically and in terms of early history being part of Africa. From a theoretical perspective, then, the proposed book analyzes issues such as the effects of colonialism and eurocentrism on the management of the archaeological heritage. It also examines the evolutionist and historico-cultural models used to analyze past societies and, ultimately, used to create identities that influence archaeological heritage management itself. From a practical point of view, the book presents a proposal for enhancing the archaeological heritage of the Canary Islands through the creation of archaeological parks (providing some concrete examples in the case of the city of La Laguna) and the active involvement of the local community. Parallel to this, the book considers the Canarian Archipelago as part of a problematic that is not unique to this area but is an example of poor indigenous heritage management overall. It demonstrates how the course of history and the politics of the past still have an excessive influence on the way in which the present-day archaeological heritage is interpreted and managed. Therefore, this book provides an almost unique opportunity for uncovering the history of archaeology within the margins of Europe (in fact, in an African region) and exploring colonial and foreign influences. In many ways it is a mirror of archaeological mainstreams and an exercise in (re)thinking the aim and status of present-day archaeology.

Handbook of Postcolonial Archaeology

Handbook of Postcolonial Archaeology
Author: Jane Lydon
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 526
Release: 2016-07
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1315427680

The contributors to this volume—themselves from six continents and many representing indigenous and minority communities and disadvantaged countries—suggest strategies to strip archaeological theory and practice of its colonial heritage and create a discipline sensitive to its inherent inequalities.

Archaeology Under Dictatorship

Archaeology Under Dictatorship
Author: Michael L. Galaty
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2007-03-14
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0387362142

This volume provides a theoretical basis for understanding the specific effects of totalitarian dictatorship upon the practice of archaeology, both during and after the dictator's reign. The nine essays explore experiences from every corner of the Mediterranean. With its wide-range of case-studies and strong theoretical orientation, this volume is a major advance in the study of the history and politics of archaeology.

A World History of Nineteenth-Century Archaeology

A World History of Nineteenth-Century Archaeology
Author: Margarita Diaz-Andreu
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 504
Release: 2007-11-22
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0191527165

Margarita Diaz-Andreu offers an innovative history of archaeology during the nineteenth century, encompassing all its fields from the origins of humanity to the medieval period, and all areas of the world. The development of archaeology is placed within the framework of contemporary political events, with a particular focus upon the ideologies of nationalism and imperialism. Diaz-Andreu examines a wide range of issues, including the creation of institutions, the conversion of the study of antiquities into a profession, public memory, changes in archaeological thought and practice, and the effect on archaeology of racism, religion, the belief in progress, hegemony, and resistance.

Unquiet Pasts

Unquiet Pasts
Author: Stephanie Koerner
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 424
Release: 2016-12-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1351876678

This important book addresses critical themes in the development of archaeology as a reflexive, self-critical discipline in the modern world. It explores the ethical, political and cultural tensions and responsibilities which need to be addressed by archaeologists when working within networks of global ecologies and communities, examining how authoritarian traditions can exacerbate the divide between expert and public knowledge. Moreover, it analyses how localized acts of archaeology relate to changing conceptions of risk, heritage, culture, identity, and conflict. Bringing insights from Alain Schnapp, Michael Shanks, Isabelle Stengers, Bruno Latour, Ulrich Beck, John Urry and others to cross-disciplinary discussions of these themes, Unquiet Pasts shows how archaeological discourse can contribute towards engaging and understanding current dilemmas. It also shows how archaeology, as a localized and responsibly exercised practice, can play a part in building our commonly shared and experienced world.

Reconstructing Spain

Reconstructing Spain
Author: Dacia Viejo-Rose
Publisher: Apollo Books
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2011
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781845194352

This book explores the role of cultural heritage in post-conflict reconstruction, whether as a motor for the prolongation of violence or as a resource for building reconciliation. The research was driven by two main goals: to understand the post-conflict reconstruction process and to identify how this process evolves in the medium term and the impact it has on society. The Spanish Civil War (1936-39) and its subsequent phases of reconstruction provides the primary material for this exploration. In pursuit of the first goal, the book centers on the material practices and rhetorical strategies developed around cultural heritage in post-civil war Spain and the victorious Franco regime's reconstruction. The analysis captures a discursively complex set of practices that made up the reconstruction and in which a variety of Spanish heritage sites were claimed, rebuilt or restored, and represented - as signs of historical narratives, political legitimacy, and group identity. The reconstruction of the town of Gernika is a particularly emblematic instance of destruction and a significant symbol within the Basque regions of Spain, as well as internationally. By examining Gernika, it is possible to identify some of the trends common to the reconstruction as a whole, along with those aspects that pertain to its singular symbolic resonance. In order to achieve the second goal, the book examines the processes of selection, value change, and exclusionary dynamics of reconstruction. Exploring the possible impact of post-civil war reconstruction in the medium term is conducted in two time frames: the period of political transition that followed General Franco's death in 1975, and the 2004-2008 period when Rodriguez Zapatero's government undertook initiatives to 'recover the historic memory' of the war and dictatorship. Finally, the observations made of the Spanish reconstruction are analyzed in terms of how they might reveal general trends in post-conflict reconstruction processes in relation to cultural heritage. These insights are pertinent to the situations in Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Archaeology

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Archaeology
Author: Margarita Díaz-Andreu
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 977
Release: 2024
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0190092505

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Archaeology offers comprehensive perspectives on the origins and developments of the discipline of archaeology and the direction of future advances in the field. Written by thirty-six archaeologists and historians from all over the world, it covers a wide range of themes and debates, including biographical accounts of key figures, scientific techniques and archaeological fieldwork practices, institutional contexts, and the effects of religion, nationalism, and colonialism on the development of archaeology.

Archaeological Encounters

Archaeological Encounters
Author: Margarita Díaz-Andreu
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 490
Release: 2012-11-13
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1443842761

This book examines the relationship between British and Spanish archaeology in the light of international geographies of knowledge. It looks at the practical aspects of the personal relationships established between British and Spanish prehistoric archaeologists from the 1920s to the 1970s. Part I of the book sets the scene. It provides some contextual information on the main events in the archaeology of both countries in the period under study. It also introduces Professor Luis Pericot, the archaeologist whose archive serves as the basis for much of what is discussed throughout the following chapters. In Part II of the book an analysis of the correspondence held in the Pericot Archive (the Fons Pericot in the Biblioteca de Catalunya) is undertaken. The examination of the letters exchanged between Spanish and British prehistorians in general, and in particular between Luis Pericot and about a dozen major British scholars of his time, allows the reconstruction of the nature of the relationships formed between them. The analysis has been divided into three chapters, corresponding to the three main towns where his correspondents lived for most of their academic careers: London, Cambridge and Oxford. In Part III of the book the information obtained from the correspondence is then complemented and re-examined, considering three main aspects: the production, transmission and reception of knowledge. This analysis puts together aspects discussed in Part I of the book with the data gathered from the letters in Part II, as well as other information provided by publications including translations and reviews. First of all an assessment is made as to whether the geographical context affected the way knowledge of prehistoric archaeology was produced. Secondly, the mechanisms and networks that allowed the international transmission of both ideas and practices linked to prehistoric archaeology are assessed. A third aspect looked into is the reception of knowledge, linking this with issues such as academic prestige and authority.

European Archaeology Abroad

European Archaeology Abroad
Author: S.J. van der Linde
Publisher: Sidestone Press
Total Pages: 430
Release: 2013-10-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9088901066

What are European archaeologists doing abroad? What have they been doing there for the past three to four centuries? Are they doing things differently nowadays? To address these questions, this book explores the scope, impact and ethics of European archaeological policies and practices in the Mediterranean area, the Near East, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. Acknowledging that international and transcultural projects have a range of different stakeholders, the first part of this book aims to identify some of the values and motivations behind different European archaeologies abroad. This is done by providing thorough historical overviews on a range of European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland. But how are these values translated, through socio-political, theoretical and administrative frameworks, unto local circumstances in host countries? And how are these archaeological activities received locally? The second part of this book attempts to answer these questions through a range of historical and contemporary case studies, in Africa, in Asia, in South America, in the Near East and in Europe. The third part of the book offers several critical reflections on European values, motivations and collaboration projects, as perceived by archaeological heritage professionals based in, and/or working in Senegal, Sudan, Somaliland, Colombia, and the Near East. This collection of historical overviews, contemporary case studies and critical reflections focuses on the challenging relationships between archaeological practices and policies, including the requirements and wishes of archaeologists, of local communities and of other stakeholders in Europe and in the host countries. In addition to researchers and students, this book should be of interest to practicing archaeologists, heritage professionals and policy makers the world over, as they seek to reach better informed decisions regarding archaeological projects and international collaboration. This publication was produced in the framework of the ACE project – “Archaeology in Contemporary Europe. Professional Practices and Public Outreach”, with the support of the Culture 2007-2013 programme of the European Commission.

Crescent Remembered

Crescent Remembered
Author: Patricia Hertel
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2015-06-26
Genre: History
ISBN: 1782842357

Contemporary Spain and Portugal share a historical experience as Iberian states which emerged within the context of al-Andalus. These centuries of Muslim presence in the Middle Ages became a contested heritage during the process of modern nation-building with its varied concepts and constructs of national identities. Politicians, historians and intellectuals debated vigorously the question how the Muslim past could be reconciled with the idea of the Catholic nation. The Crescent Remembered investigates the processes of exclusion and integration of the Islamic past within the national narratives. It analyses discourses of historiography, Arabic studies, mythology, popular culture and colonial policies towards Muslim populations from the 19th century to the dictatorships of Franco and Salazar in the 20th century. In particular, it explores why, despite apparent historical similarities, in Spain and Portugal entirely different strategies and discourses concerning the Islamic past emerged. In the process, it seeks to shed light on the role of the Iberian Peninsula as a crucial European historical "contact zone" with Islam.