This is the golden age of pseudo-archaeology and pseudo-history; anyone with a theory can publicise it on the Internet. Most dangerous to mainstream archaeology and history are those who publish fake histories while presenting them as serious academic work. Things are made worse by a naive public which lack critical thinking skills to assess presented claims. Doing nothing will probably lead to mainstream archaeology being discredited, hijacked or ignored. What can be done? For over thirty years, Skeptics have been helping professionals in various disciplines challenge pseudo-science, and educating the public in critical thinking. Over this time, they have developed techniques to counter pseudo-science, techniques suitable for countering pseudo-archaeology. Although the task of confronting pseudo-archaeology belongs rightly to archaeologists, they can take comfort from knowing they have experienced allies willing to help. This talk will examine what motivates pseudo-archaeologists, why their theories can be so popular, and techniques which can be used to counter them.
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Sub-Theme: Perspectives from the Past: Archaeology Beyond Academics WAC-6 IRELAND 2006 26th June-4th July Sixth World Archaeology Congress Organisers: Shanti Pappu and Marcia Bezerra (Theme: Communicating Archaeology Organisers: Anne Pyburn and Marcia B. Almeida)
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This session attempted to explore connections between archaeology and other disciplines, and the community. In today's world, archaeology is woven into the fabric of community life-different voices and different cultures. General perceptions of archaeology influences funding, and policy decisions to some degree, in particular in countries outside the 'developed world'. The papers presented and soon to be published, discuss varied aspects of this general theme.
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Poster: Archaeology and Public Education in Japan, from the point of view of an archaeological illustrator. Hameed J. Saleem. Archaeological Education in the Palestinian Context. Anabel Ford: Coloring the past: the El Pilar Maya Forest Garden Coloring Book Project Akira Matsuda: How do newspapers shape (the public perception of) archaeology in Japan? Peter W.Barrett: Pseudo-archaeology: the threat and the response
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In the core of Bogotá is The Gold Museum. The building represents the best of the national collection. Under the adjective of the museum, there is a supposition: the only remains that deserve be exposing are the golden ones. This message is a fictional image of real situation of Colombian’s Indians. At present, Indians are displaced of their territories. As well, Indian’s communities are suffering a several illness as tuberculosis and nutritional disorders as consequence of the lost of autonomy. The main hypothesis is that the fictional image of golden Indians, embodied in the museum’s libretto, is projected into the national bureaucracy which has open many mechanisms of participation to fresh and happy Indians, with a logic that ignore this problematic situation. In other words, is a legislation for a golden past.
Anura K. Manatunga Polonnaruva is one of the six World Heritage Cities in Sri Lanka which UNECO supported to initiate a massive Archaeological Project in 1980.The author has been working at the site since the end of 1999, and his experience with the local community at Polonnaruva is the theme of this paper. The attitude of the local community towards archaeological activities at Polonnaruva was not favorable and sometimes even hostile.One of the challenges encountered by us was to understand this fact and convert this into a congenial situation. We dealt with various sections of the local community in different capacities and attempted to make archaeology a part of their lives. Dissemination of Archaeological knowledge through community participation activities was the strategy we applied in this respect.The plus and minus points of this program will be discussed here in view of sharing our experience with colleagues doing similar activities elsewhere in the world.
Andakatu Project: past and present education through archaeology Luiz M. Oosterbeek, Sara R. Cura, Pedro F. Cura Archaeology approaches the past from a particular focus. Although its interest builds from the human sciences, it focuses on natural and earth sciences as well, since it understands past behaviour as cultural adaptations interacting with the environment. Moreover archaeology emerges at the crossroad of knowledge, but mainly contributes for the enhancement of citizens understanding of cultural diversity and for their awareness of the fact that knowledge is built through a combination of rigorous methods and dialogue involving often contradictory points of view. Embodied with these concepts, the Museum of Prehistoric Art (Mação, Central Portugal) developed a unique didactic project in Portugal where a character named Andakatu leads children the public into the path of human evolution. Through archaeological experimentation and fieldwork or lab activities involving the participants in learn by doing process, the project has been successfully getting these messages across to thousands of children all over the country. Archaeological Education in the Palestinian Context Hameed J. Saleem Archaeological education in Palestine faces many challenges. Frist, the intensive use of Archaeology in Israeli politics has created a situation in which the field is only used to justify occupation and steal Palestinian heritage. Alas, archaeological education is not a priority; it is the least developed among other fields. Compared with nearby regions, there are only programs in archaeology. The purpose of these programs is still to meet local needs for experienced staff and planning. Finally, due to the current political situation and lack of financial resources, common archaeological practices such as fieldwork and visits to others regions are limited. The current paper is based on the author's long term experience of teaching archaeology in Palestine and a survey carried out among college faculty and students. One major conclusion is that archaeological education falls between scientific endeavours and the use/misuse of archaeology in the ongoing political struggle. Shahaj H. Jahan
Bangladesh is the home of over 2,500
archaeological sites and monuments. Yet, this is far from embracing
multi-vocal and polyphonic vectors that generate active engagement
with local and descendant communities concerning the past cultural
landscape. Consequently, investigation of public memory, localized
heritage, and remembrance of the past is an uncharted domain.
Accepting the notion that there is an urgent need for archaeologists
to inter-act with a wider audience, this essay attempts to examine
the current status of archaeologists' communication with the public
in Bangladesh in general and existing knowledge and awareness among
the inhabitants regarding their heritage in particular. It also
brings to light popular opinion of the other professionals and
proposes few suggestions for reshaping the discipline in a manner
that is not only relevant to non-professionals in the 21st century
but also generates rhizomatic network of the people that operate in
a space beyond state-control and academic dominance.
Coloring the past: the El Pilar Maya Forest Garden Coloring Book Project Anabel Ford
Research on ancient Maya settlement
demonstrates land use patterns opposite to European strategies.
Ethnographic analogs have focused on the "milpa" and maize
cultivation when the contemporary Maya have a range of creative
approaches that have traditionally provided for household
livelihood. The use of the forest garden, an intensive poly-cultivational
infield home plot of less than a hectare, reveals a wide variety of
useful plants from ground cover, herbs and shrubs to bushes, trees,
and production palms providing for food, spice, medicine, beverage,
construction, and ritual needs. When interviewing traditional forest
gardeners, there is considerable concern for the future of their
traditions. With the support of the National Institute of Culture
and History of Belize and in conjunction with the Ministry of
Education of Belize, we developed the Maya Forest Garden and El
Pilar coloring book for the integrated health education of Standard
4 classes (c. 12 yrs) throughout Belize.
Seke Katsamudanga Archaeologists in various parts of the world have been criticised for researching for themselves. While archaeologists in developing countries such as Zimbabwe were expected to contribute to the deconstruction of colonial mentality after attaining independence, it appears this has not occurred. The products of archaeological research are often presented in a lingo familiar and consequently accessible only to those in the profession. The process of archaeological research in developing countries has been criticised for having limited involvement of the local communities in which it is conducted and fails to address development issues that are important to the communities. I will debate the extent to which these accusations are justified in Zimbabwe, focussing on the researching and teaching of archaeology in the country. I will show the perceptions that local communities have on archaeologists, archaeological research and institutions dealing with cultural heritage in the country. The National Roads Authority [Ireland] has been engaged in a major programme of road building since it was established by statute in the mid 1990s. In the course of this work it has commissioned hundreds of archaeological investigations. The fruits of these investigations have begun to appear in a variety of forms in recent years as posters, leaflets, published seminar proceedings, excavation monograph reports and Internet summaries. These are all products that seek to package archaeological discoveries for public consumption. But what is the public response to these products? How do people become aware of them? How do they use them? Do they want them at all or would they prefer something else? We asked these questions of schoolchildren, students, scholars and local interest groups. This presentation gives the results of our inquiries with video footage that allows the people to speak for themselves. How do newspapers shape (the public perception of) archaeology in Japan? Akira Matsuda Boasting 6,600 full-time professionals, archaeology today constitutes an important area of study and employment in Japan. There are several characteristics that are said to condition Japanese archaeology: the preponderance of practice-oriented rescue archaeology over theory-oriented academic archaeology; the meticulous typological study of artefacts for the establishment of the detailed chronology of the Japanese ‘history’; and the rarity of finding ‘eye-catching’ architectural remains because of the predominant use of wood for buildings. By analysing more than 100 Japanese newspaper articles reporting on different aspects of archaeology in 2007, this paper examines how these characteristics are, or are not, related to the public perception of archaeology. In conclusion, I will argue that the newspapers portrayal of archaeology reflects a particular mode in which archaeology is theorised and practiced in Japan, and also underpins and sustains the same mode by shaping the public perception of Japanese archaeology.
Gonzalo D. Company
Archaeology suggests to reconnect, in a way, a past which was left behind in time with a present; starting with the notion of archaeological heritage. This notion could enable a specific link so that the community can face a past which is part of its own history and understand this present in a better way. Having said that: Which are the implications that a site or an object becomes a part of an archaeological heritage? Which role does archaeology play as a link between the present and the past? What happens when archaeology appropriates this link? And what does not happen? This paper intends to give some reflections around the relationship among archaeology/archaeological heritage/community. It starts with an on site experience in the material-symbolic recovery of subjectivities of what used to be a “clandestine detention centre and disappearance of people” in Rosario, during the last military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983)
Perspectives on archaeology from an Indian village: examples from Attirampakkam Kumar Akhilesh and Shanti Pappu
Excavations at the Palaeolithic site of
Attirampakkam, Tamil Nadu, South India, were conducted with the help
of villagers from the neighbouring village of Krishnaveram. During
the course of this work (1999-2004), as well as in subsequent
explorations in the region, we had the opportunity to explore
perceptions on prehistory from the point of view of villagers.
Various factors which have contributed to the development of ideas
on the past in the village community are discussed here. In the
course of our work, we explored how ideas on prehistory evolved in
the village community. This paper also discussed interactions
between villagers and archaeologists, as regards ideas on the
Palaeolithic archaeological record of this site, and ideas on
hominin behaviour and past climates. It also puts forward our view
of how best to conserve such sites in India, in collaboration with
local village communities.
Pseudo-archaeology: the threat and the response
Peter W.Barrett
What was where the Walmart is? Oral histories conducted and performed by young people Daniel A. Kelin II Through a combination of demonstration, video footage and discussion, this presentation will offer insights into how children gain a deeper understanding of and personal connection to the history of their community through a combined Oral History/Performing Arts project. The presentation demonstrates how to engage students, through drama, in a history generally foreign to them, even when such a history happened in their backyard. Students conduct oral histories, research supporting material, develop original scenes based on events in the interviewees’ lives and share their performances with the interviewees and the community. Through this, students develop an interest in understanding more about their community and the valuable stories of the people they pass on the street every day. The presentation is based on a series of projects designed and implemented by the presenter in Hawaii, which resulted in the book, To Feel as our Ancestors Did: Conducting and Performing Oral Histories
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Contact Us We are a Registered non-profit, organisation (Est.1999) focusing on research in archaeology and related fields, laws related to antiquities and cultural heritage; and in developing and conducting programs on community education for children, teachers and local stakeholders. Founder/Secretary: Shanti Pappu, Project Co-ordinator: Kumar Akihlesh
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Email: secretary@sharmaheritage.com; pappu.shanti@gmail.com, akhilarchaeo@gmail.com Chennai: Postal address: 28, I Main Road, C.I.T Colony, Mylapore, Chennai 600004, Tamil Nadu, India Tel: 91-44-24992069 Pune: Flat No.2, Moti Mahal Building, Alandi Road, Pune 411006 91-20-26614552
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