Tine Schenck | University of Exeter (original) (raw)
Thesis by Tine Schenck
This thesis concerns the relationship between research in experimental archaeology and the intang... more This thesis concerns the relationship between research in experimental archaeology and the intangible of the past. Only a quarter of technological experiments in a sample of 100 studies addresses the intangible of technological practice, and this project sets out to explore if there are conceptual or practical obstacles for this low rate.
The thesis begins with an in-depth examination of experimental archaeology and the criteria, paradigms and theories that determine its practice. Through this study, elements of the dichotomy positivism//postmodernism are uncovered and discussed. To resolve this dualism, a third paradigm – philosophical pragmatism – is introduced as an alternative. This conceptual debate represents Part I, and is subsequently collated into a methodological framework for the creation of a typified experiment.
Part II consists of the experimental segment of this study, in search for practical obstacles for the exploration of the intangible. Through experimenting with Iron Age Bucket-shaped pots, Mesolithic faceted pebbles and Middle Palaeolithic birch bark tar production, different components of an experiment are highlighted for investigation. An element that comes forward as problematic is the relationship between experimental archaeologists and science ideals that is underscored by experimental tradition. Conclusively, the final discussion leaves the conceptual and practical barriers that may prevent archaeologists from studying the intangible aspects of technology overturned. In sum, this may enable experimental archaeologists to take a fuller view of their own practice and that of the people of the past.
Papers by Tine Schenck
Researchers in many parts of Europe view halberds as a short-lived phenomenon of the Early Bronze... more Researchers in many parts of Europe view halberds as a short-lived phenomenon of the Early Bronze Age. In this contribution, we will argue that the first halberds made of copper or copper-alloys are detectable in the first half of the fourth millennium BC. Consequently, we demonstrate that the idea of hafting blades and points in a halberd-like fashion was widely known in the fourth and early third millennium BC in an area ranging from central Italy to southern Scandinavia. We discuss the possibility of a perpendicular hafting of the thick points of the Funnel Beaker culture, and their usability as weapons, using macroscopic use-wear analyses of 115 blades. We review the arguments in favour of the use as weapons
of the multifunctional antler picks from the Swiss lake dwellings and present a critique of the attempts by some researchers to find a finite spatial and temporal origin of the idea to haft weapons such as halberds. We suggest that the technological origin of the halberds goes back to multifunctional tools, and therefore that it is possible for innovative weapons like halberds developed in various places and times.
Résumé: Dans bien des régions d'Europe les chercheurs considèrent les hallebardes comme un phénomène de courte durée datant du début de l'âge du Bronze. Dans cet article nous soutenons que les premières lames de hallebardes en cuivre ou en alliage de cuivre remontent à la première moitié du quatrième millénaire av. J.-C. Nous démontrons que l’idée d’emmancher des lames et des pointes comme on le fait pour les hallebardes était déjà connue au quatrième millénaire et au début du troisième millénaire av. J.-C et ceci sur un vaste aire géographique allant du centre de l’Italie jusqu’au sud de la Scandinavie. Nous examinons la possibilité de fixer les pointes épaisses de la culture des gobelets en entonnoir (TRB) de façon perpendiculaire ainsi que la possibilité de leur utilisation comme armes par l’analyse macroscopique des traces d’usage relevées sur 115 lames. Nous passons en revue
les arguments en faveur d’une utilisation belliqueuse des pointes en bois de cerf à usage multiple retrouvées dans les habitats lacustres de Suisse et offrons un point de vue critique sur les approches de certains chercheurs qui ont tenté de trouver une origine spécifique dans l’espace et le temps à l’idée d’emmancher des armes telles que les hallebardes. Nous proposons que l’origine technique de ces hallebardes remonte aux outils à fonctions multiples et que, par conséquent, il est possible d’envisager des origines multiples, dans l’espace aussi bien que dans le
temps, pour de telles innovations.
Following on from our previous research into the prehistoric aceramic distillation and production... more Following on from our previous research into the prehistoric aceramic distillation and production of birch bark tar, this series of exploratory experiments investigated the use of raised structures within a fire. These field-based experiments were conducted using sand, gravel, wood fuel, and bark from Betula pubescens (downy birch). The structures that were created were simple raised sand mounds, which reflected known Neanderthal combustion surfaces from the Middle Palaeolithic. The bulk of the experiments were recorded throughout using a thermocouple to provide temperature readings from the base of the bark pyrolysis chamber. The experiments proved successful at producing birch bark tar and several containers were used to catch the tar for later analysis. Based on the results, the authors contend that not only could Neanderthals control fire but that regular birch bark tar production by Neanderthals was most likely a result of specific chaînes opératoires in order to provide the necessary control and outcomes.
A recent study into the archaeological profession in 21 European countries resulted in recognisin... more A recent study into the archaeological profession in 21 European countries resulted in recognising gender equality as a major topic that needs attention. The overall trend is that women will form the future majority of workers in archaeology. However, the conditions under which women work differ by country, and in several countries, women are paid less and are not well represented in leadership positions. Gender equality needs to be put on the agenda and each country should take measurements to close the gap.
"Experimental Archaeology. Between Enlightenment and Experience." Edited by B. Petersson and L.E. Narmo, Acta Archaeologica Lundensia in 8", no 62., 2011
The control vs actualism debate is still going strong in experimental archaeology. The debate for... more The control vs actualism debate is still going strong in experimental archaeology. The debate forms the focal point for this article, in which problems with both sides is analyzed in light of scientific theory and hermeneutics. The discussion centres around how neither method can exclude the uncontrollable unknown, and whether this is a problem that can devaluate results in experimental archaeology. A set of birch bark tar extraction experiments provide a case study that highlight interpretational problems and benefits that occur when a high level of uncontrolled variables are allowed in an experiment.
An experiment was constructed to allow for public participation, in order to investigate the expe... more An experiment was constructed to allow for public participation, in order to investigate the experimental process and the claim that the public should not be part of an experiment as they present a significant human error. The experiment took place at Lejre, DK, in 2008, and is discussed in light of archaeological epistemology.
Book Reviews by Tine Schenck
Monographs by Tine Schenck
Master dissertation in Sociology of law, University of Oslo, 2006
En undersøkelse av jusstudentenes motivasjon for å studere jus danner grunnlaget for en diskusjon... more En undersøkelse av jusstudentenes motivasjon for å studere jus danner grunnlaget for en diskusjon om den juridiske profesjon, dens mentalitet og dens representativitet i forhold til den jevne befolkning. Studentene ble spurt om sosial og stedlig bakgrunn, personlig motivasjon for studievalg, karriereønsker og fagvalg. Resultatene peker mot at studentene er forholdsvis enige om motivasjon, karriereønsker og fag, uavhengig av sosial og stedlig bakgrunn. Dermed dukket spørsmålet opp hvorvidt dette er noe man sosialiseres inn i i løpet av studietiden. Tematikken vendes så mot om en såpass ensartet gruppe kan representere den jevne befolkning i lov og rett.
Undersøkelsen ble utført våren 2006 og hadde 725 respondenter, omtrent 16,5 prosent av den totale studentpopulasjon ved Juridisk fakultet.
by Heleen van Londen, Rocío Varela-Pousa, Tine Schenck, Eva Parga-Dans, Andrew Lawler, Kerri Cleary, Irena Lazar, Raimund Karl, Cláudia Costa, Karin Scharringhausen, Marjo Schlaman, Ain Mäesalu, Katheriin Liibert, Katharina Möller, Nathalie Vossen, and Alessandro Pintucci
Culture Programme European Commission, 2012
Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked toget... more Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked together in the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe 2014 project to gain insight into the profile of the archaeological profession and labour market in those countries. The results can be compared with those of a predecessor Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project, undertaken in 2006-08.
by Heleen van Londen, Joao Tereso, Rocío Varela-Pousa, Danica Staššíková-Štukovská, Andris Sne, Marjo Schlaman, Karin Scharringhausen, Eva Parga-Dans, Ain Mäesalu, Michaela Mácalová, Gavin MacGregor, Andrew Lawler, Katheriin Liibert, Tina Kompare, Nele Kangert, Jan Frolík, Mariana Diniz, Cláudia Costa, Kerri Cleary, Efthymia Alphas, Vesna Pintarič Kocuvan, Irena Lazar, Kenneth Aitchison, Tine Schenck, Katharina Möller, and Raimund Karl
Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked toget... more Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked together in the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe 2014 project to gain insight into the profile of the archaeological profession and labour market in those countries. The results can be compared with those of a predecessor Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project, undertaken in 2006-08,
Employment. Across the 21 participating states, it is calculated that a total of over €1 billion is spent on professional archaeology every year, with the majority of that expenditure being on the salary costs of the estimated 24,740 people who work as archaeologists in these countries. This group of professionals represents 0.006% of the combined total workforces of those states. In many states, the absolute numbers employed in archaeology has fallen significantly over the previous six years. It is estimated that approximately 33,000 archaeologists now work across Europe as a whole.
Growth of the sector. Across Europe, organisations employing archaeologists have typically become smaller over the five years prior to this project, and employers are very cautious about predicting future growth.
Nature of the workforce. A slight majority (50.3% to 49.7%) of archaeologists are women. The proportion of women in the workforce has increased over the six years since 2006-08 from 45.9%. On average, European archaeologists are 40 years old. Very few European archaeologists are disabled – 1.1% of the total number of workers for whom data were available, a reduction from 1.5% in 2006-08.
Countries of Origin. 94% of archaeologists work in their own countries of origin, 5% are from other EU states and 1% from elsewhere in the world. Overall, this shows a slight decline in sectoral transnational mobility, as in 2006-08 more archaeologists were working away from their countries of origin.
Qualifications. In every participating state, it is normal for people working in archaeology to hold a degree – on aggregate, 94% of European archaeologists are graduates and the majority (69%) are postgraduates. 90% of archaeologists gained their highest qualifications in the countries in which they now work, with 9% obtaining those qualifications elsewhere in Europe (and 1% elsewhere in the world). When compared with the figures from 2006-08, this shows that archaeologists are increasingly educationally mobile.
Salaries. In twelve of the 21 participating states, archaeologists were paid less than the national average for all workers. An average figure of €24,901 was calculated as the mean salary earned by an archaeologist, but this is relatively meaningless as average salaries vary enormously between counties, with Danish archaeologists earning on average nine times the amount earned by their peers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nature of the work. 78% of the archaeologists for whom data were available worked full-time and 22% part-time. This is a marked change from 2006-08, when the percentages were 86% full-time and 14% part-time. 63% of archaeologists held permanent contracts at the time of the research, while the remaining 37% of workers had time-limited contracts.
Structures. As was identified in the predecessor project in 2006-08, archaeological practice in the participating states is organised on different models, with varying levels of commercial activity balanced against state agency engagement. This is often linked to the funding basis of archaeological practice (variation both on the basis of funding from the state or from private sector industries, and on whether delivery is achieved by the state or by the private sector). Different states define who can be considered to be an archaeologist in different ways. Vocational education and training (VET) in the sector is almost universally delivered by universities through academic degree programmes.
Skills and Training Needs. Issues relating to specific training needs were assessed in each participating country, but, as in 2006-08, because of the variety of ways in which these questions were asked by the project partners (in order to accommodate the differing structures and approaches to archaeological work in each participating state), the information obtained cannot be usefully compared transnationally.
Trends and developments. In comparison with the predecessor work undertaken in 2006-08, the main ways that the sector has changed are that the number of jobs has decreased and the proportion of women working in the sector has increased. Furthermore, jobs are more likely to be part-time and for shorter contractual periods; archaeologists are more highly qualified, but are less well-paid in comparison with other sectors.
A survey was undertaken among Norwegian archaeologists and archaeological employers in 2013, as p... more A survey was undertaken among Norwegian archaeologists and archaeological employers in 2013, as part of the EU-financed project "Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe." This is the national report for Norway.
En spørreundersøkelse om arbeidsforhold ble utført blant norske arkeologer og arkeologiske arbeid... more En spørreundersøkelse om arbeidsforhold ble utført blant norske arkeologer og arkeologiske arbeidsgivere i 2013, som en del av det EU-finansierte prosjektet "Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe." Dette er den nasjonale rapporten for Norge.
Papers & Sessions by Tine Schenck
Archaeological public outreach has for a long time seen the need for a move away from traditional... more Archaeological public outreach has for a long time seen the need for a move away from traditional glass-case exhibits. Museums are suffering from declining visitor numbers and media such as movies and documentaries have increasingly taken over as a primary public source of information about archaeological pasts. The general public often wants to be more involved, to experience something rather than just see it. However, these experiences are increasingly produced by agents outside of the archaeological discipline. The draw of Viking markets, fictional novel series, or epic movies can perhaps be said to lie in the experience itself, of the feeling of being absorbed into another world.
Session
Experimental archaeology has long relied on methodological ideals of the natural sciences. Some h... more Experimental archaeology has long relied on methodological ideals of the natural sciences. Some have gone as far as to state that the ideal experimental methodology should be based on experimental physics (P. Reynolds "The nature of experiment in archaeology" 1999). As scientific techniques have exploded onto the archaeological scene, experimental archaeologists seem to increasingly strive for variable control and quantified results. But how does this trend affect experimental results in a larger, archaeological context?
This thesis concerns the relationship between research in experimental archaeology and the intang... more This thesis concerns the relationship between research in experimental archaeology and the intangible of the past. Only a quarter of technological experiments in a sample of 100 studies addresses the intangible of technological practice, and this project sets out to explore if there are conceptual or practical obstacles for this low rate.
The thesis begins with an in-depth examination of experimental archaeology and the criteria, paradigms and theories that determine its practice. Through this study, elements of the dichotomy positivism//postmodernism are uncovered and discussed. To resolve this dualism, a third paradigm – philosophical pragmatism – is introduced as an alternative. This conceptual debate represents Part I, and is subsequently collated into a methodological framework for the creation of a typified experiment.
Part II consists of the experimental segment of this study, in search for practical obstacles for the exploration of the intangible. Through experimenting with Iron Age Bucket-shaped pots, Mesolithic faceted pebbles and Middle Palaeolithic birch bark tar production, different components of an experiment are highlighted for investigation. An element that comes forward as problematic is the relationship between experimental archaeologists and science ideals that is underscored by experimental tradition. Conclusively, the final discussion leaves the conceptual and practical barriers that may prevent archaeologists from studying the intangible aspects of technology overturned. In sum, this may enable experimental archaeologists to take a fuller view of their own practice and that of the people of the past.
Researchers in many parts of Europe view halberds as a short-lived phenomenon of the Early Bronze... more Researchers in many parts of Europe view halberds as a short-lived phenomenon of the Early Bronze Age. In this contribution, we will argue that the first halberds made of copper or copper-alloys are detectable in the first half of the fourth millennium BC. Consequently, we demonstrate that the idea of hafting blades and points in a halberd-like fashion was widely known in the fourth and early third millennium BC in an area ranging from central Italy to southern Scandinavia. We discuss the possibility of a perpendicular hafting of the thick points of the Funnel Beaker culture, and their usability as weapons, using macroscopic use-wear analyses of 115 blades. We review the arguments in favour of the use as weapons
of the multifunctional antler picks from the Swiss lake dwellings and present a critique of the attempts by some researchers to find a finite spatial and temporal origin of the idea to haft weapons such as halberds. We suggest that the technological origin of the halberds goes back to multifunctional tools, and therefore that it is possible for innovative weapons like halberds developed in various places and times.
Résumé: Dans bien des régions d'Europe les chercheurs considèrent les hallebardes comme un phénomène de courte durée datant du début de l'âge du Bronze. Dans cet article nous soutenons que les premières lames de hallebardes en cuivre ou en alliage de cuivre remontent à la première moitié du quatrième millénaire av. J.-C. Nous démontrons que l’idée d’emmancher des lames et des pointes comme on le fait pour les hallebardes était déjà connue au quatrième millénaire et au début du troisième millénaire av. J.-C et ceci sur un vaste aire géographique allant du centre de l’Italie jusqu’au sud de la Scandinavie. Nous examinons la possibilité de fixer les pointes épaisses de la culture des gobelets en entonnoir (TRB) de façon perpendiculaire ainsi que la possibilité de leur utilisation comme armes par l’analyse macroscopique des traces d’usage relevées sur 115 lames. Nous passons en revue
les arguments en faveur d’une utilisation belliqueuse des pointes en bois de cerf à usage multiple retrouvées dans les habitats lacustres de Suisse et offrons un point de vue critique sur les approches de certains chercheurs qui ont tenté de trouver une origine spécifique dans l’espace et le temps à l’idée d’emmancher des armes telles que les hallebardes. Nous proposons que l’origine technique de ces hallebardes remonte aux outils à fonctions multiples et que, par conséquent, il est possible d’envisager des origines multiples, dans l’espace aussi bien que dans le
temps, pour de telles innovations.
Following on from our previous research into the prehistoric aceramic distillation and production... more Following on from our previous research into the prehistoric aceramic distillation and production of birch bark tar, this series of exploratory experiments investigated the use of raised structures within a fire. These field-based experiments were conducted using sand, gravel, wood fuel, and bark from Betula pubescens (downy birch). The structures that were created were simple raised sand mounds, which reflected known Neanderthal combustion surfaces from the Middle Palaeolithic. The bulk of the experiments were recorded throughout using a thermocouple to provide temperature readings from the base of the bark pyrolysis chamber. The experiments proved successful at producing birch bark tar and several containers were used to catch the tar for later analysis. Based on the results, the authors contend that not only could Neanderthals control fire but that regular birch bark tar production by Neanderthals was most likely a result of specific chaînes opératoires in order to provide the necessary control and outcomes.
A recent study into the archaeological profession in 21 European countries resulted in recognisin... more A recent study into the archaeological profession in 21 European countries resulted in recognising gender equality as a major topic that needs attention. The overall trend is that women will form the future majority of workers in archaeology. However, the conditions under which women work differ by country, and in several countries, women are paid less and are not well represented in leadership positions. Gender equality needs to be put on the agenda and each country should take measurements to close the gap.
"Experimental Archaeology. Between Enlightenment and Experience." Edited by B. Petersson and L.E. Narmo, Acta Archaeologica Lundensia in 8", no 62., 2011
The control vs actualism debate is still going strong in experimental archaeology. The debate for... more The control vs actualism debate is still going strong in experimental archaeology. The debate forms the focal point for this article, in which problems with both sides is analyzed in light of scientific theory and hermeneutics. The discussion centres around how neither method can exclude the uncontrollable unknown, and whether this is a problem that can devaluate results in experimental archaeology. A set of birch bark tar extraction experiments provide a case study that highlight interpretational problems and benefits that occur when a high level of uncontrolled variables are allowed in an experiment.
An experiment was constructed to allow for public participation, in order to investigate the expe... more An experiment was constructed to allow for public participation, in order to investigate the experimental process and the claim that the public should not be part of an experiment as they present a significant human error. The experiment took place at Lejre, DK, in 2008, and is discussed in light of archaeological epistemology.
Master dissertation in Sociology of law, University of Oslo, 2006
En undersøkelse av jusstudentenes motivasjon for å studere jus danner grunnlaget for en diskusjon... more En undersøkelse av jusstudentenes motivasjon for å studere jus danner grunnlaget for en diskusjon om den juridiske profesjon, dens mentalitet og dens representativitet i forhold til den jevne befolkning. Studentene ble spurt om sosial og stedlig bakgrunn, personlig motivasjon for studievalg, karriereønsker og fagvalg. Resultatene peker mot at studentene er forholdsvis enige om motivasjon, karriereønsker og fag, uavhengig av sosial og stedlig bakgrunn. Dermed dukket spørsmålet opp hvorvidt dette er noe man sosialiseres inn i i løpet av studietiden. Tematikken vendes så mot om en såpass ensartet gruppe kan representere den jevne befolkning i lov og rett.
Undersøkelsen ble utført våren 2006 og hadde 725 respondenter, omtrent 16,5 prosent av den totale studentpopulasjon ved Juridisk fakultet.
by Heleen van Londen, Rocío Varela-Pousa, Tine Schenck, Eva Parga-Dans, Andrew Lawler, Kerri Cleary, Irena Lazar, Raimund Karl, Cláudia Costa, Karin Scharringhausen, Marjo Schlaman, Ain Mäesalu, Katheriin Liibert, Katharina Möller, Nathalie Vossen, and Alessandro Pintucci
Culture Programme European Commission, 2012
Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked toget... more Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked together in the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe 2014 project to gain insight into the profile of the archaeological profession and labour market in those countries. The results can be compared with those of a predecessor Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project, undertaken in 2006-08.
by Heleen van Londen, Joao Tereso, Rocío Varela-Pousa, Danica Staššíková-Štukovská, Andris Sne, Marjo Schlaman, Karin Scharringhausen, Eva Parga-Dans, Ain Mäesalu, Michaela Mácalová, Gavin MacGregor, Andrew Lawler, Katheriin Liibert, Tina Kompare, Nele Kangert, Jan Frolík, Mariana Diniz, Cláudia Costa, Kerri Cleary, Efthymia Alphas, Vesna Pintarič Kocuvan, Irena Lazar, Kenneth Aitchison, Tine Schenck, Katharina Möller, and Raimund Karl
Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked toget... more Between 2012 and 2014 representatives from 23 organisations in 21 European countries worked together in the Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe 2014 project to gain insight into the profile of the archaeological profession and labour market in those countries. The results can be compared with those of a predecessor Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe project, undertaken in 2006-08,
Employment. Across the 21 participating states, it is calculated that a total of over €1 billion is spent on professional archaeology every year, with the majority of that expenditure being on the salary costs of the estimated 24,740 people who work as archaeologists in these countries. This group of professionals represents 0.006% of the combined total workforces of those states. In many states, the absolute numbers employed in archaeology has fallen significantly over the previous six years. It is estimated that approximately 33,000 archaeologists now work across Europe as a whole.
Growth of the sector. Across Europe, organisations employing archaeologists have typically become smaller over the five years prior to this project, and employers are very cautious about predicting future growth.
Nature of the workforce. A slight majority (50.3% to 49.7%) of archaeologists are women. The proportion of women in the workforce has increased over the six years since 2006-08 from 45.9%. On average, European archaeologists are 40 years old. Very few European archaeologists are disabled – 1.1% of the total number of workers for whom data were available, a reduction from 1.5% in 2006-08.
Countries of Origin. 94% of archaeologists work in their own countries of origin, 5% are from other EU states and 1% from elsewhere in the world. Overall, this shows a slight decline in sectoral transnational mobility, as in 2006-08 more archaeologists were working away from their countries of origin.
Qualifications. In every participating state, it is normal for people working in archaeology to hold a degree – on aggregate, 94% of European archaeologists are graduates and the majority (69%) are postgraduates. 90% of archaeologists gained their highest qualifications in the countries in which they now work, with 9% obtaining those qualifications elsewhere in Europe (and 1% elsewhere in the world). When compared with the figures from 2006-08, this shows that archaeologists are increasingly educationally mobile.
Salaries. In twelve of the 21 participating states, archaeologists were paid less than the national average for all workers. An average figure of €24,901 was calculated as the mean salary earned by an archaeologist, but this is relatively meaningless as average salaries vary enormously between counties, with Danish archaeologists earning on average nine times the amount earned by their peers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nature of the work. 78% of the archaeologists for whom data were available worked full-time and 22% part-time. This is a marked change from 2006-08, when the percentages were 86% full-time and 14% part-time. 63% of archaeologists held permanent contracts at the time of the research, while the remaining 37% of workers had time-limited contracts.
Structures. As was identified in the predecessor project in 2006-08, archaeological practice in the participating states is organised on different models, with varying levels of commercial activity balanced against state agency engagement. This is often linked to the funding basis of archaeological practice (variation both on the basis of funding from the state or from private sector industries, and on whether delivery is achieved by the state or by the private sector). Different states define who can be considered to be an archaeologist in different ways. Vocational education and training (VET) in the sector is almost universally delivered by universities through academic degree programmes.
Skills and Training Needs. Issues relating to specific training needs were assessed in each participating country, but, as in 2006-08, because of the variety of ways in which these questions were asked by the project partners (in order to accommodate the differing structures and approaches to archaeological work in each participating state), the information obtained cannot be usefully compared transnationally.
Trends and developments. In comparison with the predecessor work undertaken in 2006-08, the main ways that the sector has changed are that the number of jobs has decreased and the proportion of women working in the sector has increased. Furthermore, jobs are more likely to be part-time and for shorter contractual periods; archaeologists are more highly qualified, but are less well-paid in comparison with other sectors.
A survey was undertaken among Norwegian archaeologists and archaeological employers in 2013, as p... more A survey was undertaken among Norwegian archaeologists and archaeological employers in 2013, as part of the EU-financed project "Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe." This is the national report for Norway.
En spørreundersøkelse om arbeidsforhold ble utført blant norske arkeologer og arkeologiske arbeid... more En spørreundersøkelse om arbeidsforhold ble utført blant norske arkeologer og arkeologiske arbeidsgivere i 2013, som en del av det EU-finansierte prosjektet "Discovering the Archaeologists of Europe." Dette er den nasjonale rapporten for Norge.
Archaeological public outreach has for a long time seen the need for a move away from traditional... more Archaeological public outreach has for a long time seen the need for a move away from traditional glass-case exhibits. Museums are suffering from declining visitor numbers and media such as movies and documentaries have increasingly taken over as a primary public source of information about archaeological pasts. The general public often wants to be more involved, to experience something rather than just see it. However, these experiences are increasingly produced by agents outside of the archaeological discipline. The draw of Viking markets, fictional novel series, or epic movies can perhaps be said to lie in the experience itself, of the feeling of being absorbed into another world.
Session
Experimental archaeology has long relied on methodological ideals of the natural sciences. Some h... more Experimental archaeology has long relied on methodological ideals of the natural sciences. Some have gone as far as to state that the ideal experimental methodology should be based on experimental physics (P. Reynolds "The nature of experiment in archaeology" 1999). As scientific techniques have exploded onto the archaeological scene, experimental archaeologists seem to increasingly strive for variable control and quantified results. But how does this trend affect experimental results in a larger, archaeological context?
It is understood, for the most part, that knowledge production does not take place in a vacuum. A... more It is understood, for the most part, that knowledge production does not take place in a vacuum. Archaeology is influenced by both intradisciplinary and societal motions and, whether labelled bias or interaction, sociopolitical aspects of the discipline matter and affect the way we do things. Although the legacies of archaeological discovery serve as great inspiration, they also carry with them residues of hierarchies and prestige in academic communities as well as historical bonds to political institutions. These legacies influence present expectations on what archaeology “can do” for a society, and, interlock with the political economy and professional sphere of the discipline. Together with the scholar’s quest for publication, funding and stature, the remnants of past knowledge production play into questions we ask, methods we use and narratives we write, as well as the ways in which archaeological knowledge is transferred into public forums.This session will revisit the transfer of sociopolitical legacies of archaeology and consequences of paradigmatic perpetuation from three directions:How, in practice, do we tackle the (inter)dependent relationship between institutional, financial and social frames of engagement in archaeological ventures? How do archaeologists adapt to these frames and how does it affect outcomes of archaeological activities?How do sociopolitical aspects of archaeology influence the development of theories, methods and research aims within Archaeology today? For example, how do legacies of historical ideals promote conservatism or development of new ideas? Are sociopolitical aspects of archaeological legacies visible in transfers of archaeological knowledge? What are the consequences of intentional or inadvertent manipulation of research results and narratives? For example, how do methodological, analytical and ideological origins of current archaeologies become visible in these transfers?
EAA poster session, 2022
Following on from previous research into the prehistoric aceramic distillation and production of ... more Following on from previous research into the prehistoric aceramic distillation and production of birch bark tar, this series of exploratory experiments investigated the use of raised structures within a fire. These field-based experiments were conducted using sand, gravel, wood fuel, and bark from Betula pubescens (downy birch). The structures that were created were simple raised sand mounds, which reflected known Neanderthal combustion surfaces from the Middle Palaeolithic. The bulk of the experiments were recorded throughout using a thermocouple to provide temperature readings from the base of the bark pyrolysis chamber. The experiments proved successful at producing birch bark tar and several containers were used to catch the tar for later analysis. Based on the results, the authors contend that not only could Neanderthals control fire but that regular birch bark tar production by Neanderthals was most likely a result of specific chaînes opératoires in order to provide the necessary control and outcomes.
The discussion of Copper and Early Bronze age, metal-cast halberds is always accompanied by the d... more The discussion of Copper and Early Bronze age, metal-cast halberds is always accompanied by the discussion whether or not halberds made of stone existed; either as predecessors or as contemporary objects (Ó'Ríordáin 1937; 256). Several types of blades have been interpreted as possible stone halberds, but this hypothesis has not been supported by evidence beyond the mere notion of the possibility. In recent years, experiments have been carried out on bronze halberds (O’Flaherty 2007; O’Flaherty/Gilchrist/Cowie 2011), however, stone halberds have never been subject to such experimental testing.
In recent years the theory has gained credibility with the discovery of Grave 2 from Spilamberto (Emilia Romagna, Italy). A stone blade was discovered placed parallel to the collarbone and was subsequently interpreted as a halberd because of its positioning (de Marinis 1994; 69-87). Furthermore, the dating of metal halberds in the 4th BC in the Western Carpathian Mountains and Italy (Dolfini 2004) provides a contemporary background for Klaus Ebbesen’s hypothesis of a presence of stone halberds in the Funnel Beaker period of the Western Baltic Sea (Ebbesen 1992) since these regions were connected at the time (Klassen 2000).
This poster presents an outline to put the suggested construction of stone halberds of both aforementioned types to an experimental test. It aims at several questions:
1. Is it possible to haft stone blades as halberds?
2. Did they have utilitarian properties?
3. Does the experiment leave use-wear and hafting traces distinguishable from actual dagger blades?
The use of porcelain has been criticized as its flaking qualities in relation to natural stones h... more The use of porcelain has been criticized as its flaking qualities in relation to natural stones have not been tested systematically in laboratory conditions. Our experiments tested three materials; obsidian, flint and porcelain to further elaborate on the substitution of porcelain for flint in flaked technology experiments.
EAA, 2018
Archaeologists are increasingly letting other people and professions communicate aspects relating... more Archaeologists are increasingly letting other people and professions communicate aspects relating to the discoveries we make. As a result, a lot of our audiences get their primary education in archaeology from e.g. journalists, movie directors, or (less often)museum guides. We want archaeologists to step up and reclaim their role as a primary communicator of our own findings.
As a result we launched ArchaeologistsEngage in 2015, an international organisation wholly dedicated to enabling direct contact between ar-
chaeologists and their audience through local events. One of the key elements of our outreach strategy is the non-hierarchical exchange of information between archaeologist and lay-person, in which we strive to communicate laterally as much as possible. In our presentation, we will discuss and problematise several elements of a multilateral practice that we think are critical to re-appropriating our role as a primary source for archaeological information.
Hierarchical, traditional communication strategies are losing ground to “exciting” and interactive experiences. As professionals, how can we change our approach to remain the key providers of archaeological outreach?
We have a professional responsibility to respond to the needs of our public. The incorporation of these in outreach activities can greatly enhance public engagement with archaeology.
By increasingly diversifying our communicative practice, we can actively increase the ability of our public audience to relate to archaeology. Capturing the attention of the public audience through participation and storytelling enables archaeologists to use the power of imagination in communicating archaeology.
The perceived barrier between specialists and the wider audience must be addressed and challenged.
![Research paper thumbnail of The value of inductive reasoning in experimental archaeology [Talk abstract for EAA 2022]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/82709083/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Academic experimental archaeology has for many years had a strong affiliation with traditional sc... more Academic experimental archaeology has for many years had a strong affiliation with traditional science ideals, such as the hypothetico-deductive method (HDM), control, and variable isolation. This talk, to be given at EAA 2022 session #336, will explore if this connection is a realistic way to describe our research today.