Contract archaeology in Europe. an experiment in diversity (original) (raw)
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Sophie Bergerbrant & Serena Sabatini (eds), Counterpoint: Essays in Archaeology and Heritage Studies in Honour of Professor Kristian Kristiansen, Oxford, 17-20 (BAR S2508), 2013
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European Journal of Archaeology, 2019
In this article I address the relationship between European archaeologists and the European Union and argue that the dominant attitude of non-involvement that archaeologists have embraced over the past decades cannot be justified given recent political developments. The European project finds itself in a state of deep crisis, under siege from populist and far-right leaders within and around Europe. We cannot afford to watch from the sidelines when the future of hundreds of millions of people is at stake. As archaeologists we can make a positive contribution by harnessing the political dimension of our work, which we need to stop seeing in a negative light. We should deploy the past to help tackle the challenges of our society. European archaeologists should particularly focus on developing grand narratives of a shared past in Europe, to act as a foundation for a European identity.
Archaeology as European Added Value
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Ever since the Council of Europe’s campaign ‘The Bronze Age – The first Golden Age of Europe’ was carried out in the 1990s, archaeologists have from time to time expressed concern about periods or interpretations being used as tools for forging a collective identity tied to the geographical, political and ideational entity of ‘Europe’. While narratives of a pan-European unity in prehistory have often been disregarded or deconstructed by the research community, discussions on increasing cross border cooperation and harmonization of practises is still on-going. Both of these directions warrant continuous critical consideration, especially since it is suggested that a future ‘Archaeology of Europe’ rely in part on the opportunities for financial support offered by the European Commission. European Commission enabling structures, especially within the field of culture, still talks of a common European past. By focussing on ‘European added value’, the first award criteria for achieving funding under the European Commission Culture programmes, this paper discusses what meanings such a value evoke in relation to archaeology and cultural heritage. It also provides some examples of how such meanings can become visible in the narratives of co-funded archaeological projects.
EAC Occasional Paper No. 19 , 2024
“Contemporary Archaeology” deals with sites, features and fi nds from the period after the beginning of industrialisation, obtained through excavation and documentation using techniques and methods applied in all fi elds of archaeology. The topic and the comparatively ‘young’ period in focus are not completely new for archaeological monument preservation, even if they are explicitly considered in only a relatively few monument protection laws. It has long been common practice in many places across Europe to protect, preserve, and research monuments of the recent past—simply because they are there. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for archaeological heritage management, considered in the 2023 EAC symposium papers. Archaeological heritage preservation gains weight because it is accompanied by a special interest from the public and, thus, can develop opportunities to participate in political education. The material remains of war and terror lead us to the limits of archaeology and beyond: they become evidence, crime scenes, and anchors for commemoration and political education.