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Abstract: In the small county in Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland, on a forest island amid fields, a few metal objects were found by metal detectorists. The finds suggested Iron Age dates and generated great interest, for both local people and researchers. As a result, an examination of the find locations was conducted by archaeologists, which was followed by excavations at one of the sites. In this article, under scrutiny is the interest excavations formulate in local contexts and how people relate to archaeological sites of their neighborhood. In addition, the role of metal-detecting in archaeology is considered. Generally, people in Finland are interested in the past of their home region. What about if there are only imperceptible remains and minor finds like fragments of ancient objects or shards of burned bone' Is material heritage important in everyday settings, and are people attracted to it' Here the aim is to relate some answers to these questions obtained by observations and discussions with the local people during the field research process. PubDate: 2023-04-19
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Abstract: This paper explores Egyptian influence in Late Bronze Age Cyprus through the lens of cultural hybridity. It draws specifically on Bhabha’s concept of the third space, identified here as an in-between space where two (or more) cultural identities mix and become materially entangled. Key for such an analysis of Cypro-Egyptian contacts is the understanding that this place need not have any direct political dimensions but instead could be a fluid space characterized by diverse contact situations. The focus is Egyptian(izing) objects from Enkomi, which highlight the cultural impact of New Kingdom Cypro-Egyptian cultural contacts. PubDate: 2023-03-31
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Abstract: The intact tomb group of the so-called ‘Two Brothers’, dating to around 1850 bce, was found at Deir Rifeh in Middle Egypt. Since its transfer to Manchester Museum in 1907, it has been central to the Museum’s extensive Egyptian collection—and of its celebratory history of Manchester Egyptology. Here, established interpretations of the ‘Brothers’s’ remains—often framed as a pioneering case of innovative scientific investigation in Egyptology—are critically assessed to highlight the contingency of such claims. PubDate: 2023-03-24
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Abstract: This paper reviews the current heritage outreach in Egypt through selected examples together with related historical activities since the nineteenth century. An evaluation of the present situation is challenging due to the multiple stakeholders involved, such as institutions, initiatives, projects, and independent practitioners. The author of this paper has engaged in heritage outreach activities with different local Egyptian communities. Through that cumulative experience in observing and developing outreach practices inform this paper, it becomes clear that there are no fixed guidelines in the field of heritage outreach in Egypt due to the peculiarities of each local site, audience, and overall aims. PubDate: 2023-03-22 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-023-09471-8
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Abstract: Here, we report the first attempt to use isotope geochemistry to improve understanding of the experiences of Indigenous Australians living on the colonial frontier in late 19th century CE Australia. In the study, we analysed strontium (87Sr/86Sr), carbon (δ13C), and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios from the tooth enamel and dentine of six individuals who died in Normanton, Queensland, in the 1890s. The study was a collaboration between scientists and the local Traditional Owners, the Gkuthaarn and Kukatj people, and was carried out to promote truth and reconciliation. The enamel 87Sr/86Sr results suggest that the individuals moved to Normanton from three geologically distinct regions during the period of European expansion into the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York. This is consistent with the oral histories and historical documents, which suggest that many Indigenous people in the Gulf Country were displaced to camps on the outskirts of towns like Normanton because of European settlement. The δ13C values we obtained indicate that the individuals mostly ate C4 plants and/or C4-plant-consuming herbivores. When combined with the fact that some of the individuals’ teeth had dental caries, this suggests that the individuals may have had regular access to introduced foods. The enamel δ18O values are high compared to an international comparative sample, at 0.72–4.69‰ VPDB. We suspect the elevated values are due to a combination of a high degree of preferential loss of 16O through evaporation of surface water, the amount effect associated with the Australian monsoon, and high prevalence of introduced infectious diseases. Together, the results of our study demonstrate that isotopic analysis of human remains has the potential to further illuminate the effects of European colonisation on Indigenous people in Australia. Perhaps most importantly in connection with this, our study’s results show that isotopic analyses of human remains can provide surprisingly detailed information about the lives of a category of Indigenous Australians who rarely appear in the documents written by early ethnographers and colonial officials—subadults. That the analysis of the skeletal remains of Indigenous Australians can now contribute to the truth and reconciliation process is an unexpected, interesting, and welcome development in the story of bioarchaeology in Australia. PubDate: 2023-03-20 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-023-09469-2
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Abstract: This paper investigates the use of postcolonial theory in Egyptology and Sudan archaeology. Theories and concepts developed out of examinations of specific historical colonial encounters were often applied by Egyptologists with little or no critical historical contextualization. Consequently, when using postcolonial theories and concepts some Egyptologists unwillingly transferred specific historical backgrounds to both ancient Egyptian experiences and those of their neighbours. This is inspected using the concept of reverse discourse as developed by M. Foucault. We need to construct novel and more data-informed concepts to understand the experiences and realities of living under Egyptian occupation. PubDate: 2023-03-17 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-023-09473-6
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Abstract: This article charts the author’s “epistemological disobedience” in using postcolonial “theory as liberatory practice” to envision Egyptologies not bound to colonial pillars of modern Western science, thought, and society. The author finds that Deleuzian postcolonialism supports the temple of Dendur housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art outside the confines of Egyptology through investigating the possibilities of key Deleuzian concepts of rhizome, multiplicity, assemblage, and the process of “becoming-.” Here, Dendur is simultaneously an ancient temple, modern museum object, and a contemporary site for public protest. Ultimately, this vagueness affords an unbounding for Egyptology as a discipline. PubDate: 2023-03-17 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-023-09474-5
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Abstract: This thought experiment introduces decolonial thought to the historiography of Egyptology. At a time when Egyptology increasingly scrutinizes its essence, a decolonial investigation as proposed by Walter Mignolo suggests new insights into the history and function of Egyptology as an academic discipline: formative roots in the imperial competition borne out of the colonization of the Americas, the Westernization of knowledge, and a recently emerging potential for a multipolar Egyptology against the backdrop of wider global trajectories. Decolonial thought enriches the historiography of the field and enables an assessment of the viability of decolonization in Egyptology. PubDate: 2023-03-13 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-023-09472-7
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Abstract: This piece reviews the emerging debate over the ‘decolonization’ of Egyptology and thus sets the frame for the special issue on ‘Postcolonial Theory in Egyptology: Applications, Debates and Potentials.’ The authors contextualize the theme against the backdrop of the status quo of the international relations of archaeology in Egypt and Sudan, before introducing key terms and concepts in postcolonial and decolonial theories to advocate for a more systemized discussion. The review shows that decolonization is a fuzzy concept subject to interpretation and varying implications and outcomes for Egyptology and Nubiology. PubDate: 2023-03-09 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-023-09470-9
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Abstract: A couple of months after the 1979 revolution of Iran, the universities were occupied by the Islamists who oppressed dissident academics drastically. Two years after the revolution, the headquarter of the Cultural Revolution was established, and universities were shuttered to be purified from any other ideology except Islamism. Due to the heavy censorship of the regime, very little is known about the documents and process of oppression during and after the occupation of the universities. In 2010, the author gained access to a ‘green notebook’ found in a trashcan at the University of Tehran, which contains informal minutes of several meetings held by the Islamic Association of Students (IAS). As a direct practice of oppression, IAS had the mission to report the behaviors of the professors working in the department of archaeology to authorities. In this article, the author elucidates the process of oppression of archaeology professors through reading documents of the ‘green notebook.’ PubDate: 2023-01-17 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09468-9
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Abstract: This paper presents results from archaeological surveys and excavations conducted in 2012 around Kaiso Village located within the Albertine Graben part of the Western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley. This area has received limited attention compared to other parts of Uganda. The findings demonstrate that Kaiso contains a previously unexplored archaeological record ranging from the Later Stone Age to the Late Iron Age which is important for addressing broader regional questions and the site's archaeological potential. Kaiso Village’s archaeological assemblage comprises lithic, pottery and faunal remains. The lithic artefacts that dominate the archaeological assemblage broadly include shaped tools, cores and angular fragments. The dominant tools are both end and side scrapers and points. Other lithic materials include flakes and core scrapers, denticulates, burins and core axes identified from these specific attributes interrogated such as lithic typology, technology and raw material types. Analysed materials from the survey and test excavations, suggest the utilisation of a wide range of raw materials such as quartzite, quartz, basalt and chert. This research presents a hitherto unknown area archaeologically despite the lack of absolute dates. The scattered evidence of archaeological materials such as Levallois reduction strategy and points cannot warrant branding the Kaiso assemblage as Middle Stone Age due to the shallow stratigraphy of the excavation units and lack of absolute dating. Instead, the Kaiso assemblage suggests that the site had different periods of cultural occupation, some of which were temporary settlements depicted from the shallow stratigraphy. However, severe erosion evident from the gullies that transverse the landscape and animal grazing due to the large numbers of cattle that were roaming the village and, in most cases, unattended could also explain the shallow stratigraphy as a result of disturbance, while the enormous amounts of lithic debitage in the archaeological assemblage suggest extensive stone tool manufacture at Kaiso. PubDate: 2022-12-10 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09467-w
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Abstract: Creating and sharing 3D digital replicas of archaeological sites online has become increasingly common. They are being integrated in excavation workflows, used to foster public engagement with the site, and provide communication and outreach of research, which now happen on digital media platforms. However, there has been little introspection by the community involved in the 3D documentation field, which has resulted in problematic practices. We critique the western paradigm of archaeological visualisation and propose recommendations for inclusive, decolonised visualisations of living heritage and archaeological places. To begin, we define in broad terms what an archaeological site is, and then we describe how these sites have been recorded and represented using the latest technology for digital re-production, namely laser scanning and photogrammetry. Following that we provide a critical analysis of current 3D visualisations of archaeological sites and develop an approach to ensure that the significance, meaning, and potency of archaeological and living heritage places are transferred to their digital replicas. Our case study at Ga-Mohana Hill in South Africa then offers practical approaches and methodologies that the fields of cultural heritage documentation and archaeological visualisation can employ to address their recurring issues as identified in the critical analysis. We present an online, interactive 3D digital replica of a living heritage and archaeological place that we believe responds appropriately to its political, cultural, and social context along with communicating its archaeological significance. PubDate: 2022-12-02 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09460-3
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Abstract: In this paper, we describe a collaboration between the Westbank First Nation Archaeology Office and UBC Okanagan that aims to create digital maps to enable engagement with syilx digital heritage and build capacity in digital tools and technologies. We examine what data governance frameworks mean for digital heritage and how they articulate with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) and the First Nations Information Governance Centre’s OCAP® principles. We propose digital tools such as open-source and mobile-ready storymaps to showcase digital heritage that is appropriate for public sharing, practices that can promote and enhance community decision-making, and create training opportunities in digital methods in Westbank First Nation. Opening a conversation around digital tools is one way that archaeologists can begin to enact Indigenous data governance as a step towards dismantling colonial structures and practice in archaeology and digital heritage. PubDate: 2022-11-24 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09466-x
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Abstract: Data ownership and accessibility are critical issues across academia, but especially in fields that touch upon digital heritage that relates to pre-colonial/colonial societies. Who can access spatial datasets about pre-colonial landscapes, who is writing about these topics, and who, by extension, is considered an authority on these topics' This paper explores data ownership, gender, and local affiliation by examining publications on archaeological lidar in Latin America between 2011 and 2021. For over 10 years, archaeological remote sensing derived from lidar has transformed research in Latin America and especially in Mesoamerica, yet there are numerous issues related to data ownership and authoritative voice that remain unresolved. This study shows that publication authorship, including first and co-authorship, is dominated by male researchers at US institutions while women and individuals associated with institutions in Latin America are poorly represented. The limited representation of authors with local or community affiliations suggests that local authoritative voices are largely muted in archaeological lidar research in the region. We discuss working toward more collaborative lidar research in Latin America. PubDate: 2022-11-19 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09464-z
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Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Digitization of heritage in art gallery and museum contexts raises ethical concerns around ownership, consent, and use. It also highlights fundamental issues of access and engagement for blind and partially sighted (BPS) visitors, especially elders. Gamification, which refers to the use of game elements and game design techniques, such as user feedback and additive levels of progress in non-game contexts, has been used to improve heritage pedagogy, accessibility for and engagement with museum and art gallery visitors. This paper examines collaborative efforts in digital heritage that engage with BPS visitors from historically excluded communities, thereby addressing their traditional exclusion from experiential learning in museum and art gallery settings. In this ethical framework, we use 3D printed models to demonstrate how gamification can play an essential role in providing BPS visitors in museum and art galleries an incentive to engage with the digital and physical archives, guiding them in experiential learning, and enabling new insights into their heritage. Fulsome implementation of 3D models as gamified objects can improve viewership, sharing, learning, and open discussion on redress for BPS members of historically excluded groups when it comes to their heritage. Gamification of digital heritage can enable a more diverse group of visitors to fully participate in the museum and art gallery experience. PubDate: 2022-11-15 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09461-2
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Abstract: This paper discusses the topic of hyphenated identity as it pertains to the Arab American community in central Ohio, U.S.A. It aims at highlighting the experiences of this minority group and bringing them to the forefront as knowledge creators. The paper focuses on creating and carefully analyzing a digital cultural record of Arab American voices. The paper uses the methodology of digital oral history to answer the following questions: (1) how digital oral history projects can help us understand individuals with hyphenated identities; (2) what factors shape the Arab American identity, and (3) what common practices are used by this group to balance preserving their identity and heritage, while integrating within White American culture. PubDate: 2022-11-14 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09463-0
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Abstract: This article brings attention to challenges faced by stakeholders in Mexico-United States border cultural heritage, from community access to material to the reclaiming of a transborder history. Focusing on print culture, in this case newspapers in physical, microfilm and digital formats, this analysis sheds light on how classification schemes, infrastructures, and their governance raise inequities within archival material housed in governmental institutions, universities, and commercial platforms located in both Mexico and the United States. Finally, this work proposes binational-transnational ethical practices and digital initiatives that allow and facilitate the creation of transborder knowledge by integrating border cultural heritage with digital humanities. PubDate: 2022-11-09 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09462-1
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Abstract: Tourism in heritage sites pushes back on the criticism of whether or not globalization should be understood as a conflict between creation, civil rights, and the ecosystem, normative ideas often characteristic of specific grounded communities. Tourism in ancient heritage sites has been a popular form for decades and remains so. Therefore, many studies address sustainability issues in these locations by focusing on their economic and environmental aspects. By comparison, fewer studies address social sustainability in historical sites, particularly in the context of developing economies. Given the scarcity of such research, this study explores social-sustainability concerns in Hampi, India. The application of a qualitative methodology with triangulation techniques identified the objective of this study. Reflective thematic analysis identified three main themes: power, politics, and the ongoing tug of war between local people and authorities; heritage tourism development challenges in Hampi; and “what is real,” ie., the concerns of authenticity. PubDate: 2022-10-05 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09459-w
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Abstract: A growing literature in archaeological theory has embraced the “material turn,” especially what is branded as “Object-Oriented Ontology” (OOO). Some archaeologists view this as an opportunity for the discipline which is, by definition, a practice of knowing objects. Others argue that the material turn may open up hitherto-unexplored ways of looking at historical processes. While this all sounds very exciting for a new generation of archaeologists, we see a genuine need to be cautious about the implications of subscribing to OOO-inspired archaeologies. These new theoretical developments have a direct impact on how archaeologists narrate, conceptualize, and interpret the past, present and future. In this article, we scrutinize the philosophical pathway behind this perspective and discuss its relation to archaeological theory. We advocate a modest, responsive version of new materialist archaeologies that can engage more thoughtfully with the past and Anthropocene social crises of systemic injustice and inequality. PubDate: 2022-09-18 DOI: 10.1007/s11759-022-09454-1
Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
