Introduction to Archaeology

1
Introduction to Archaeology
Sean Rafferty AS 120 442-4713 rafferty_at_albany.edu
M, W, 1-2, and by Appt.
2
Syllabus

• READ IT!!!
• Contact Info
• Course Description
• Grading
• Labs40 Exams60
• Gen Ed
• Text E-Res (pwant104)
• Online notes
• Cheating/Plagiarism
• Schedule

3
Course Goals

• Define archaeology as a science
• Explain the goals of Archaeology
• Describe the methods archaeologists use to
  achieve these goals
• Provide case studies as exemplars

4
5 Misconceptions of Archaeology

• Foreign Exotic Setting
• Adventurous
• Treasure Hunting for Profit
• Confused with Paleontology
• Practiced by Rich/Elite

5
4 Subfields of Anthropology

• Anthropology holistic study of humanity
• 1. Archaeology study of past human culture
• 2. Cultural Anthro. study of extant human
  culture
• 3. Biological Anthro. study of human biology
  and evolution
• 4. Linguistic Anthro. study of human
  communication

6
What is Archaeology?

• Archaeology study of human past through
  material culture

7
Justifications for Archaeology

• Quest for Knowledge
• We can learn from the past
• Past is part of our heritage and identity
• The past is an irreplaceable resource
• Cultural Resource Management (CRM)

8
Justifications for Archaeology

• The past is a source of power in the present
• Archaeologists can either prevent or contribute
  to the misuse of the past
• He who controls the past, controls the future
  (George Orwell, 1984)
• Who controls the past, controls the future who
  controls the present, controls the past (Rage
  Against the Machine, Testify)

9
Case Study Archaeology and Power

• Gustaf Kossinna and Nazi Archaeology
• Brief bio of Kossinna
• Born 1858
• 1902, Berlin, studied and taught archaeology
• Pioneered analysis of prehistoric settlement
  patterns
• Best known for questionable interpretations of
  relationship between material culture and
  ethnicity
• The Origin of the Germani

10
Gustaf Kossinna
11
Kossinnas Legacy Nationalist German Archaeology

• Kossinna a nationalist conviction that the
  culture and interests of his nation superior to
  those of other nations
• Influenced his interpretations of prehistory
• Kossinnas basic arguments
• Germany was the center of prehistoric
  developments
• Other cultures less developed than Germans
• Original geographic distribution of "German Race"
  included most of Eastern Europe
• Bronze Age Europe populated by Germans only
  later occupied by Slavs

12
Kossinnas Germania
13
Kossinnas Legacy Diffusionism

• Diffusionism idea that culture is developed in
  one area (e.g., Germany) and spreads to other
  areas
• Potential problem when all cultural developments
  explained by diffusionist arguments developed
  area contributes culture to more primitive area
• Kossinnas political bias for German superiority
  influenced his interpretations of prehistory

14
Kossinnas Ideas and the Nazis

• Kossinna dies in 1931, Nazis came to power 1933
• Kossinnas ideas co-opted by Nazis, esp. Himmler
• Nazi goal conquest of Europe
• Idea that Europe originally German used to
  justify Nazi aggression
• Nazi party funds archaeology, but researchers
  must embrace party nationalist ideology, and
  Kossinnas basic ideas
• Archaeology was serving the state, not the truth

15
Critique of Kossinnas ideas

• Allowed cultural biases to influence
  interpretations of the past to an extreme degree
• Greatly overestimated the persistence of ethnic
  groups over time
• Misinterpreted the degree to which material
  culture can represent ethnicity

16
NazisI hate these guys - Indiana Jones
17
First Lab

• Archaeology and the Media
• Archaeologists commonly misrepresented
• Even in educational programming
• good TV vs. good science
• Focus on rare, sensational vs. ordinary everyday
• Overly simplified (or simply wrong) explanations
• Example Josh Bernstein, Digging for the Truth,
  History Channel Scotty Moore, Bone Detectives,
  Discovery Channel
• Assignment find an example of popular
  presentation of archaeology in the media
• Questions? Data? Experts? Qualifications?
  Alternative explanations?
• Effects on public perception of archaeology?

18
Im a giant tool.