Archaeologies-Journal of the World Archaeological Congress最新文献

The past 20 years have witnessed profound changes in prehistoric archaeological research in mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA). Based on publication data from related research results—including journal article, book, book section/conference paper, and thesis—this paper provides a bird’s-eye view of how the field of prehistoric archaeology has developed over the past 20 years and, in particular, the role of local and international scholars. The findings show that Western scholars, who remain active in this field, have had a comprehensive and far-reaching influence on the discipline of prehistoric archaeology in MSEA. Local and international scholars have remarkably contrasting interests in terms of research topics, as local scholars are deeply invested in revealing the intricate threads of their own histories and cultures, while international scholars traverse regional boundaries and engage in macro-level discussion to explore scientific questions. This diversity is also found in their journal selection preferences, with local scholars focusing on local journals and international scholars preferring high-impact international journals. The analysis of institutional cooperation also shows diversified international cooperation and a growing local cooperative practice. This study provides a broad perspective from which to examine the development of research on prehistoric archaeology in MSEA over the last two decades and to deepen our understanding of the state of the field in this region.

The aim of this paper is to examine the significant cultural destruction in the Tigray museums from the Tigray war (2020 to present). It assesses the extent of cultural properties and physical buildings destroyed during the WAR and their present conditions. The study utilizes field research, interviews with local residents, and the museum curators. Based on these methods, the results show that the physical heritages are severely damaged. Moreover the direct connection of the heritages with the identity of the people, history, and societal cohesion is broken. The Tigray war has committed an alarming toll on museums and cultural institutions, causing profound losses with universal significance. The looting of community heritages in the museums leads to the extinction of culture, history, and social values. By situating the destruction within the narratives of war and cultural erasure the paper advocates for urgent measures to protect and preserve Tigray’s rich heritages placed in the museums.

This paper discusses the Western Zhou bronze foundry at Beiyao in Luoyang. By re-examining available archaeological evidence through technological and socio-economic lenses, this paper sheds new light on the technologies and organization of bronze production and identifies several issues in previous research that require further investigation. It argues that the currently excavated area and recovered materials from the Beiyao site are insufficient to support large-scale bronze production attributed to the early Western Zhou period. A more holistic approach combining history of technology, archaeological data, and social context is advocated for achieving a better understanding of Western Zhou bronze economy.

This article explores the current state of rock art site preservation in the Mara Region. These sites represent tangible and intangible cultural heritage that face risks from natural erosion, vandalism, development pressures, and inadequate legal protection. Furthermore, despite their cultural importance, many sites—especially those recently discovered—lack a formal management framework to ensure their preservation for future generations and face numerous challenges due to the absence of a structured management approach. Drawing on decades of research in rock art conservation, this study highlights key factors contributing to the deterioration of these sites, such as environmental degradation, encroachment, and ownership issues. Additionally, borrowing from research from various parts of the world, the paper examines potential strategies for both immediate and long-term preservation of the sites, ensuring a balanced approach to cultural preservation and economic sustainability. It also proposes a holistic management framework that integrates legal protection, community involvement, and conservation science.

The kingdom of Denmark together with its satellite Norway was one of several European nations that were deeply involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade that removed millions of Africans from Africa and transplanted them across the globe to serve different servile roles. At the closing stages of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Denmark felt compelled to establish plantations in Ghana. Frederikssted slave plantation established in 1794 in Dodowa, was one of the earliest Danish slave plantations which was meant to replace the Danish involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade in Ghana. Documentary records have described enslaved Africans as the main workforce on Frederikssted plantation. However, the archaeological data did not reveal much information about these enslaved workers. The archaeological data rather show that local elite family reoccupied the Frederikssted plantation site after it collapsed in 1802. This family created wealth and used expensive material goods to denote their social position. This article, therefore, challenges the current research agenda, which view slave plantation sites as places mainly occupied by the plantation owners and their enslaved workers. The article posits that plantation archaeologists should, therefore, consider this third group of occupants distinctively and that their material culture should not be confused with that of planters and their slaves. The excavations and the resultant material culture reveal that Frederikssted plantation site represents different episodes of occupation, abandonment, and reoccupation. The indigenous elites who reoccupied the plantation site have played a crucial role in shaping the plantation landscape, which provides a new way to understand plantation archaeology.

This paper outlines the ritual Nyiehzakhuo kuthou [the hanging of Nyiaza’s basket] of the Pochury Nagas of Anyuwie. This ritual is an annual propitiation of ancestors (living-dead) with food offerings in lieu of fertility, harvest, health, prosperity and good fortune. The combination of the ritual’s carefully crafted paraphernalia and observed taboos highlight the deep connection the Pochury Nagas maintain with their ancestors. This study explores the challenges stemming from the delicate nature of organic heritage, to the degree that indigenous archaeology can preserve not just the ritual but the worldview it represents. The “curious” aspect here is how living-deads, who seem dormant, neglected or insignificant in a community’s history, intersect with the everyday lives of the people.

The archaeological heritage of the West Bank faces an unprecedented crisis, as widespread destruction driven by antiquities looting continues to accelerate. This phenomenon is fueled by a complex interplay of factors, including entrenched poverty, the growing demand for looted artifacts in Israeli and global antiquities markets, ongoing political instability, and a limited public understanding within Palestinian society of the socio-political and identity-related significance of cultural heritage. Amid the ongoing armed conflict in Gaza and surrounding regions which commenced in October 2023, a comprehensive survey has been conducted to evaluate the impact of the war—along with its associated socio-economic repercussions—on archaeological sites, with particular emphasis on the phenomenon of antiquities looting. The study systematically examined 440 randomly selected sites across the West Bank. Employing a multidisciplinary methodology, the research integrates extensive on-site documentation—including written records and both ground-level and drone photography—with the analysis of satellite imagery for selected sites. Additionally, interviews with antiquities looters provide key insights into the motivations, methods, and scale of this destructive activity. The findings reveal that a significant proportion of the surveyed sites have suffered extensive damage, with up to 70% of the total area of some sites affected within a single year.

Although the land crisis has been considered a potential factor in the decline and downfall of the Western Zhou dynasty, previous scholarship primarily based its argument on inscriptions from the middle and late Western Zhou periods. This paper argues that the land grant recorded in Zhong Fangding provides a glimpse into the socio-economic situation of the early Western Zhou state. By contextualizing the Zhong Fangding archaeologically, geographically, and historically, this article dates it to the 15th year of King Zhao and discusses its implication for understanding the socio-economic pressure that the Zhou court faced and its relation to King Zhao’s southern campaigns.