Archaeologies-Journal of the World Archaeological Congress最新文献

During nearly five decades of working in public archaeology at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, I have witnessed and experienced the importance of public awareness of archaeology and American Indian cultures but also have seen the need to overcome stereotypes the public has about both. This has been accomplished at Cahokia Mounds through exhibits, public field schools, on- and off-site presentations, special events, lecture series, publications, social media, and events with Native American participation. I will review the philosophy and planning behind these various approaches and how they have evolved over the years.

American archaeology within the US today is focused on the identification and evaluation of historic properties in accordance with federal and state historic preservation legislation. While this has created a substantial body of work, for the most part, these studies are not visible or frankly of much value to the general public. Citing examples from the cultural resources management industry, the importance of public education and outreach is considered.

A 2017 Amerind Foundation Seminar involving leadership representatives of the Society for American Archaeology, the Society for Historical Archaeology, the American Anthropological Association, the Archaeological Institute of America, the American Cultural Resources Association, the National Park Service, the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation, the SRI Foundation, and other senior scholars resulted in an Action Plan that addressed the political threats to archaeology in the US, as well as the benefits and values of archaeology and the various constituencies and stakeholders of the archaeological world. A participant in the seminar and action plan, the author reviews these values and presents two scenarios, African American community engagement and the Veterans Curation Program, that illustrate the public benefits of an engaged archaeology.

Memorial University, located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, was created in 1925 to help build a better future for the people of Canada’s easternmost province, whose largely rural fishing communities were rapidly transforming through industrialization and urbanization. Mandated by a “special obligation to the people of the province,” university archaeologists embraced applied, community-based projects which encouraged local solutions to the social and economic issues arising from the transformation to modernity. Today, community archaeology remains integral to our research program and the majority of our research is undertaken in partnership with rural and Indigenous populations who continue to be marginalized both geographically and economically. Two case studies describe how archaeological resources are being used to promote economic and social justice, as well as reconciliation, and how archaeology has the potential to make valuable local contributions that change lives in the present.

What utility does an archaeological education provide students choosing careers off well-trodden archaeological paths? What do these students bring to their careers and society at large? This paper focuses on some of the ways academic training in anthropological archaeology in the US offers students perspectives, skills, and knowledge that fits well with non-traditional careers. Despite a relatively dismal employment outlook for traditional archaeology jobs, archaeological education cultivates valuable critical thinking, project management, and technology skills useful in other career contexts. Archaeological graduates are flexible, informed professionals who understand and embrace cultural diversity. They enrich public awareness about the importance of archaeology and the preservation of cultural resources.

The “Makpo” recade in Fon language (language and an ethnic group from South Benin, formerly Dahomey) means message stick or fury’s stick which is a royal specter. In the kingdom of Dahomey, royal power is represented by 7 badges. The “Makpo” recade is one of its badges. It is an object specific to the kings of Dahomey who wore them on the left shoulder. Their functions are numerous. It derives from the hoe and undergoes an evolution over time. The objective of the study is to identify the materials and the wood species used for the manufacture of the recades in order to understand the choice of sculptors and the cultural importance that the materials used could have. The oral accounts of the resource persons (dignitaries of the royal court and holders of the history of Dahomey), the visit to the museum ‘Le petit Musée de la Récade’ (Benin), and the documentation made it possible to collect the data allowing analysis of the results. The data collected were compared with the timber identification data described and codified by Tropical Timber Atlas and meeting NF EN standards. Out of 11 recades analyzed, the materials determined are wood, metals and ivory. Wood is the most used material which gives a sacred cultural side to the recades because of the specific choice of species.

The aboriginal inhabitants residing in India are known as the Tribal population. These indigenous people are scattered in different parts of the country including the state of West Bengal in the eastern part of India. In West Bengal, different districts such as Birbhum, Purulia and Midnapore are important seats of the indigenous inhabitants and their unique cultural and historical background, distinct from the other populations of the region. The Santhal population formed a larger portion in these districts during the early part of 20th century. They possess remarkable cultural identity which is expressed through their songs, music, arts and crafts, their unique indigenous forms of belief and styles of worship. The present research is based on an extensive field survey of the Santhal villages located in the Birbhum district in eastern India. The study aims to highlight the unique artistic manifestations of the Santhal tribe focusing on the sohrai paintings, the themes that are reflected point out the uniqueness of their heritage, tradition and cultural identity. It is also important to sustain the cultural aspects, both tangible and intangible of this indigenous population which involves an inter-disciplinary approach. Corporate Social Responsibility implemented by different companies in India for social development may also aid in sustaining the indigenous community and hence build a mutually beneficial corporate-community engagement model.