Encounters with the Archaeological Archive

ABSTRACT The archival encounter is an often-neglected consideration in the use of archaeological archives and field records. However, this encounter can have significant impacts on the interpretation of archaeological evidence and the way that knowledge is produced. This is particularly apparent when exploring fundamental differences between the materiality of archaeological evidence in the field and in the archive and how this impacts engagement and interpretation. By drawing on practical examples, the following article considers different aspects of materiality in archaeological archives and how they influence the interpretation of archaeological data and the production of archaeological knowledge. Each excavation archive is unique and the product of a particular combination of excavation, recording, curation, research, and interpretive methods which all must be acknowledged. The below argues that the archival encounter is a material encounter which directly influences the interpretation and original creation of records.