Ethnographies and Archaeologies
Iterations of the Past
"Very few books have captured the sophisticated nuances of heritage and the past in ways that will attract archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, and others in allied fields, but Mortensen and Hollowell have mastered this with a highly readable, deeply analytical, and remarkably diverse volume."—Stephen W. Silliman, University of MassachusettsBoston
"A very welcome addition to the literature of several related discourses: ethnography, heritage, public archaeology, and applied anthropology. The well-chosen, varied case studies are theoretically robust, critical, reflexive, methodologically clear and well-written, and the commentaries push the ideas explored in the case studies in stimulating new directions."—Carol McDavid, University of Houston
Ethnographies and Archaeologies explores the many different ways that the archaeological past is used to create meaning in the present. Under the guidance of editors Lena Mortensen and Julie Hollowell, the contributors seek to de-center or reposition the role of archaeologists and archaeological practice in constructing the past.
A major focus of the volume is to examine how the past is mediated by social engagements in the present and the consequences of those encounters. It is positioned at the forefront of a growing trend to explore the intersection of archaeology and cultural anthropology.
Broadly arguing for the application of ethnography to the dialogue on archaeological heritage, the book considers how concepts of nationalism, identity politics, and cultural production affect how the past is shaped by archaeology.
Lena Mortensen is assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto, Scarborough. Julie Hollowell, Schaenen visiting scholar at DePauw University, is coeditor of Ethical Issues in Archaeology.
