ON PRIORITIZING 'BECOMING' OVER 'BEING'. NOTES ON THE MARGIN OF ARCHAEOLOGIES OF EUROPE... (2002)

• Authors: Zalewska A.
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

This discussion concerns the diversity of scientific social practices visible in current archaeological theory. Pluralism in observing the world has the effect of forming different 'pictures' of it rather than principled judgments. Consequently, the term 'European archaeology', as well as the complex historiography of this branch of archaeology escape definition. There are benefits observed of this condition and the virtues of a 'positive dialogue' about social issues, a dialogue free of the constraining modernistic model of perception, have been propounded. The conference Archaeologies West - Archaeologies East. Connecting Theory and Practice Across Europe (2000) and the proceedings, published in the book Archaeologies of Europe. History, Methods and Theories (2002) took up the dialogue. By pointing out the most challenging problems, the editors have concluded that more needs to be done to bridge gaps in communication and to improve theory and practice in European archaeology. An interparadigmatic dialogue was thus established. The present comments refer to the observations presented by 27 authors from European countries and one from the United States. Firstly, by exemplifying the links existing between socio-political, epistemological and regional identities across contemporary Europe, the use of the term 'national archaeologies' was rejected. Secondly, the impossibility of ultimate judgments and collective appraisals of research theory and methodology and their usage in contemporary archaeology was accepted. Thirdly, the virtues of a 'multivocal discourse' were emphasized. By presenting criticism of the postprocessual model and postmodernist archaeology, intolerance in practicing archaeological theory was negated. Ultimate judgments depriving certain theoretical paradigms of the chance for development (common among the younger archaeologists) were found to be groundless. The author encourages archaeological practice using the 'transformation' model (instead of the 'transition' one) described by S. Tabaczynski. This model assumes a 'gradually shaped process of scientific activity, accumulated experience and deepened by critical reflection'. Fourthly, the need for diversification in thinking about archaeology was demonstrated following I. Hodder's remarks on the specific context of knowledge production, stimulated by information-based global economics. The use of the 'ivory tower' metaphor in three different contexts: as a 'theoretical ghetto' for postprocessual archaeology, as a state of social alienation of the discipline from the society it serves, and as a place of exile for archaeologists not flexible enough to follow current trends, was treated as an expression of openness to the need for diversification. Fifthly, the issue of individual responsibility in undertaking research was commented upon. Note was made of the virtues of personal opinions justifying a given researcher's attitude in his scholarly writing. Finally, the art of posing the right question was lauded as it is this that shapes the conditions for the development of archaeology on the European continent. In summary, the proceedings of the conference discussed here should be considered as a good beginning for shaping the need for a 'reflective' archaeology based on a multivocal dialogue. Emphasis should also be placed on the actual style of theoretical considerations in archaeology, prioritizing 'becoming' over 'being', that is, the process of reflection in drawing conclusions over a presentation and evaluation of inflexible final statements.

Keywords

EN

ARCHAEOLOGICAL THEORY

Discipline

• ARCHAEOLOGY: ARCHAEOLOGY

• Publisher: Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Archeologia Polski
• Year: 2004
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 1-2
• Pages: 95-104
• Document type: COMMUNICATION

Contributors

author

Zalewska A.

• A. Zalewska, Instytut Archeologii, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej, pl. Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej, 20-031 Lublin, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

04PLAAAA000366