Public archaeology offers an opportunity for the archaeologist to be culturally holistic in the i... more Public archaeology offers an opportunity for the archaeologist to be culturally holistic in the interpretation of archaeological sites. The archaeologist can look not just at the artifacts, but can delve deeper into such things as values, beliefs, cultural practices, land use, etc. that an archaeological site represents. However, while this opportunity is present, it is little, if ever, implemented. Instead, what exists is a disconnect between cultural groups and public archaeology with respect to values, beliefs, and other elements considered an integral part of history and culture to one and an impedance to the other. Re-evaluating this disconnect through a number of theoretical frameworks offered by cultural anthropology including functionalism, interpretive anthropology, power relationships, and political-economic perspective provides an opportunity to identify and address these issues. In order to do this the archaeologist must remove himself from his niche and look at both the cultural group and public archaeology from the standpoint of a participant observer. It is my hope that by looking at this disconnect through the theoretical frameworks offered by cultural anthropology, public archaeology may embrace the unique opportunity that it stands to offer.
Public archaeology offers an opportunity for the archaeologist to be culturally holistic in the i... more Public archaeology offers an opportunity for the archaeologist to be culturally holistic in the interpretation of archaeological sites. The archaeologist can look not just at the artifacts, but can delve deeper into such things as values, beliefs, cultural practices, land use, etc. that an archaeological site represents. However, while this opportunity is present, it is little, if ever, implemented. Instead, what exists is a disconnect between cultural groups and public archaeology with respect to values, beliefs, and other elements considered an integral part of history and culture to one and an impedance to the other. Re-evaluating this disconnect through a number of theoretical frameworks offered by cultural anthropology including functionalism, interpretive anthropology, power relationships, and political-economic perspective provides an opportunity to identify and address these issues. In order to do this the archaeologist must remove himself from his niche and look at both the cultural group and public archaeology from the standpoint of a participant observer. It is my hope that by looking at this disconnect through the theoretical frameworks offered by cultural anthropology, public archaeology may embrace the unique opportunity that it stands to offer.
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