As I discussed earlier (chapter 4), a large number of people are excited about the process of archaeological research and would like to get involved in archaeological projects themselves. Especially the digging aspect is enormously appealing. The American archaeologist Karolyn Smardz (1997: 103) once speculated about the reasons for the popularity of archaeological excavations, which by the way may also account for the popularity of modern treasure-hunting (Merriman 1991: 106):

It is the excitement and romance of archaeological discovery that makes people think archaeology is worth doing and learning about. … In other words, it is not archaeology’s ability to help all of us gain a better understanding of how people lived in the past that makes archaeology marketable, it is also that mysterious, romantic, exotic sense of delving into the unknown—ergo, the very process of archaeological research.

There are more and more archaeological field projects, where anybody is invited to come along and become practically involved too. Open Days on ongoing excavations, whether as part of nation-wide Archaeology Days or locally organized, are regular features in the calendar of many archaeological projects, and they are often highly popular and well attended. Occasionally, even the excavation sites themselves are deliberately chosen with participation of community members, including school children, in mind (e.g. Smardz 1997). Whereas in York, you can spend ”A Day on the Dig” (see chapter 2), in Germany and Austria paying tourists can take part in regular excavation projects for longer periods. One of these initiatives advertises in the following way (my translation) :

Adventure Archaeology. Join the investigations! Holidays on a research excavation in the ancient homeland of the Celts. … During a week-long adventure holiday – excavation and attractive sightseeing programme – you can experience how archaeologists assemble a colourful image of the past from numerous mosaic stones. And you are participating yourself – in a very find-rich area.

Interestingly, many people are willing to pay a small fee, even in exchange for merely being able to observe archaeologists at work, as Peter Addyman (1990: 258) found when well over half a million people (between 1976 and 1981) came to see his excavations at York, although he charged them for the opportunity. Since then, this interest has not waned. It is clear that (a) if an offered experience is perceived as enjoyable and worthwhile, people are willing to pay for it, and that (b) once you hope to attract paying visitors you automatically focus more on what kind of engaging experience you might be able to stage (Pine II and Gilmore 1999: 61-68). Charging visitors can therefore not only help archaeology financially but also create an improved overall outcome of a given project.

In some circumstances, participation in an archaeological excavation may even acquire therapeutic dimensions. Community archaeology projects can help people deal with traumatic pasts and create a sense of unity (Lucas 2004: 119). This, for example, was one of the functions of the recent excavations in the Swedish village of Södra Råda where, in 2001, a famous 14th century wooden church with exquisite wall paintings had burned down due to arson. Before the church will be re-constructed in the future, the Swedish National Heritage Board and two regional museums invited the local community to take part in archaeological investigations on the ground where the church once stood. The Södra Råda project was one way to help people coming to terms with the sense of loss they experienced in the aftermath of the fire, but it was also a pilot project for a new kind of public archaeology. In her report, the project director Catarina Karlsson (2004: 23) stated what can have validity even beyond Södra Råda: since archaeology is important not for its own sake but for peoples’ sakes, an archaeological project becomes the more significant the more people enjoy the project and participate in it.

Letting people dig is a great way of bringing archaeology to the people. It allows them to enjoy archaeology in the way they prefer it.

Return to Archaeology as a brand

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Posted at Mar 25/2005 08:58 AM:
Karolyn Smardz Thanks for the kind words. Could you correct something, though? I am a Canadian archaeologist, and my program was operated in Toronto between 1985 and 1994.