| Popis: |
Archaeology in the twenty-first century has seen its equivalent of the radiocarbon dating revolution in the DNA archaeogenetics revolution, with its notable impact on interpretation of Beaker communities in Europe, and more recently the recognition of later Bronze Age immigration. A lesser but important impact has also been made by isotope analysis, and more generally by advances in palaeopathological research. The biggest single change in field archaeology has been the scale of development-led excavation, with major infrastructure projects on a trans-landscape dimension. Whilst the outcome has seen some decline in detailed presentation of results, the major achievement has been in landscape environmental synthesis. Study is increasingly focusing on the use of materials and resources, potentially with lessons in terms of sustainable building and environmental impact. Academic archaeologists still debate issues such as egalitarian societies vs hierarchical societies and still borrow yesterday’s models from anthropology, like Lévi-Strauss’ ‘house societies’. A major concern remains the standing of archaeology as a university discipline, especially with the adoption of online technology during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the public perception of archaeology as entertainment or an adjunct to tourism. |
