Experimental archaeology : an ethnography of its perceived value and impact in archaeological research
Archaeologists rely on a variety of methods to study and interpret the past, one of which is experimental archaeology; this involves the replication of artefacts or past processes in order to test falsifiable hypotheses or to gather data systematically. This thesis presents examples of perceptions concerning experimental archaeology and its history, its validity, and how it is (or should be) by gathering data through interviews, surveys, participant observation of experiments and conferences, and by gathering ideas expressed in published works, particularly those that are 'about' experimental archaeology and that deal with its role in academic archaeology. A trend emerges in which experimental archaeology is viewed by those that practice it as being sidelined in academic research. These beliefs and statements are then compared to data gathered on publication rates; a chronology of experimental archaeology is given, and differing beliefs are compared and contrasted. The goal is to identify how experimental archaeology is being perceived, how this is affected by how it is presented, and how changes in its presentation can help increase its acceptance amongst archaeologists. A highly critical approach has been
Flores, Jodi Reeves
Experimental archaeology : an ethnography of its perceived value and impact in archaeological research. Archaeologists rely on a variety of methods to study and interpret the past, one of which is experimental archaeology; this involves the replication of artefacts or past processes in order to test falsifiable hypotheses or to gather data systematically. This thesis presents examples of perceptions concerning experimental archaeology and its history, its validity, and how it is (or should be) by gathering data through interviews, surveys, participant observation of experiments and conferences, and by gathering ideas expressed in published works, particularly those that are 'about' experimental archaeology and that deal with its role in academic archaeology. A trend emerges in which experimental archaeology is viewed by those that practice it as being sidelined in academic research. These beliefs and statements are then compared to data gathered on publication rates; a chronology of experimental archaeology is given, and differing beliefs are compared and contrasted. The goal is to identify how experimental archaeology is being perceived, how this is affected by how it is presented, and how changes in its presentation can help increase its acceptance amongst archaeologists. A highly critical approach has been
experimental_archaeology ethnography perceive value impact archaeological_research archaeologists rely variety_method study interpret past experimental_archaeology involve replication artefact past process order_test hypotheses gather_data systematically present examples perception concern experimental_archaeology history validity gathering data interview survey participant_observation conference gather idea_express publish_work particularly about experimental_archaeology deal role academic archaeology trend emerge experimental_archaeology view practice sideline academic research beliefs statement compare data_gather publication rate chronology experimental_archaeology give differ belief compare_contrast goal identify experimental_archaeology perceive affect present change presentation help increase acceptance amongst archaeologist highly critical