The development and application of a Heideggerian phenomenological methodology for the analysis of human engagement in field-based experimental archaeology : a case study from the reconstruction of an Iron Age roundhouse in Wales
Phenomenological approaches in archaeology are often accused by their detractors of lacking an explicitly articulated method and being centred on first-person 'subjective' accounts. As a result, phenomenological research is perceived to lack rigour, data and accountability. This thesis addresses these concerns through the development of a phenomenological methodology created to address the failure of experimental archaeology to account for those who take part in experimental projects and their influence on the theory, practice and explanations of such projects. For its philosophical basis, the project draws on the thinking of Martin Heidegger, particularly Division I of his major work Being and Time (1962). This thinking is explored and developed in the context of the practice of roundhouse reconstruction. It is translated into a methodology to identify, examine and interpret the phenomena associated with everyday practice in the carrying out of skilled tasks in relation to a particular project. For its grounding in the world, the research analyses the reconstruction of a large roundhouse a Castell Henllys Iron age Fort. This analysis, through an explicitly Heideggerian phenomenological methodology, uses multi-media
Townend, Stephen Dennis
The development and application of a Heideggerian phenomenological methodology for the analysis of human engagement in field-based experimental archaeology : a case study from the reconstruction of an Iron Age roundhouse in Wales. Phenomenological approaches in archaeology are often accused by their detractors of lacking an explicitly articulated method and being centred on first-person 'subjective' accounts. As a result, phenomenological research is perceived to lack rigour, data and accountability. This thesis addresses these concerns through the development of a phenomenological methodology created to address the failure of experimental archaeology to account for those who take part in experimental projects and their influence on the theory, practice and explanations of such projects. For its philosophical basis, the project draws on the thinking of Martin Heidegger, particularly Division I of his major work Being and Time (1962). This thinking is explored and developed in the context of the practice of roundhouse reconstruction. It is translated into a methodology to identify, examine and interpret the phenomena associated with everyday practice in the carrying out of skilled tasks in relation to a particular project. For its grounding in the world, the research analyses the reconstruction of a large roundhouse a Castell Henllys Iron age Fort. This analysis, through an explicitly Heideggerian phenomenological methodology, uses multi-media
development_application heideggerian phenomenological_analysis human engagement field based experimental_archaeology case_study reconstruction iron_age roundhouse wales phenomenological approach_archaeology often accuse lack explicitly articulate method centre first_person subjective account phenomenological perceive lack rigour data accountability address_concern development phenomenological create address failure experimental_archaeology account take_part experimental project influence theory_practice explanation project philosophical_basis project draw think martin_heidegger particularly division major_work time thinking explore developed context practice roundhouse reconstruction translate identify examine interpret phenomenon associate everyday_practice carry skilled task relation particular project ground world analyse reconstruction large roundhouse iron age fort analysis explicitly heideggerian phenomenological use multi media