Archaeology without Borders: Disparate Traditions, Convergent Archaeologies, Unscripted Conversations

Saturday, May 1st
2:30 pm-6:00 pm

Session Organizers: Elissa Z. Faro (Dartmouth College) and Krysta Ryzewski (Brown University)

Moderators: Alex R. Knodell (Brown University), Elizabeth Murphy (Brown University), Elissa Z. Faro, and Krysta Ryzewski

Session Abstract:

Does a Mayanist think about pots differently than an Aegeanist? Is the anthropological understanding of landscape different than the classical? How do these and other sub-disciplinary divergences and convergences shape theoretical engagements in archaeological practice? This session is inspired by conversations between a small and rather unlikely group of Mediterranean prehistorians, Romanists, and historical archaeologists; these conversations have exposed the problems and potential benefits of translating archaeology, and archaeological theory, across traditionally-defined, seemingly disparate sub-disciplinary specialties.

An unconventional topic is complemented in this session by a non-traditional format: a roundtable in which a pairing of two archaeologists from very different backgrounds will engage each other in a dialogue about major topics in archaeological research, such as landscape, material culture, technological processes, urbanization, and embodiment. Departing from a position that the location of theory is everywhere, and in response to an academic climate that is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, this session aims to problematize, and hopefully bypass, unproductive distinctions along sub-disciplinary / sub-specialty boundaries. These unscripted conversations will also expose the points of connection and disjuncture that have, in some cases, managed to distance groups of archaeologists and the relevance of some archaeological theories from each other in the past. Each participant will be invited to present briefly on a pre-arranged topic building from their own theoretical standpoints and field research. Then the pair will discuss their statements with each other and with the audience. We hope that out of these discussions will emerge a contemporary view of archaeology that foregrounds the potential to learn from other traditions and to speak with archaeologists across theoretical, temporal, and geographic borders.

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2:30: Krysta Ryzewski (Brown University): Introduction
Unscripted Conversations (moderated by Alex R. Knodell (Brown University), Elizabeth Murphy (Brown University), Elissa Z. Faro, and Krysta Ryzewski
2:45: Jennifer Gates-Foster (University of Texas, Austin) and Stephen Mrozowski (University of Massachusetts, Boston): On Disciplinary Divides and a Global Historical Archaeology
3:10: Susan Alcock (Brown University) and Diana DiPaolo Loren (Harvard University): On Exploring the Edges and Boundaries of Empire
3:35: Zoe Crossland (Columbia University) and Carl Knappett (University of Toronto): On Traces and Indexes
4:00: Coffee break
4:30: Laurie Wilkie (University of California, Berkeley) and Henrick Dey (CASVA/Hunter College): On Material Culture, Public Spectacle and Image Control
4:55: Matthew Johnson (University of Southampton) and Chris Witmore (Texas Tech University): On Acrocorinth
5:20: Elissa Faro (Dartmouth College): Concluding Remarks
5:30: Discussion