An interdisciplinary conference on the transformative power of fire.
Fire always leaves its mark and a wealth of information behind. Our aim is to bring together research on experimental archaeology, archaeomaterials, archaeobotany, anthracology, pyrotechnology, taphonomic investigations including burned bone, combustion features, or accidental burning.
Recent discussions about health, food safety and an awareness of vanishing traditions have resulted in an increasing interest in traditional foods and food heritage.
Since 1995 the Grup de Recerca d’Arqueologia Medieval i Post-medieval (GRAMP-UB) is an in-terdisciplinary team lead by University of Barcelona, formed by members of different national and international institutions.
Its target is to study the medieval and post medieval archaeological re-mains. The new Degree in Archaeology offers to the students the possibility to collaborate in the excavation campaigns in medieval sites, and also some practices in Experimental Archaeology: for instance, they can do some experimental training at the AREA in l’Esquerda, Roda de Ter, an Open-Air Laboratory dedicated to experimental works.
Nowadays, death is pretty much excluded from daily life. Until only a few generations ago, however, death and dying as a natural process were highly visible throughout society, and ever-present at every stage of people’s biography: Young mothers could die in childbirth, out of a large flock of siblings, only some would grow up to be adults. Life expectancy was generally lower than it is today.
Since the 1990s, experimental archaeology has been anchored in teaching and scientific research in pre- and early-historical archaeology at the University of Hamburg, and has been applied in different ways and considered in individual theses with a clear archaeological experimental contribution.
By 2004, the Experimental Archaeology with its own seminar and adjoin practice part is an integral part of the curriculum of Prehistoric and Early Archaeology. In addition to the introduction to the history, theories and methods of experimental archaeology, the seminar offers students the opportunity to develop their own projects with archaeological-experimental questions. The supervision of the students takes place on the whole by two experimental archaeologists and is supplemented by further experts for certain questions.
In archaeology, where practice and experimentation are important research components, new approaches and methodologies are continuously developed. In our country we now have a number of interdisciplinary studies on public archaeology, as well as archaeo-parks and open-air museums, and these are an extremely important tool to sensitize the general public regarding issues of cultural heritage.
This notwithstanding, in Turkey there are presently no institutional structures that allow the formation of new researchers or the continuity in practice and education, and therefore experimental archaeology struggles to become a tool for research. One of the main objectives of this center is to offer a session of introduction and formation on experimental archaeology to both Turkish academics and students at the master and doctoral level.
The University of Groningen has seen numerous experimental archaeology projects throughout the years, such as the construction of a medieval sod house and experimentation with growing crops in salt marshes in Frisia. These projects were guided by research interests, but it is not (yet) incorporated firmly in the curriculum. Introductions to flint knapping are provided for new students each year.
The student-led Workgroup Experimental Archaeology Groningen (WEAG) was founded in 2019 to create an environment where fellow students can be introduced to experimental archaeology. They get to know natural materials otherwise only encountered during excavations, while at the same time practising with the creation and implementation of research designs, as well as their execution and presentation.
Since 1998, the course Experimental Archeology, Ethno-archeology and Simple Technology has been offered every fall semester at the University of Copenhagen. The pillars have been the same every year: 10-14 students from many different subjects, craftspeople, guest lecturers and two teachers.
The course consists of four elements:
1) Introduction to research history and theory
2) Presentation and discussion of selected case studies in lecture form, where the experimental-archaeological method and the interaction with the other disciplines are central elements
3) a series of practice experiments and technology studies as well
4) presentation, discussion and perspective of the experiments performed.
The course is offered in collaboration with the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde and with Sagnlandet in Lejre.
Frambozenweg 161
2321 KA Leiden
The Netherlands
Phone: +(31) 6 40263273
Website: EXARC.net
Email: info@exarc.net
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