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#CLST6 For my #CYO1, I listened to Episode 6 of The Arch & Anth Podcast, “How do we study zooarchaeology of Bronze Age Scotland?” (1)
Guest Alex Fitzpatrick spoke about her work at the Covesea Caves Project, where she examined animal bones on the shores of Northeast Scotland
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Guest Alex Fitzpatrick spoke about her work at the Covesea Caves Project, where she examined animal bones on the shores of Northeast Scotland
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Alex explores abstract questions that she thinks zooarchaeologists often don’t talk about enough & describes some of the work & techniques needed to do so
She also introduces the ideas of anarchist archaeology, combatting capitalistic & colonialist aspects of archaeology
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She also introduces the ideas of anarchist archaeology, combatting capitalistic & colonialist aspects of archaeology
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The first step of zooarchaeology is identifying the species of the bone found (2)
Alex expected to find some domestic animals like cows & horses, often buried in specific funerary practices. She ended up also finding wild animals, sea birds & even extinct animals (3)
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Alex expected to find some domestic animals like cows & horses, often buried in specific funerary practices. She ended up also finding wild animals, sea birds & even extinct animals (3)
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Zooarchaeology can be meticulous. Previously, Alex analyzed tiny fish vertebrae under a scanning electron microscope to see if they were compressed, indicating digestion (4)
Seeing which fish were eaten gives useful info about the technology used at the time
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Seeing which fish were eaten gives useful info about the technology used at the time
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More abstract questions can be just as or even more interesting.
How important was the ocean to these people? Did they treat animals with reverence, maybe as community members, or just sustenance? Where do they keep the animals? (5)
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How important was the ocean to these people? Did they treat animals with reverence, maybe as community members, or just sustenance? Where do they keep the animals? (5)
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You’ll never get a complete answer to ethnographic questions about how humans treated animals in relationship to humans
But much can be learned from how animal remains are buried and how they have been butchered or prepared (looking at butchery & burn marks on bones) (6)
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But much can be learned from how animal remains are buried and how they have been butchered or prepared (looking at butchery & burn marks on bones) (6)
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Archaeology can’t and shouldn’t just be about the most powerful individuals of history. They were a very small fraction of people alive then
Daily practices such as the preparation & distribution of food can be as groundbreaking as tombs full of wealth (7)
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Daily practices such as the preparation & distribution of food can be as groundbreaking as tombs full of wealth (7)
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Archaeology has evolved from a goal of finding impressive items (8), yet this attitude is still scene in museums & curators
You’re much more likely to get funding if you’re excavating ancient riches than 7000 animal bone fragments even when these might be more informative (9)
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You’re much more likely to get funding if you’re excavating ancient riches than 7000 animal bone fragments even when these might be more informative (9)
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Repatriation of artifacts in museums like the British Museum has been a controversial topic. These artifacts often have violent histories of theft & exploitation that aren’t acknowledged.
Decolonization by returning artifacts to their sources is an important step (10)
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Decolonization by returning artifacts to their sources is an important step (10)
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Some museums are guilty of exoticizing & homogenizing other cultures through practices such as having one section for all of Africa.
Often the best way to display artifacts is in their original contexts with explanations from people in the relevant cultures (11)
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Often the best way to display artifacts is in their original contexts with explanations from people in the relevant cultures (11)
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Anarchist archaeology seeks to break down many problematic hierarchies, radically restructuring how funding & excavations happen
People must share their expertises. Not one person should be in charge of the interpretation of a site (12)
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People must share their expertises. Not one person should be in charge of the interpretation of a site (12)
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Even if they aren’t involved in it themselves, all people should understand how archaeology can help us understand our collective past & common humanity (13)
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Citations
1. The Arch & Anth Podcast, “Episode 6: How do we study zooarchaeology of Bronze Age Scotland?” https://archandanth.com/episode-6-interview-with-alex-fitzpatrick/
Tweet 1 Image: The Covesea Caves Project, “The Covesea Caves” https://coveseacavesproject.wordpress.com/the-covesea-caves/
1. The Arch & Anth Podcast, “Episode 6: How do we study zooarchaeology of Bronze Age Scotland?” https://archandanth.com/episode-6-interview-with-alex-fitzpatrick/
Tweet 1 Image: The Covesea Caves Project, “The Covesea Caves” https://coveseacavesproject.wordpress.com/the-covesea-caves/
2. Dibble, Flint, “The Neolithic Package: Animals and Plants” 6:20-8:00
3. Arch & Anth 6:00-7:00
4. Arch & Anth 13:00-15:00
5. Arch & Anth 18:00-22:00
6. Arch & Anth 4:00-7:00
3. Arch & Anth 6:00-7:00
4. Arch & Anth 13:00-15:00
5. Arch & Anth 18:00-22:00
6. Arch & Anth 4:00-7:00
7. Halstead, Paul, “What’s Ours is Mine? Village and Household in Early Farming Society in Greece pp. 19-26
8. Dibble, Flint, “ #Context and Why it Matters” https://twitter.com/FlintDibble/status/1163435944642588673 Tweet 2
9. Arch & Anth 29:00-33:00
10. Arch & Anth 34:00-40:00
11. Arch & Anth 40:00-49:00
8. Dibble, Flint, “ #Context and Why it Matters” https://twitter.com/FlintDibble/status/1163435944642588673 Tweet 2
9. Arch & Anth 29:00-33:00
10. Arch & Anth 34:00-40:00
11. Arch & Anth 40:00-49:00
12. Arch & Anth 49:00-54:00
13. Arch & Anth 54:00-56:00
13. Arch & Anth 54:00-56:00
