Beyond Human Proportions: Archaeology of the Mega and the Nano

It used to be the case that archaeological features and artifacts were principally on a human scale. But that familiar world is changing fast. As archaeology extends its range of focus further forward in time its subject matter is moving beyond human proportions. Developments in macro- and micro-engineering mean that artifacts are no longer limited in size by physical limitations of the body. As scale and impact of material culture extends outwards and inwards in both macroscopic and microscopic directions, the perspectives of contemporary archaeology must change in order to keep track.     

Googling the Grey: Open Data,Web Services,and Semantics

Primary data, though an essential resource for supporting authoritative archaeological narratives, rarely enters the public record. Lack of primary data publication is also a major obstacle to cultural heritage preservation and the goals of cultural resource management (CRM). Moreover, access to primary data is key to contesting claims about the past and to the formulation of credible alternative interpretations. In response to these concerns, experimental systems have implemented a variety of strategies to support online publication of primary data. Online data dissemination can be a powerful tool to meet the needs of CRM professionals, establish better communication and collaborative ties with colleagues in academic settings, and encourage public engagement with the documented record of the past. This paper introduces the ArchaeoML standard and its implementation in the Open Context system. As will be discussed, the integration and online dissemination of primary data offer great opportunities for making archaeological knowledge creation more participatory and transparent. However, different strategies in this area involve important trade-offs, and all face complex conceptual, ethical, legal, and professional challenges.     

Guaranteeing the Protection of Submerged Archaeological Sites Regardless of their Location: The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001)

The UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage represents a significant move forward in the global protection and management of underwater cultural heritage. This paper reviews the Convention’s most basic tenets, such as in situ preservation, refusing commercial recovery, encouraging the cooperation of States also beyond territorial waters, and the creation of international standards for underwater archaeology. It also discusses the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body and highlights the Convention’s current status as an important tool to preserve and protect an international maritime heritage.     

Local Resources,Global Heritage: An Introduction to the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage

On January 2, 2009, the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage entered into force, setting an international precedent for the protection and preservation of underwater archaeological resources and providing guidelines for site management and responsible investigation. Historically, submerged cultural resources, particularly shipwrecks, have been exploited primarily for their potential monetary value. Over the last 50 years archaeologists have challenged this perception, demonstrating the cultural and scientific value of submerged cultural resources.     

Dutch Involvement in Asian Underwater Cultural Heritage Management: Building Upon Old Connections

Europe and Asia have a long-term maritime relationship with each other, not always to the benefit of both. However, this intensive connection has led to an outstanding heritage that is still present in many of the former colonies. These relics from the past are parts of both European and Asian history. But what we usually share is the object and not the view: the past has many different faces. The Netherlands tries to be involved in the protection and management of her heritage overseas. Being aware of the political implications this can have, it focuses on a shared responsibility, on capacity building and on sharing data and information between the partner countries. Among other tools being developed is the creation of a platform for data and information exchange, that on a political level has established a common cultural heritage policy framework.     

Shopping with Karl: Commodity Fetishism and the Materiality of Marx’s London

Scholars have postulated that commodity fetishism represents Marx’s theory of capitalist materiality, but the content of that theory is contested. I offer an archaeology of Marx’s material world in order to understand the development of the concept. During his time in London, Marx wrote and published Capital: A Critique of Political Economy (1867), in which he outlined the concept of commodity fetishism. I demonstrate that he formed his analysis of commodity fetishism from daily practices including shopping, and consuming tobacco, in combination with his research at the British Museum. I take an experiential approach to archaeology that foregrounds Marx living in a world of objects, and posit a relationship between his experiences and his understanding of commodities. In so doing, I show how Marx’s “everyday life” shaped his concept of commodity fetishism, and how this concept could be useful to historical archaeologists.     

An Academic Perspective on Grey Literature

This article presents an academic’s perspective on grey literature, providing the viewpoint from someone who has experience publishing in both academic and grey literature venues. I explore the strengths and weaknesses of grey literature and argue that more rigorous quality control, increased access to this literature, and more scholarly cooperation are necessary in order for grey literature to become accepted as a legitimate published form.     

Remarks on Early Iron Age Burial Sites from Southern Cameroon

For the first time, graves dating to the Early Iron Age between 2000 BP and 1700 BP have been discovered in the southern Cameroonian rain forest. The features in question, from the sites of Akonétye and Campo, were almost identically furnished with iron objects and ceramic pots. Other features with more or less corresponding finds have been discovered at Mouanko–Lobethal, Mouanko–Epolo, Kribi–Mpoengu, and Yaoundé–Obobogo. The spatial distribution of these sites and their near synchronous dating suggest that a particular burial rite was practiced over a considerable area of southern Cameroon during the Early Iron Age.     

State Formation in Southern Africa: A Reply to Kim and Kusimba

Kim and Kusimba misunderstand the archaeological data pertaining to K2, Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe because they rely on secondary sources. Before these capitals can be categorized according to definitions of early states elsewhere, they need to be interpreted in their own terms. Ultimately, Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe are no less complex because they differ from early states in Asia or Middle America.     

Towards a Socialised Archaeology of Ceramics in Great Lakes Africa

This paper presents results of recent research in Kenya and Uganda on ceramics from the first and early to mid second millennia ad. Whereas previous research has tended to emphasise the role of ceramics as chronological tools, or as an index of past ethno-linguistic identity, this paper will emphasise the role of ceramics as functioning tools. Combining archive and published data with new results from fieldwork, the evidence presented here demonstrates continuity of settlement in the Victoria Nyanza region between first millennium Urewe users and second millennium Transitional Urewe and Entebbe ceramics, and the emergence of specialist lacustrine communities. The changing nature of ceramics over this time span is compared with evidence from historical linguistics to suggest a shift in social authority from the family home to the wider community in the second millennium, and the growing influence of economic wealth or individual leadership.