The Subcarpathian Museum of Krosno and its branch, the Carpathian Troy Archaeological Open-Air Museum at Trzcinica, Poland, are organising an International Conference entitled “Open-Air Archaeological Museums: Reconstruction and Reenactment – Reality or Fiction?” which will be held on 18 and 19 October this year.
The aim of the Conference is to present and discuss a variety of issues connected with the construction and operation of Archaeological Open-Air Museums, especially as regards the reconstruction of prehistoric and early medieval structures, and to draw conclusions from the opinions our participants will present.
In the past few decades we have witnessed a dramatic growth in the number of archaeological open-air museums in Europe as well as the reenactment movement associated with them. Not only have a lot of new institutions of this type been founded, but we have also had a set of standards compiled for the way they should be built. This building boom has arisen in response to the growing interest in learning about human’s earliest history in a new and different way from what traditional indoor archaeological museums can offer.
Its success however is accompanied by a series of dangers, such as the fact that the concept of “an open-air archaeological museum” is based on the archaeological research conducted as well as the solutions determined by experimental archaeology.
We are aware that we are not able to reconstruct a full picture of the culture of prehistoric and early historical societies on the basis of archaeological research, and yet the creators of outdoor museums strive to make them as comprehensive as possible for the visitors.
So the following question arises – is the vision of history presented to the general public in an open-air museum reality or fiction? Is it true to life, or is it a fantasy created on the basis of a projection back into the past of what we know about contemporary societies as described by ethnography, or perhaps a materialisation of the stereotypes we have of prehistoric peoples?
The Carpathian Troy Archaeological Open-Air Museum at Trzcinica, the venue for the Conference, is situated near Jasło in the Voivodeship of Sub-Carpathia in southeastern Poland. It is an exceptional place on the archaeological map of Central Europe. The excavations conducted in the area, on the site of a monumental hillfort, have shown that there were strongholds here in the Bronze Age (2100 – 1350 BC) and in the Early Middle Ages (780 – 1030 AD). The earlier phase is associated with settlement by Epi-Corded Ware and Otomani-Füzesabony people, and the younger phase with the tribal and early statehood periods.
In 2011 an Archaeological Open-Air Museum was established here to protect and promote the unique discoveries made on this site, and straightaway it became an important point on the map of Archaeological Open-Air Museums in Central Europe. The conference is being organized by the Subcarpathian Museum in Krosno, which manages the Archaeological Open-Air Museum in Trzcinica. We have built up a reputation over many years for our conferences on Carpathian archaeology and history.
We hope that this conference will also provide an opportunity to meet for all people interested in the outdoor museum movement, reconstruction, and experimental archaeology
Information on conditions for participation in the Conference and the application form are available on our website.
If you are professionally involved in Archaeological Open-Air Museums and prehistoric or early medieval reconstruction or reenactment, we look forward to seeing you at our Conference in Trzcinica.
Program
18th October 2018
9:00 Opening speech – Jan Gancarski, Director of The Subcarpathian Museum in Krosno
FIRST SESSION 9:00 – 14:00
Host Prof. dr hab. Tomasz Polański
9:20 Prof. dr hab. Paweł Valde-Nowak The Stone Age at the foot of the Tatra Mountains – Obłazowa Archaeological Park. Jagiellonian University, Institute of Archaeology. Kraków
9:50 Dr Krzysztof Tunia Reconstructions of megalithic tombs. Theory and practice. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archeology and Ethnology, Kraków
10:20 Dott.ssa Cristiana Zanasi, MA Alessia Pelillo Evocative or educational? The case of the Archaeological Park and Open-Air Museum of Terramara Montale. Terramara Park of Montale and Archaeological Ethnological Museum of Modena
10:50 PhDr. Ladislav Olexa Nižna Myšla – Archaeological Open-Air Museum. Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice
11:20 Coffee break
11:35 PhDr. Víťazoslav Struhár Living Archaeology in Liptov region (Northern Slovakia). ArcheológiaSK s.r.o, Ružomberok
12:05 Mgr Armand Zyzman, Mgr Agata Kunicka-Zyzman Problems in interpretations of the reconstruction of Bronze Age buildings on the example of the experimental settlement in Wola Radziszowska. Kraków
12:35 PhDr. Mária Kotorová Archaeological Park Live Archaeology in Hanušovce nad Topľou – the place of experiment, cognition and fun. Tripolitana – Regional Museum in Prešov
13:05 Dr Andrzej Przychodni Show must go on. Subjective reflections on the reconstruction of everyday life of ancient iron smelters in the Świętokrzyskie region, Central Poland. Antiqutas, Kielce
13:35 Discussion
14:00 Lunch Break
SECOND SESSION 15.00 – 20.15
Host Dr Janusz Budziszewski
15:00 Mgr Jan Gancarski, Dr Paweł Madej The reasons for building of the Carpathian Troy Archaeological Open-Air Museum in Trzcinica. Basis for reconstruction. The Subcarpathian Museum in Krosno, The Carpathian Troy Archaeological Open-Air Museum in Trzcinica
15:30 Roeland Paardekooper PhD What is the past you feel comfortable with? Archaeological Open-Air Museums and their role in modern society. EXARC
16:00 Lara Comis MA, PhD candidate Experimental Archaeology and research in European AOAMs. A survey on best practices: preliminary results. UCD School of Archaeology, Dublin
16:30 Mgr Agata Byszewska The image of the past. Standards of reconstruction and presentation of archaeological heritage from the perspective of archaeological heritage management. National Heritage Board of Poland, Warszawa
17:00 Coffee break
17:15 Dr Grzegorz Chomicki, Krzysztof Chomicki The educational value of the movement of historical reconstruction and reenactment in archaeological open-air museums. Between enthusiasm and scepticism. Jagiellonian University, Institute of History, Kraków
17:45 Dr Kamila Baraniecka-Olszewska Neither Reality nor Fiction. On the practice of authenticity in historical reenactment. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archeology and Ethnology, Warszawa
18:15 Dr hab. Aldona Mueller-Bieniek, Dr hab. Maria Lityńska-Zając Prof. PAN Archaeobotany as a source of information about past economy and landscape – possibilities and limitations. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Kraków; Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archeology and Ethnology, Kraków
18:45 Dr Magdalena Moskal-del Hoyo, Dr hab. Maria Lityńska-Zając Prof. PAN, Wood resource use - tracking prehistoric human activity and reconstructing woodland vegetation. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Kraków; Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archeology and Ethnology, Kraków
19:15 Dr Jarosław Wilczyński Faunal remains in archaeological context and their usefulness in animal husbandry reconstruction. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Kraków
19:45 Discussion, Conference summary
20:15 Dinner
19th October 2018
10:00 Sightseeing tour of The Carpathian Troy Archaeological Open-Air Museum
12:00 Fire-making Workshop, Archery Workshop
13:30 Lunch
14:30 Trip to The Subcarpathian Museum in Krosno
