methodology

How is it possible that if you go into an arts museum, the ceramics you see may be made yesterday and may be a valued and legitimate part of the museum collection, while in open-air museums, a similar object may be produced by a master craftsperson yesterday, yet is not called authentic? Are we blinded by historical-archaeological authenticity?...

Archaeology benefits from the integrated approaches generated from experimental archaeology and tacit learning because they afford a deeper exploration of our interpretations of the archaeological record. Though these benefits are generally supported by the discipline at large, experimental and experiential studies tend to remain interesting rather than influential. Introducing pedagogical practices which use these...

11th EAC Trento 2019
***In the late 5th century AD, the famous Ostrogoth Theoderic the Great received a truly regal gift from the king of the Warini: he was given highly elaborated swords, richly decorated and able to cut through armour. Their fullers (long grooves along the flat side of the blade to reduce weight and to gain stability...

11th EAC Trento 2019
***The aim of this experimental work was to catch a glimpse of the pottery chaîne opératoire, particularly linked to the surfaces treatments applied, in order to better understand what type of traces they could leave on pots and how they could differently affect the use of final products...

History is a record of past events, activities, situations, and processes. As a subject, it helps students in understanding not only who they are and where they came from, but it also offers them an opportunity to make informed decisions about present issues and future developments. History also teaches responsible citizenship, and develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills...

2018 EXARC in Kernave
***The traditional way of engaging the public with the past has changed: now, through experimental archaeology, we can have a direct, physical contact with the “past”. But, as researchers know, the means used to engage the public are the fruits of an active process of investigation, especially in experimental archaeology...

In two surveys, several people working with experimental archaeology explained what they believe is experimental archaeology. They also described their activities. We asked universities, societies, freelancers and museums. Several adjacent activities are discussed, like archaeotechnique, making reconstructions and life experiments. After some confusing and clarifying examples, the future of ...

On 9 March 2017, Peter Kelterborn, Swiss civil engineer and experimental archaeologist closed his eyes for good at the age of 89. He was known to many of his colleagues through his well-researched works on prehistorical flint and rock technology, but also from his methodological scientific experiments in archaeology. Many cherished him as a modest and thoughtful colleague, friend and counsellor...

Because of the anisotropy of wood, trunks and branches can be vulnerable to splitting along the grain, especially radially. This fact was widely exploited in pre-industrial times, when wood was mostly cut and shaped by splitting it along the grain while still green, rather than by sawing...

This is an extract from a lengthy and lively Facebook discussion in the Experimental Archaeology group, illustrating the main points as it took place between 16 August 2014 and 22 August 2014. The full discussion can be found at: www.facebook.com/groups/experimentalarchaeology