WAC Sponsored Session

Archaeology in Europe: Global or Parochial?
Arek Marciniak and Claire Smith

This session will focus on the tension between archaeology in Europe as a national, or even parochial, concern; archaeology in Europe as a European concern; and the impact of globalisation. Archaeology in Europe is composed of a number of distinct national schools, each of which is characterised by different trajectories. However, archaeological practice and archaeological heritage management and protection need to go beyond the national level at which it has been practised far too long. The developments over the last years, both in old and new EU member states and countries beyond EU are marked by internationalising and standardising, especially apparent in archaeological heritage management. It is manifested by adoption of international standards and regulations such as e.g. the Malta Convention as well as emergence of European institutions dealing with these issues such as Europae Archaeologiae Consilium. This session will scrutinise some of the differences and similarities that exist in European archaeology today along two axes:

• National archaeologies vs. European integration.
• European archaeology vs. world issues.

Within this framework, this session will discuss the most pertinent issues in European archaeology today. It will focus on legislative framework governing archaeological work in subsequent countries and its relations to the European legal regulations, decision making process, maintenance of preserved archaeological heritage, and implementation of international regulations at the national level or public presentation of archaeological resources. It also aims to identify major ethical concerns in Europe, including the notion of a living heritage, in comparison to approaches to these issues in other parts of the world. Further issues that will be debated include major funding policy, large scale investments, contract archaeology, commercialisation of archaeology as well as systems of documentation, site recording, analysis, and standards of good practice within Europe and elsewhere.