Archaeological knowledge production

Reading Mortuary Reconstructions

Bibliographic Data

ID3780860
AuthorsMelanie Moen (0000-0001-6922-8247, University of Oslo, corresponding author), Neil Price (Uppsala University), Unn Pedersen (0000-0002-4855-901X, University of Oslo)
Year2023
Volume97
Issue391
Pages231-240
Publication date2023-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAntiquity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-598X • E-ISSN: 1745-1744
PublisherAntiquity Publications (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.15184/aqy.2022.166
OpenAlexW4312124392
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited14

Research on archaeological knowledge production emphasises the contingent nature of understandings of the past. In practice, however, levels of uncertainty and conjecture can easily become less than obvious in interpretations, perhaps especially visual ones. The authors interrogate multiple textual and visual accounts of a Viking-Age burial to demonstrate how selection processes-what to portray or omit-highlight the contextual nature of the knowledge claims in these images. Arguing that the circulation of reconstructions shorn of textual nuance leads to misperceptions, the authors call for transparency in the creation of these images. Rather than definitive depictions of archaeological fact, these reconstructions offer tools for archaeologists and the public to think with

Archaeology · Knowledge production · Linguistics · Reading (process) · Selection (genetic algorithm) · Transparency (behavior) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Historical and Archaeological Studies · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies · History · Philosophy

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