Heritage spectacles

The case of Amphipolis excavations during the Greek economic crisis

Bibliographic Data

ID5700908
AuthorsKalliopi Fouseki (0000-0001-6627-167X, UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage, University College London, London, UK, corresponding author), Mina Dragouni (0000-0003-0251-9968, UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage, University College London, London, UK)
Year2017
Volume23
Issue8
Pages742-758
Publication date2017-09-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Heritage Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1352-7258 • E-ISSN: 1470-3610
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13527258.2017.1321573
OpenAlexW2609994250
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited49

This article explores the ways in which the archaeological excavations at Amphipolis, Northern Greece, were transformed into a ‘heritage spectacle’ during the summer of 2014. The article argues that the spectacularisation of Amphipolis excavations constituted a powerful, political medium for dis-orientating the wider Greek public from issues related to the severe economic crisis of the country. Although the practice of heritage spectacularisation is not new, the media spectacle of Amphipolis introduced an advanced mechanism for spectacularizing archaeological research and the past. The article deconstructs this mechanism through a thematic content analysis of about 100 newspaper articles published in the Greek press, filtered through the lenses of spectacle theory. As it is demonstrated, the spectacularisation process of Amphipolis excavations is embodied by emotive dramatisation, banal cultural symbols, escapism and power imbalances. The article concludes with an interpretive framework for heritage spectacles while highlighting ethical and practical implications regarding the role of archaeologists and heritage practitioners towards political ‘abuse’ of heritage in times of socio-economic and political crises

Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Cultural heritage · Emotive · Political science · Politics · Situationism · Sociology · Spectacle · Anthropology · Archaeological Research and Protection · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History · Law · Nostalgia and Consumer Behavior

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access