Ancient/Now - March 20th - The politics of archaeology
Or: the manipulation of the details of archaeological discoveries to benefit modern political agendas
The politics of archaeology
One of the most important takeaways that (we hope!) readers of Ancient/Now come away with is that interpreting, presenting, and preserving the past are innately political acts. (For just a couple of examples related to this theme, see our posts on American cultural heritage and historical landscape and white feminist claims of Nefertiti.) From the British empire to Hitler to the Taliban, archaeology and cultural heritage has been used to to further the political interests of power players on the world stage. Archaeology in particular can be (too) easily used and manipulated for political benefit, and this is especially true in situations involving national identity, war, and cultural patrimony. One need look no further than the conflict in Israel and Palestine for a current example. Georgia Xekalaki, an editor and social media director for an archaeology journal in Greece since 2009, recently wrote about her concerns regarding the way in which the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) is using its broad reach and polished, professional website to manipulate the world’s impressions of archaeology in Israel and Palestine. Xekalaki writes,
How can heritage work be manipulated to create impressions? How far can official archaeology reporting be from what is going on? Very far, indeed. Especially, when a war is going on where archaeological/ heritage activity takes place.
In the article Xekalaki cites the example of a social media post from the IAA about a discovery of an ancient Jewish workshop containing vessels used for purification—a many-years-old discovery that was posted as if it was new. One might give the benefit of the doubt and assume this to be a mistake, except Xekalaki found that the original publication date for the IAA’s webpage announcing this discovery had been removed to help disguise the actual date of the original news story. Investigating the IAA’s Facebook page further, she found that recent posts were filled with announcements of finds or accomplishments that were months or years old. By posting old news items as new news items, the IAA presumably wants to shore up public belief in Israel’s role as the only archaeological caretaker of the region and further justify its historical territorial claims. Conflict, nationalist interests, and propaganda go hand-in-hand, and while Xekalaki admits such propaganda must be expected from from any nation-state, Israel included, she expresses concern about the impression it gives the rest of the world during a time of extraordinary military aggression against Palestinian people:
The striking point is the reach of this propaganda out of the conflict zone and across the world. IAA’s web strategy makes thousands of people across the world with an interest in archaeology, yet little concern for the area, think that Israeli life (and research) goes on, no matter what. To the Western, post-colonial eye, IAA’s “achievements” make them more worth taking the area’s control, being different from the “derelict, disorganized” Palestinians.
While the IAA is eager to promote the impression of active archaeological discovery and conservation with the worldwide public, Xekalaki points out that reporting on the enormous destruction of archaeological and cultural heritage sites in Gaza is overlooked completely on their website and social media. This is the case not just with the IAA, but with many other vetted research institutes, universities, and official sources that one would typically look to for that kind of information. (Think about all of the stories we saw in the news from major news outlets about the destruction of archaeological sites in Iraq and Afghanistan—and now ask yourself how much you’ve seen in the mainstream news about the destruction of archaeological sites in Gaza, because let us tell you, there should be a whole lot.) This is yet another reminder that what we see in our news feeds is, in many ways, highly curated content supporting the status quo.
What is also certain is that public archaeology is not a group of topics to break the ice in a conversation. What is allowed to become viral is highly selected and promoted through sophisticated procedures that highlight certain aspects and hide others. And this is what makes archaeo-talking a highly political act.
Archaeology has never been simply a science-based practice of digging up and preserving evidence of our past. From the first moment someone decided to put spade into the earth to see what was there before, it set off an intense grappling match between the agendas of various stakeholders like archaeological experts, bureaucracies, private, public, and government institutions, wealthy patrons, local and indigenous communities, and the public at large. It has never been easier for powerful interest groups to promote their agendas while hiding any perspectives from less powerful stakeholders, so the next time you’re scanning the archaeological headlines, ask yourself: Where are they asking you to place your attention? And remember—when the street magician directs your eyes to his right hand, that means you should be watching his left.
Read more about the destruction of archaeological and cultural heritage sites in Gaza:
Living Archaeology in Gaza (forensicarhitecture.org)
Widescale destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza (Museums Association)
A requiem for Gaza's iconic sites, destroyed in the war (NPR)
What else were we reading this week?
Spanish archaeologists restore extraordinary 3,000-year-old Egyptian coffin
Hiker Finds 2,700-Year-Old Scarab Seal
Ancient Amorite Language Discovered
Experts Have Identified the Tombs Where Alexander the Great’s Family Are Buried
A 2,000-Year-Old Rune-Inscribed Knife Sheds Light on Denmark’s Past
Why the University of Chicago's Museum Changed Its Name - Biblical Archaeology Society
100 years later: Will Egypt repatriate Nefertiti's bust from Germany? | Al Mayadeen English
A Monumental Stone Plaza Found in Peru Is Older Than the Pyramids of Giza
Wasabi Isn’t Just For Sushi: It is an Innovative Solution for Preserving Ancient Papyrus
Secrets In Our Teeth Could Solve Archaeological Mysteries
One more thing…
Normally I’d say that we are moving backwards but honestly, archaeology has always been funded or driven by entities or institutions with certain agendas (proving Biblical or Classical events, filling the vaults of museums, etc.). It is a shame but in history, Mussolini used it to prove the travels of Aeneas throughout the Italian mainland (according to Virgil). Hitler used it to rewrite history. Archaeology continues to be a vehicle for political purpose.