Open AccessDroping the Trowel: Three Discourses and One Creative Archaeology
Author(s) -
José Antonio Mármol Martínez
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ap
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.142
H-Index - 2
ISSN - 2171-6315
DOI - 10.23914/ap.v6i0.132
Subject(s) - materiality (auditing) , archaeology , temporalities , historical archaeology , narrative , post medieval archaeology , material culture , pottery , prehistoric archaeology , history , visual arts , art , aesthetics , literature , prehistory , political science , law
Archaeology offers insight into the values of the contemporary world. From three separate discourses, which address different temporalities and sites, an overarching archaeological narrative has been established, which reflects the role of art and heritage in artistic destruction; education and archaeology as an educational and social tool; and materiality (in the present case, the Chinese pottery sherds in Al-Andalus) in the interpretations and acts of archaeologists. The visual values of archaeology and the role of the archaeological imagination to unify disparate archaeological practices will be explored here. The permeability of the spheres of archaeology and art allow us to explore both archaeological and artistic practices, as well as reflect on universal convictions and on the potentiality of archaeological practice to intervene in social contexts. With all this, archaeology acquires relevance insofar as it is a practice that is able to address the problems of the present day. In line with the so-called ‘creative archaeologies’, with their experimentation and creation of artistic works (in this case photographic), this paper aims to reflect on new ways to ‘see’ archaeology, which has never been more necessary.