Open AccessBetween Rationalism and Romanticism - Archaeological Heritage Management in the 1990s
Author(s) -
Kristian Kristiansen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
current swedish archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2002-3901
pISSN - 1102-7355
DOI - 10.37718/csa.1998.09
Subject(s) - cultural heritage , situated , cultural heritage management , ideology , archaeological theory , politics , identity (music) , archaeology , environmental ethics , history , sociology , aesthetics , political science , art , philosophy , law , artificial intelligence , computer science
In this article it is argued that "heritage" both as a theoretical concept and a practice, is central to defining archaeology's role in society. Greater critical attention should therefore be given to this arena of archaeological practice on the part of theoretical archaeology and the heritage administration itself. Since archaeological heritage management is situated between interests in the present, these have to be defined as a first step. Three basic concepts and their role in shaping the development of archaeological heritage management are briefly analysed: the cultural environment, the cultural biography and cultural identity. It is argued that they are part of a development towards a more holistic perception and ideological use of the cultural heritage. This invites political manipulation. To avoid this, certain universal objectives in combination with ethical guidelines are suggested.