Finding Inspiration through Engagement
Articles
The ArchaeologistsEngage project publishes two article streams; The House Archaeologist and The Ivory Tower. These promote the direct communication of archaeological and heritage activities and research amongst those involved in these field as well as to the general public.
The House Archaeologist
This page provides a platform to support communication between archaeologists and the wider public audience. The format is a series of articles that can be searched by category of content. On the House Archaeologist, you will find articles from all over the world about archaeological research results, information about interesting sites, aspects of archaeology and heritage, as well as the experiences of professionals working in these areas. The content aims to be as current as possible, to give the audience an insight into 'behind the scenes' archaeology and to 'connect' with people from the past. All articles on the House Archaeologist are written by archaeologists or heritage professionals.
The Ivory Tower
This page addresses topics that concern the dynamics between audience and professional. It was created to inform and inspire archaeologists to undertake public engagement in their professional capacity. The Ivory Tower includes articles from both within and outside of the profession, to provide a multifaceted view of community engagement.
Contribute an Article
We encourage discussion about the dynamics between archaeology and the public. Please consider contributing an article to one of our pages if you would like to share your own experience as a professional or a member of the general public. The House Archaeologist is written exclusively by archaeologists, but The Ivory Tower is open to anyone who can provide motivational insights to archaeologists and our practice. The comment fields are open to everyone, but are moderated prior to publishing.
Contact us at engage@archaeologists-engage.org with a short synopsis of what you would like to contribute and a sentence about who you are and where you are from.
How will you be Engaging?!
Why not try your hand at a form of virtual engagement? Below are some examples of recent engagement formats shared by a couple of our Archaeologists. These are really informative and also a bit of fun!
Back Garden Archaeology Test Pit Dig 2020 with Donal Lucey
During the summer three archaeologists in need of adventure decide to dig an archaeological test pit excavation in their back garden, to see what archaeology they could find!
Let us know what you enjoy about the video, and archaeological topics you would like to see videos about next! Twitter @Donal_Lucey or @ArchsEngage
Click this link,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfbFQq5YNgU&feature=youtu.be or the image below.
15 Questions with an Archaeologist - in which our very own Emily Wapshott was interviewed by the Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC, part of the USA National Park Service) for their interesting and thought-provoking series. Click this link https://youtu.be/1BniesMJtg8, or the image below.
Tuesday June 2nd 2020 was a day of solidarity around the world.
We at Archaeologists Engage are aware that we must not show allyship on just one day, there must be a commitment in the international heritage sector, which facilitates access to the interpretation of history to do more. Yesterday we posted a statement about what we believed we could do to be better in our field of archaeology and cultural heritage. We wanted to share this on a more permanent platform with you all, as something of a mission statement.
As archaeologists and cultural heritage professionals we have a particular opportunity to bring about change in the narrative. We work internationally, across the world, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary. We can help stop discrimination.
What can we do?
We can ensure diversity in our research institutions.
We can ensure diverse excavation teams.
We can be inclusive of community groups and indigenous communities when planning projects.
We can amplify the voices of local archaeologists.
We can counter misinformation.
We can ENGAGE more with our communities.
We can acknowledge the politicisation of our work.
We can become involved in education programmes.
We can highlight and work with charities to provide access to heritage and about heritage to minority or disadvantaged communities.
We can highlight misinterpretation in past work.
We can call out problems.
We can tell the stories that need telling.
We can empower individuals.
We can empower communities.
As educators, researchers, institutions, cultural centres, community activists, volunteers, professionals.....
We can do more! We can make discrimination out of date!
#makediscriminationoutofdate
Events
A Heritage Walk through 1780s European Calcutta with an Archaeologist!
ArchaeologistsEngage proudly hosted our first event in Kolkata, India, on the weekend of 7th and 8th of November, 2015..
The event took the form of cultural walks in a colonial heritage landscape, and was led by archaeologists Tathagata Neogi and Chelsea McGill.
Tathagata and Chelsea provided an opportunity for members of the public to explore the streets and hear stories of a fledgling European Calcutta between 1757 and 1807- a period when Calcutta emerged as the centre of British administration in Asia.
They retraced the steps of Lt. Col. Markwood, who drew the first detailed map of the English East India Company's settlement in Calcutta in 1784. Several streets, buildings and other features of the landscape that Markwood's map depict still survive. The Kolkata heritage walk, enabled by SeekSherpa, explored the environment, people and events of this early period in Calcutta’s history.
Great Torrington - Round the Square, Music and Art Festival 16-18th June 2017
Emily Wapshott gave a public presentation entitled 'The Town below Your Feet: Engaging with the archaeology of Torrington' on the morning of 17th June, followed by a guided walk around Torrington (Torrington in Five Buildings) to explore the built heritage of this north Devon town.
Heritage Walk Calcutta in collaboration with Made in Bengal and ArchaeologistsEngage hosted a GoUNESCO event. Make Heritage Fun: A Heritage Walk for Hearing-Impaired Children took place on 27th March 2017. Read about the event here.
