Ancient Muses

by Jameson, John H.; Ehrenhard, John E.; Finn, Christine

• ISBN13: 9780817312749
• ISBN10: 0817312749
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: Univ of Alabama Pr

Summary

Known widely in Europe as "interpretive narrative archaeology," the practice of using creative methods to interpret and present current knowledge of the past is gaining popularity in North America. This book is the first compilation of international case studies of the various artistic methods used in this new form of educationone that makes archaeology "come alive" for the nonprofessional. Plays, opera, visual art, stories, poetry, performance dance, music, sculpture, digital imageryall can effectively communicate archaeological processes and cultural values to public audiences. The 23 contributors to this volume are a diverse group of archaeologists, educators, and artisans who have direct experience in schools, museums, and at archaeological sites. Citing specific examples, such as the film The English Patient, science fiction mysteries, and hypertext environments, they explain how creative imagination and the power of visual and audio media can personalize, contextualize, and demystify the research process. A 16-page color section illuminates their examples, and an accompanying CD includes relevant videos, music, web sites, and additional color images. In their Introduction, the editors invoke the ancient muses to inspire the modern presenters and interpreters of archaeological research. They aptly quote George Santayana, from his poem "The Power of Art": ". . . may our hands immortalize the day When life was sweet, and save from utter death The sacred past that should not pass away." John H. Jameson Jr.is an archaeologist and John E. Ehrenhardis Director at the National Park Service's Southeast Archeological Center in Tallahassee, Florida. Christine A. Finnis research associate at the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Oxford in England.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	ix
List of Plates	xi
Introduction: Archaeology as Inspiration---Invoking the Ancient Muses	1	(5)
John H. Jameson, Jr.
John E. Ehrenhard
Christine A. Finn
Why We Were Drawn to This Topic from the Contributors	6	(9)
More Than Just ``Telling the Story'': Interpretive Narrative Archaeology	15	(10)
John P. McCarthy
The Archaeologist as Playwright	25	(15)
James G. Gibb
Archaeology Goes to the Opera	40	(9)
John E. Ehrenhard
Mary R. Bullard
Archaeology in Two Dimensions: The Artist's Perspective	49	(8)
Martin Pate
Art and Imagery as Tools for Public Interpretation and Education in Archaeology	57	(8)
John H. Jameson, Jr.
Archaeology as a Compelling Story: The Art of Writing Popular Histories	65	(7)
Sharyn Kane
Richard Keeton
Poetry and Archaeology: The Transformative Process	72	(10)
Christine A. Finn
Reflections on the Design of a Public Art Sculpture for the Westin Hotel, Palo Alto, California	82	(2)
David Middlebrook
Pompeii: A Site for All Seasons	84	(8)
David G. Orr
Evoking Time and Place in Reconstruction and Display: The Case of Celtic Identity and Iron Age Art	92	(17)
Harold Mytum
Art and Archaeology: Conflict and Interpretation in a Museum Setting	109	(11)
Michael J. Williams
Margaret A. Heath
The Archaeology of Music and Performance in the Prehistoric American Southwest	120	(8)
Emily Donald
Archaeology's Influence on Contemporary Native American Art: Perspectives from a Monster	128	(8)
Lance M. Foster
From Rock Art to Digital Image: Archaeology and Art in Aboriginal Australia	136	(16)
Claire Smith
Kirsten Brett
Archaeology in Science Fiction and Mysteries	152	(10)
David G. Anderson
RKLOG: Archaeologists as Fiction Writers	162	(7)
Sarah M. Nelson
Capturing the Wanderer: Nomads and Archaeology in the Filming of The English Patient	169	(10)
Christine A. Finn
Is Archaeology Fiction? Some Thoughts about Experimental Ways of Communicating Archaeological Processes to the ``External World''	179	(14)
Nicola Laneri
Crafting Cosmos, Telling Sister Stories, and Exploring Archaeological Knowledge Graphically in Hypertext Environments	193	(12)
Jeanne Lopiparo
Rosemary A. Joyce
References Cited	205	(26)
Contributor Affiliations and Contact Information	231	(2)
About the Editors	233	(2)
Index	235