I have been meaning to write a proper blog post about my frustrations regarding some of the discourse within archaeology around making amends for the discipline’s contributions to oppression and violence – in fact, this post has probably been sat unfinished in my drafts for a few years now. But these frustrations have certainly reached a boiling point over the past few months as I’ve watched major organisations and societies that seemingly represent the field remain silent in the face of the genocide of Palestinians.
Others have already written more eloquently than I ever could about why archaeologists in particular have a responsibility to speak out for Palestine (e.g., Emmott 2023, Blouin 2024, Leathem 2024, Sills 2024), so I won’t reiterate what has already been said. Instead, I want to think about why there seems to be such a silence from archaeologists as a whole, not just about Palestine but also in discussing the ways in which archaeology continues to enact harm against others. More specifically, I have been frustrated with what feels to be a widespread lack of interest in actually examining how the discipline’s historic contributions to colonialism and white supremacy are still fundamental to contemporary archaeology and are still causing harm today, particularly to marginalised people both inside and outside of the discipline.
Archaeologists as a whole are seemingly not afraid to call out the past sins of the discipline, with the popularisation of “decolonisation” (both accurately and performatively utilised) within academic circles leading to a more concentrated effort of archaeologists to critically re-examine the discipline and its historic roots. And there has also been increased movement to actually identify and address the lack of diversity and inclusivity in contemporary archaeological practice. But the conversation seems to get quieter when it comes to thinking about archaeology as an agent of violence in the present tense – and here I am not speaking about pseudoarchaeology undertaken by people who are, more often than not, from outside of the discipline (although pseudoarchaeologists are indeed causing much harm through their work). No, I want to specifically talk about contributions to harm by archaeology and archaeologists.
I often feel as though archaeologists want to view the most egregious forms of harm perpetuated by the discipline lie in the past, and that while archaeology has much to do as far as become more inclusive and accessible, it is otherwise “not as bad”. There is a sense that perhaps we as practitioners of archaeology can avoid complicity in the worst elements of the field through maintaining temporal distance in this matter – allowing us to disavow and condemn archaeological violence from afar, confining it to the past. Even in discourse around “decolonising archaeology”, there is a habit by some of referring to archaeological harm in the past tense, with decolonial actions as a means of making amends for historic violence (of which I am guilty of as well, to be honest).
But the truth is that we cannot confine the harms of archaeology in the past. The violent ideologies and practices that archaeology helped develop and legitimise are still here, still inflicting harm. The eugenics and racial theory that archaeological thought has historically contributed to (Challis 2016) cannot be separated from how it manifests in the continued justification for racism. The legitimisation that archaeology has given to looting and theft during colonialism (Stahn 2023, pp. 39-40) continues in the proliferation of paternalistic attitudes by museums towards demands for repatriation and sovereignty over stolen artefacts and human remains. And the weaponisation of archaeology and cultural heritage to justify mass violence (including the continuation of settler colonialism, apartheid, and genocide) has not be confined to the history books – it is happening right now.
Of course, it should be clarified that while silence is arguably widespread (particularly among organisations and societies representing the field), individual archaeologists themselves have been speaking out and making the crucial connections between the past and present (e.g., Schneider and Hayes 2020, Brunache et al. 2021, Flewellen et al. 2021, Hartemann 2022). These archaeologists are often – and perhaps unsurprisingly – from underrepresented and marginalised communities themselves who unfortunately have the lived experiences that make finding the connections between past and present harms by the discipline much more apparent. But archaeology is still a discipline made predominately of, and prioritises the voices of, white, cishet people (Heath-Stout 2020), particularly those from the imperial core – while that remains the case, the silence will likely remain.
As negative as this entire post has been, I’d like to be proven wrong. I’d really like to see more archaeologists – particularly those who have the privilege and power – to speak out against not just the past harms of our field, but the present ones as well. But unfortunately, the continued silence of the broader discipline in the face of genocide appears to reiterate that archaeologists are not ready – or perhaps not willing – to accept that archaeology’s role in colonialism and oppression is not just confined to the past, but continues today. To remain silent is to remain complicit – but archaeologists can speak up and make the decision to actively do something about the harms our field perpetuates, rather than pretend it does not exist.
There is always a choice to break the silence. Today is just as good as any day to start.
Please Consider Donating to the Funds Below to Support Palestinians
Operation Olive Branch – Amplifying and supporting individual aid requests of Palestinian families
Crips for eSims for Gaza – Campaign led by disabled people to fund eSims for those in Gaza
Medical Aid for Palestinians – Organisation providing medical aid on the ground
References
Blouin, K. (2024). Palestine: Classics and Archaeology’s Litmus Test. Isis Naucratis. Retrieved from https://isisnaucratis.medium.com/palestine-classics-and-archaeologys-litmus-test-120ed54ecf7b
Brunache, P. et al. (2021). Contemporary Archaeology and Anti-Racism: A Manifesto from the European Society of Black and Allied Archaeologists, European Journal of Archaeology, 24(3), pp. 294–298.
Challis, D. (2016). Skull Triangles: Flinders Petrie, Race Theory and Biometrics. Bulletin of the History of Archaeology, 26(1): 5, pp. 1–8.
Emmott, C. (2023). Palestine: Why Archaeology is Complicit in Imperialism. Chloe Emmott. Retrieved from https://chloeemmott.uk/2023/10/17/palestine-why-archaeology-is-complicit-in-imperialism/
Flewellen, A.O. et al. (2021). “The Future of Archaeology Is Antiracist”: Archaeology in the Time of Black Lives Matter, American Antiquity, 86(2), pp. 224–243.
Hartemann, G.O. (2022). Unearthing Colonial Violence: Griotic Archaeology and Community-Engagement in Guiana. International Journal of Historical Archaeology , 26, pp. 79-117.
Heath-Stout, L.E. (2020). Who Writes about Archaeology? An Intersectional Study of Authorship in Archaeological Journals, American Antiquity, 85(3), pp. 407–426.
Leathem, H.M. (2024). Why archaeologists must speak up for Gaza. Al Jazeera. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/3/25/why-archaeologists-must-speak-up-for-gaza
Schneider, T.D., & Hayes, K. (2020). Epistemic Colonialism: Is it Possible to Decolonize Archaeology? The American Indian Quarterly, 44(2), pp. 127-148.
Sills, A. (2024). What is the Fucking Point? Ancient Alexandra. Retrieved from https://ancientalexandra.weebly.com/blog/what-is-the-fucking-point
Stahn, C. (2023). Confronting Colonial Objects: Histories, Legalities, and Access to Culture. Oxford University Press.
animalarchaeology.com 