Participatory Augering: A methodology for challenging perceptions of archaeology and landscape change

Tully, G.; Allen, M.J.

Abstract

Public engagement is a significant feature of twenty-first-century archaeological practice. While more diverse audiences are connecting with the discipline in a multitude of ways, public perceptions of archaeology are still marred by stereotypes. Community excavations of ‘sites’ to discover ‘treasures’ which tell us about the ‘past’ overshadow other forms of public research output and hinder the potential of the discipline to contribute to contemporary society more widely. This paper proposes participatory augering as an active public engagement method that challenges assumptions about the nature of archaeological practice by focusing on interpretation at a landscape-scale. Through exploration of recent participatory augering research by the REFIT Project and Environmental Archaeologist Mike Allen, this paper demonstrates how the public can contribute to active archaeological research by exploring narratives of landscape change. Evaluation of the existing case studies reflects the potential of the approach to engage audiences with new archaeological methods and narratives which have the potential to transform perceptions of the discipline and, through knowledge exchange, drive community-led contributions to contemporary landscape management.

Citation

Tully, G., & Allen, M. (2017). Participatory Augering: A methodology for challenging perceptions of archaeology and landscape change. Public Archaeology, 16(3-4), 191-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/14655187.2018.1496519

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 4, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Aug 16, 2018
• Publication Date: 2017
• Deposit Date: Jul 4, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 17, 2018
• Journal: Public Archaeology
• Print ISSN: 1465-5187
• Electronic ISSN: 1753-5530
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 3-4
• Pages: 191-213
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14655187.2018.1496519
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1322689