Session: #337

Content:

Archaeological interest in migration, individual mobility, long-distance ‘trade’ and the spread of technologies has revived in the past decade, bolstered by new scientific techniques. This interest has been accompanied by a distinctive visual language: the production of maps (often at a continental scale or greater) showing the whereabouts of genetic ‘peoples’ or material ‘types’, and arrows representing their movements. Many archaeologists are rightly uneasy at the return of such images to the forefront of our narratives, warning of seductive simplicity and ethno-nationalist baggage. What visual tools might serve a more nuanced archaeology of mobility?

This session invites reflections on the link between illustration and conceptualisation in mobility studies, and propositions for better visual practices. We ask whether illustrations have played a role in shaping and confining our narratives: it is easy, for instance, to ‘draw a line’ between military maps of troop movements and archaeological visions of migration as a violent and masculine affair. It is critical to consider how we open up new imaginative spaces, and we welcome bold papers exploring the possibilities. We are also interested in the other forms of movement – seasonal, circuitous, or slow – which have proven difficult to visualise, and welcome papers contending with illustrating these movements at various scales. Although contributions that assess specific mobility ‘events’ in prehistory are welcome, we are especially interested in discussing the theory behind (or in) visualisations of mobility. Creative ‘spitballing’ and experimentation with images are encouraged; polished end-products are optional.

Session: #337

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