Theme:
4. Persisting with Change: Theory and Archaeological Scrutiny
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
The ?Data Rush? - Adapting to the Consequences of Increased Quantities of High-quality Data in Archaeological Research
Content:
Over the course of several decades, archaeology has exhibited a growing reliance on an expanding corpus of data generated through the continuous evolution of techniques and methodologies. The integration of technological innovations and novel methodologies in archaeological research has not only led to an era of data accumulation but has also fundamentally reshaped models and theories.
Rather than simply providing straightforward answers to original questions, the wealth of information now at our disposal has undertaken a subtler, yet more profound role: it has shown that some of the previously held assumptions were either plain wrong, or more often considerably more nuanced than expected. The consequences of this data-winning frenzy invite a critical re-evaluation of long-standing paradigms.
This session aims to explore the transformative impact of data-driven approaches on the field of archaeology, and how they have reshaped our understanding of the past. Specifically, it will examine how the proliferation of data has profoundly affected the way archaeologists conceive and investigate key archaeological themes such as "migration", "trade", “adaptation”, "technological transfer", "cultural change", “human behaviour”, and more.
To stress the profound interdisciplinary nature of the topic and of the themes debated in archaeology, we welcome contributions from archaeologists, anthropologists, geoscientists, geneticists, and other related disciplines. The session will offer a platform for researchers to share their experiences, methodologies, and case studies that illustrate the impact of increasing data in transforming the way we conceive and tackle distinctive human phenomena. By bringing together experts in different fields, our aim is to foster discussions that will advance our collective understanding of a (big)data-driven archaeology.
Moving on from the words of philosopher Alison Wylie, who observes “how inquiry succeeds when evidence is spars e and uncertain”, and aim to explore how inquiry itself shapeshifts when the evidence is abundant and detailed.
Keywords:
Changing perspectives, Research agendas, Big data, Epistemology
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Nicola Ialongo (Germany) 1
Co-organisers:
Susanna Cereda (Austria) 2
Giancarlo Lago (Italy) 3
Paul Johnson (United Kingdom) 4,5
Dimitrij Mlekuž Vrhovnik (Slovenia) 6,7
Affiliations:
1. University of Göttingen, Department of Pre- and Protohistory
2. University of Innsbruck, Institute of Archaeologies
3. University of Bologna
4. University of Nottingham
5. Magnitude Surveys Ltd
6. University of Ljubljana
7. Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia
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