I am delighted to announce an exciting new interuniversity and interdisciplinary postgraduate and postdoctoral research initiative dedicated to the unravelling archaeology’s past and practice. The Histories of Archaeology Research Network, HARN, will provide an overarching, cross-institutional structure to promote communication and thereby support innovative new work. This young collective will untangle the histories and philosophies of archaeology and reconstruct the lesser-known social, political and intellectual aspects of archaeology’s history. Group members are investigating previously unexamined archival and primary sources and gathering original oral-historical evidence. They will produce innovative, fine-grained descriptions and in depth historical analyses based on entirely fresh material. The resulting new research will regularly submitted to Antiquity’s Project Gallery. The first to appear, by http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/ProjGall/sheppard/index.html Kathleen Sheppard, a PhD candidate at the University of Oklahoma in the USA, is an examination of Flinders Petrie’s promotion of 'the solutions eugenics offered to the ills of society'.
In addition to Kathleen, HARN consists of 28 participants from across North America, the Middle East and the European Union. The members’ research covers a broad range of never-before-researched subjects. To mention only a few, Rana Daroogheh (University of Durham) investigates how archaeology was used to promote a secular state before the Revolution in Iran and a Shia nation state after the Revolution. Monika Steinel (Institute of Archaeology, UCL) details the interplay between archaeological research and the politico-ideological conditions of the National Socialist period in Germany. Sera Baker, (University of Nottingham) examines the complex history of excavations and poor preservations at Pompeii. William Werner (Syracuse University) looks at German archaeologists in Latin America at the turn of the century. James Doeser (Institute of Archaeology, UCL) examines the history of archaeological policies in Great Britain. Lydia Carr (University of Oxford) documents Tessa Wheeler’s life. Silas Michalakas (Goldsmiths College) is interested in visual media and the history of archaeology. Katherine Cooper (University of Cambridge) studies how museum collections constructed and represented prehistory in late-nineteenth century Europe. Anwen Cooper (University of Reading) reconstructs the histories of recent prehistoric research in Britain. Jennifer Baird (Birkbeck College) constructs a critical history of Roman archaeology in the Near East. And, Sara Perry (University of Southampton) discusses the epistemological significance of imagery to the development of academic archaeology.
HARN will invite well-known academics, such as Professors Neil Silberman or Anura Manatunga (from Sri Lanka), to discuss their historical work and will invite interested scholars from a wide range of universities and organisations, such as English Heritage, to speak. We plan to establish a virtual network and ‘blog’ so that all who are interested in the history of archaeology may communicate. HARN holds regular meetings at the Society of Antiquaries of London and will host an introduction-to-the-history-of-archaeology Tea at the Society in the late autumn.
New members and all queries are welcomed. For more information please contact Amara Thornton (Institute of Archaeology, UCL) at HARNgroup@googlemail.com
Please also visit HARN's blog at http://harngroup.wordpress.com where anyone interested in the history of archaeology can post announcements or comments or initiate discussion.
