Overview

Known widely in Europe as interpretive narrative archaeology , the practice of using creative methods to interpret and present current knowledge of the past is gaining popularity in North America. This is a compilation of international case studies of the various artistic methods used in this new form of education. Plays, opera, visual art, stories, poetry, performance dance, music, sculpture, digital imagery - all can effectively communicate archaeological processes and cultural values to public audiences. The 23 contributors to this volume are a diverse group of archaeologists, educators and artisans who have direct experience in schools, museums and at archaeological sites. Citing specific examples, such as the film, The English Patient , science fiction mysteries and hypertext environments, they explain how creative imagination and the power of visual and audio media can personalize, contextualize and demystify the research process. A 26-page colour section illuminates their examples, and an accompanying CD includes relevant videos, music, Web sites and additional colour images.

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9780817312732

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Reviews

A useful introduction to an important trend in contemporary archaeology. &#151 Southeastern Archaeology

This is a truly ground-breaking volume which will do much to restore archaeology to its rightful place in the humanities. In a world where so many archaeological/anthropological works are simply collections of data, Ancient Muses reminds us that archaeology illuminates the arts and is in its turn illuminated by them.

Author Information

John H. Jameson Jr. is an archaeologist. John E. Ehrenhard is Director at the National Park Service's Southeast Archeological Center in Tallahassee, Florida. Christine A. Finn is research associate at the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Oxford in England.

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