The picture above shows an archaeological site with a feature being just excavated. The tools are still inside the half-dug pit, of which we can see the section. The wheelbarrow is half full. A blue helmet is hanging from one wrought iron. A heavy orange jacket, blown by the strong winds, is hanging from another wrought iron. Gloves to the left of the pit, and a couple of kneepads and survey tools to its right complete the picture.
No archaeologist in sight.
Likely, this photo was taken at lunch break, which would be the reason why the archaeologists are no where to be seen. However, many archaeologists have the feeling that often archaeologists’ bodies are either excluded from pictures of archaeological sites, or if included, they pose in static, embellished positions that tend to make the labour on site disappear from the context.
In order to reposition the bodies of archaeologists and their labour where they belong, at the centre of the site, on 9th of December 2024, I organised a workshop, kindly hosted and supported by the Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference (TRAC) entitled Archaeo-Bodies.
Expanding on our TRAC session held at UCL in April 2024, this workshop placed the bodies-at-work at the heart of the relationship between archaeology and modern society. The papers showcased the richness of diverse bodily experiences as a way to, on one hand, tackle inequity in our world and, on the other, inspire scholars to engage with research questions that expand our understanding of the human diversity in the past. Each author contributed greatly to this great evening of exchange, with topic spanning health and disability, antiracism, feminism, trans rights, ontology, and the perception of the profession. You can find the full list of abstracts here.
Moreover, we opened a call for posters, assigning the TRAC Prize entitled to scholar Lisa Lodwick to the poster succeeding in communicating most effectively the breadth of lived experience on archaeological sites. You can have a look at all five very creative and effective posters here below. Enjoy!
Mauro Puddu 