Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2004, Side 122

Uggi Ævarsson
was not as clear in the past as it is today.
Today, our data are considered more "sci-
entific" and are often perceived as neutral
while of course it is not.
Traditional archaeologists did not pay
much attention to the composition of
their archaeological data, but perceived it
almost solely through the lens of nation-
al mythology; literature and art. Today
we have mostly rejected those links with
this mythology in Iceland and designed a
methodology (NOT a mythology) that is
in itself interpretive. However, we are so
aware of how delicate the data are and
how closely inter-twined method and
interpretation are, that most archaeolo-
gists do not dare to sneak out of the data-
frame. They are afraid of interpreting the
data they aquire because they are too
conscious about the thin ice that seper-
ates method and interpretation. It is not
even thin ice, it is water. We are too data-
conscious to interpret or think outside the
vault of science it seems.
In the past, archaeologists did not see
References
Gestsson, Gísli (1959) "Gröf í Öræfum".
Árbók hins íslenzka fomleifafélags, pp. 5-
87, Reykjavík.
Friðriksson, Sturla (1959) "Kom frá Gröf í
a clear distinction between history, litera-
ture and archaeology and gave their cre-
ative imagination a chance. The tendency
among contemporary archaeologists has
been not to do that because they cannot
see a clear distinction between science,
science and science. Of course it is
extreme to say such a thing but we could
say, for rhetoric's sake, that the old
archaeologists had a rather poor under-
standing of method but they did interpret
none the less, while today archaeologists
have almost too good an understanding
of method it prevents - or saves them
from interpreting. That might be the rea-
son why contemporary interpretations
are generally limited compared to the
interpretations of the old timers who did
not have all the fancy methodological
crutches we possess. Some would say
that is exactly the reason: the old timers
could improvise because they had
absolutely no reason not to. But we can-
not do that because we have the know-
how not to. One wonders.
Öræfum". Árbók hins íslenzka forn-
leifafélags, pp.88-91, Reykjavík.
Þórarinsson, Sigurður (1943) "Þjórsárdalur
och dess förödelse", in Stenberger (ed.)
Forntida Gaardar i Island, Ejnar
Munksgaard, Kobenhavn.
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