Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2006, Síða 25

Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2006, Síða 25
The idea of landscape in Icelandic archaeology tancing itself from the past by attempting to reconstruct rather than seeking mean- ing through more engaged approaches. The discipline of archaeology in Iceland became a vehicle for nationalism and therefore archaeology was contextu- alised within broader histories; the Sagas providedthis association directly. In doing so the sense of place that was implicit in Brynjúlfur Jónsson’s early work changed to one reliant on the Sagas for interpre- tation. The reactions to this have taken two separate paths. Firstly, as explained above, there has been a preoccupation with scientific approaches to landscape, particularly from geosciences to explain past environments (Sigurður Þorarins- son 1974). And secondly, a distancing from historical sources and a reliance on archaeology alone, as in a prehistoric tra- dition (cf Bjarni Einarsson 1995). A major issue not addressed in this paper, perhaps due to the lack of suitable examples, but which would contribute towards a more balanced perspective of landscape, are theoretical-centred approaches. Iceland has much to contribute towards this direc- tion as palimpsests of cultural complexi- ties are less inscribed on this landscape. This has perhaps engendered an archae- ology that has been fundamentally based on historical approaches (in order to give narrative) and towards geosciences (to do the same but within modern reaction to narrative). What I find most interest- ing in this portrayal of archaeology is the lack of anthropological and geographical devices which would address the con- verging issues of society, space, place and knowledge for landscape research and give a more balanced perspective of past landscapes, combining history, geoscience, geography and social theory. Approaches that look at the ideology and iconography of landscape, particularly associated with the routine and everyday practices of people living in it, have not figured largely within Icelandic archaeol- ogy and clearly have some potential for future research for landscape archaeo- logy. The humanistic side of geography, historical anthropology and ethnography when combined with the usual archaeo- logical approaches to landscape in Iceland have much to offer in understanding past landscapes. A recent study in landscape by the author used such an approach to investigate the landscape based on survey and a regional landscape, viewed against the evidence for activities in an archaeo- logical landscape study of focal places (Aldred 2006). Whilst this was a prelimi- nary study it reflected some of the pos- sibilities in looking beyond history and geosciences. Understanding larger scale acti- vities beyond the site adds to the increas- ingly needed knowledge to help explain small scale changes that are found in exca- vations, site based documentary research and in environmental research. It is ques- tionable how useful such approaches are when isolated from one another. If landscape archaeology is placed within an integrated archaeological practice - a ‘zusammenhang’ - that assesses the past fJom a number of different perspectives, then this will lead us to move beyond present interpretation and towards identi- fying the important and substantial rela- tionships and associations with other sites and natural features. References Adolf Friðriksson 1994 Sagas and Popular Antiquarianism in IcelandicArchaeo- logy. Aldershot. Adolf Friðriksson 2005 The topography 23
Síða 1
Síða 2
Síða 3
Síða 4
Síða 5
Síða 6
Síða 7
Síða 8
Síða 9
Síða 10
Síða 11
Síða 12
Síða 13
Síða 14
Síða 15
Síða 16
Síða 17
Síða 18
Síða 19
Síða 20
Síða 21
Síða 22
Síða 23
Síða 24
Síða 25
Síða 26
Síða 27
Síða 28
Síða 29
Síða 30
Síða 31
Síða 32
Síða 33
Síða 34
Síða 35
Síða 36
Síða 37
Síða 38
Síða 39
Síða 40
Síða 41
Síða 42
Síða 43
Síða 44
Síða 45
Síða 46
Síða 47
Síða 48
Síða 49
Síða 50
Síða 51
Síða 52
Síða 53
Síða 54
Síða 55
Síða 56
Síða 57
Síða 58
Síða 59
Síða 60
Síða 61
Síða 62
Síða 63
Síða 64
Síða 65
Síða 66
Síða 67
Síða 68
Síða 69
Síða 70
Síða 71
Síða 72
Síða 73
Síða 74
Síða 75
Síða 76
Síða 77
Síða 78
Síða 79
Síða 80
Síða 81
Síða 82
Síða 83
Síða 84
Síða 85
Síða 86
Síða 87
Síða 88
Síða 89
Síða 90
Síða 91
Síða 92
Síða 93
Síða 94
Síða 95
Síða 96
Síða 97
Síða 98
Síða 99
Síða 100

x

Archaeologia Islandica

Beinleiðis leinki

Hvis du vil linke til denne avis/magasin, skal du bruge disse links:

Link til denne avis/magasin: Archaeologia Islandica
https://timarit.is/publication/1160

Link til dette eksemplar:

Link til denne side:

Link til denne artikel:

Venligst ikke link direkte til billeder eller PDfs på Timarit.is, da sådanne webadresser kan ændres uden advarsel. Brug venligst de angivne webadresser for at linke til sitet.