The past without written sources from the perspective of the archaeologist

Abstract

The article discusses archaeological sources, pointing to the vital importance of the emergence of articulated speech in hunter-gatherer communities and of writing in early agricultural communities. It quotes the following defi nition: “an archaeological source for studying a given [socio-cultural] system is any excavated correlate of this system — a result of human activity or an element of the environment being in a tangible relationship with such an activity — which is, from the perspective of the given study, a representation of the system. In a wider sense, a source is also a representation of the correlates of the system in the form of archaeological documentation”. The author highlights the variety of archaeological sources, dependent of materials and production techniques, including into this category also the non-material culture of prehistoric communities. She stresses that the multitude of sources calls for cooperation with specialists in other disciplines, paying special attention to natural-science methods of dating sites. She argues that only in cooperation with a multidisciplinary team of researchers who have been asked very specific questions can an archaeologist explain numerous issues related to the reconstruction of ancient ways of life. Excavations should be preceded by fi eld surveys, as was the case in the project “The Archaeological Photograph of Poland” in the 1970s, when several hundred thousand potential sites were registered. Since excavations are destructive, the article also addresses modern methods and the application of equipment that enables full documentation leading to the correct interpretation of findings. Research should be concluded with a prompt and thorough publication of the excavated evidence and its interpretation. The conclusion lists many issues that require further research in such fi elds as anthropo-genesis, changes in systems of economy and the role of writing in community forming.