Contemporary Dimension of Heritage Promotion – Towards Socially Engaged Archaeology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23858/SA68.2016.001Keywords:
knowledge popularization, heritage, popular archaeology, applied archaeology, local communitiesAbstract
In this paper we present the outcomes of a public archaeology project entitled: Applied archaeology: Societypast- remote sensing. The project aimed to study the social dimension of archaeology and ways of popularizing knowledge of the past within society. In the article we present the results of the interviews and polls that were carried out with the inhabitants of the region in which archaeological work was carried out. On the basis of these results we present and analyze the social expectations towards archaeology as well as the kind of challenges presented to archaeologists by local communities. We also describe how an archaeologist and his work are perceived and ask whether society needs this kind of scientist and this kind of knowledge. Additional issues concern the boundaries of archaeological research and public perception of archaeological research methods.