Cultural Resource Management (CRM) archaeology favours the clarity and efficiency of technical reports in communicating with clients, governments, and colleagues. Yet archaeology is an imaginative, empathetic practice that relies on field crews making observations and developing knowledge of the landscapes in which they work. Stepping beyond reports and weaving these data and experiences into stories – through conversations in the field, digital exhibits or otherwise – is an important step in the interpretative process.
In standing where the people of the past once lived and holding their belongings in our hands, archaeologists have a unique opportunity to consider the spaces through which these people moved and the place-making practices they undertook. This presentation will explore how archaeologists engage in our own production of landscape while seeking to understand the lives of past occupants. Such insight invites empathy and a more nuanced understanding of past lives. Regarding sites with limited assemblages, such as small lithic scatters, relationship to landscape may take a more significant role as a component of the archaeological assemblage.
Featuring case studies from recent fieldwork, we will share stories from the field, consider a landscape-focused approach to stories of the past, and explore recent storytelling projects within CRM.
