The Benefits of Educating Young Professionals about Archaeological Conservation

Summary

While archaeological conservation is still a relatively new field, it is not much younger than the field of historical archaeology.  Literature searches mention "conservation" or preservation in many of the text books used to educate and train archaeology students in this country and archaeologists agree about the necessity of conserving finds.  Yet courses in archaeological conservation remain strangely absent from the curriculum of many of the well-established and prominent archaeology programs.  This paper will discuss the process of developing an introduction to conservation course at the University of Mary Washington and its evolution over the last five years. It will focus on the benefits of introducing conservation theory and practice to undergraduate archaeology and anthropology students, and how students are using this knowledge to enhance their understanding of all aspects of archaeology.  The paper will also focus on the potential pitfalls of such a course.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Transforming Narratives and Globalizing Access: Curation, Conservation and Social Engagement   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 434