The Truth is Out There: The Masking and Lure of Fringe Archaeology
Author(s): Kyle Somerville; Christopher P. Barton
Year: 2016
Summary
Fringe archaeology is one of the most controversial and inflammatory aspects of archaeology, occupying an uncomfortable position between academic rigor, public perceptions of the field, and interpretive value. Historical archaeology in general has also encountered these issues in a number of different ways. This paper briefly outlines fringe archaeology, and we examine case studies from Rhode Island, Masssachussetts, and the Northeast to better understand the appeal of fringe archaeology to its practitioners and the public, who its practitioners are, and the challenges it presents to the field in terms of public perceptions of "mainstream" archaeology.
Cite this Record
The Truth is Out There: The Masking and Lure of Fringe Archaeology. Kyle Somerville, Christopher P. Barton. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434481)
This Resource is Part of the Following Collections
Keywords
General
Fringe archaeology
•
Public Archaeology
•
Theory
Geographic Keywords
North America
•
United States of America
Temporal Keywords
18th century to Present
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 641