The role of historical archaeology in the emergence of nationalist identities in the Celtic countries

Summary

Although prehistory was used by some cultural brokers in the definition of nationalist identities from the late 18th century onwards, it was historic periods were most frequently brought forward in argument and used as an inspiration for nationalistic argument and symbolism. Documented named groups and individuals on the one hand, and material objects ‘ both sites and portable artefacts ‘ on the other, provided the warp and weft to weave nationalist narratives. Antiquarianism and early scientific archaeology therefore carried with it clear political implications within the preferred interpretations. Some of the nationalistic tropes have been deconstructed in recent years, but others have been continued, often buried within the various traditions (Irish, Manx, Scottish, Welsh) of doing archaeology so that their origins and explicit political implications lie buried beneath generational strata of practice.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Enfants de la patrie: Historical Archaeologies of National Identity and Nationalism   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-42,03