Sensory Archaeology: Key Concepts and Debates

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This presentation defines and evaluates some the key concepts and debates in sensory archaeology, arguing that this field is necessarily a work in progress. Today, there is a growing archaeological interest in the senses, experience and perception; but are we justified in calling for or claiming a ‘sensory turn’ in archaeology? And, besides seeking to understand what is meant by terms such as ‘sensorium’, ‘sensory model’, ‘ways of sensing’, ‘the sensory field’, ‘sensory attributes’, ‘affect’ and ‘sensescapes’, are these terms useful additions to archaeological vocabulary and theory. What are the implications of sensory studies for museum archaeology? Finally, how should archaeologists undertake ‘sensuous scholarship’?

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22967