Elder Scrolls and Modern Perspectives: The Power of Historical Archaeological Data in (Re)Telling Narratives of the Past

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "(Re)Presenting the Past: Archaeological Influences on Historical Narratives in Video Games" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Drawing on this year’s conference theme, historical archaeology is indeed a powerful means of pulling injustices into the light of examination and of addressing them in both the past and present. The field not only provides data on the recent past but also fosters meaningful conversations on material culture and the narratives attached to it, often giving voice to previously voiceless, underrepresented communities. These same principles can be applied to present-day representations of archaeology, which themselves are artifacts of the recent past. Through the lens of “archaeogaming” – the examination of the intersection of video games and archaeology – historical archaeology’s commitment to using archaeological data to challenge extant incomplete or prejudiced narratives continues. This research examines the role of historical archaeology within the fictional world of the Elder Scrolls franchise (Bethesda Softworks/ZeniMax Media), particularly as represented in The Elder Scrolls Online and its “Antiquities” archaeological excavation system.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• (Re)Presenting the Past: Archaeological Influences on Historical Narratives in Video Games   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology