Miera, Jan (ed.) : Narrating the Past: Archaeological Epistemology, Explanation and Communication.

Jan Miera (ed.),
Narrating the Past: Archaeological Epistemology, Explanation and Communication.
Proceedings of the 6th Annual Conference of the Central European Theoretical Archaeology Group,
held at the University of Leipzig (Germany), 12–13 September 2019.
(Archaeolingua Series minor 46)

Budapest 2023

ISBN 978-615-5766-61-9
ISSN 1216-6847


436 S./pp., zahlr. Farb- und S/W-Abb./num. colour and b/w-figs., 23,5 x 16 cm; kartoniert/hardcover

Humans are wired for storytelling. We continually construct our identities and define our sense of belonging through narratives. They help us make sense of the past and serve as a frame of reference for understanding the present. On 12 and 13 September 2019, students and post-docs from the UK, Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany met at the University of Leipzig to discuss how archaeology contributes to these processes and, thereby, the overall understanding of what it means to be human.
The participants addressed this topic from a variety of perspectives by highlighting, for example, the role of archaeological epistemology, examining the systematics of explanations in prehistoric archaeology, and exchanging experiences regarding the communication between the scientific community and the public. Unanimously, the contributions illustrate the importance of a reflective and transparent engagement with the processes of knowledge production and narration in archaeology.