Menne KOSIAN
(National Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Built Heritage, Amersfoort, The Netherlands)
Modern archaeological research tends to look broader than the actual excavation pit; not only do more non-archaeological researchers enter the field of archaeological research (think for instance of paleo-botanists, -zoologists and geophysicists), the research aims have changed as well. Landscape archaeology is an area of research much upcoming. In this kind of research it is vital to work in an multi-disciplinal environment, archaeologists work side by side with historic-geographers, geologists, hydrologists, but also with historians, linguists and historic-cartographers, to name a few.
The traditional sources have changed as well: not only do we rely on archaeological and historical (specialist) data, new data-sources as toponyms, ‘folk lore’ (stories) and local (non-specialist) knowledge become more important for the academic research. In order to function within a broad academic field and even without the traditional academic world, the modern archaeological landscape researcher needs a broader view and at least the knowledge of other discipline’s language and mindset.
Education in this way of working and thinking still is miles behind in most cases. In this lecture I will give some examples of these new research terrains and hope to inspire people to modernize the curricula at universities.
Keywords: multi-disciplined research, landscape archaeology, a wider view in education.