Search the Past: Find the Present. Qualities of Archaeology and Heritage in Contemporary Society

Archaeologists are widely regarded as searching in our present reality for traces of the past. However, in this text the author argues that archaeologists searching for the past will instead find their present. In reviewing the relations between archaeology, heritage and contemporary society, he argues that the remains of the past which archaeology studies are much more than a record of past human realities. Instead, he proposes that archaeological objects and practices can be conceived of as media of social practice. They assist us in negotiating our very own social realities and our understanding of what it means to be human. It is this quality that archaeology and heritage should mainly be concerned about in contemporary society. This perspective can considerably increase the value and significance of the discipline and practice of archaeology in present-day society.