Experiencing Archaeology by Experiment

There is a growing trend among archaeologists to re-create artefacts and actions at a 1:1 scale in order to answer questions and gain new insights into the past. In November 2007, the University of Exeter hosted a one-day conference on experimental archaeology, and it was soon discovered that experience is a key issue in understanding the use of materials and past processes. Papers presented in this volume consider both theoretical issues and practical case studies. The scope ranges from skinning animals or dyeing wool the Roman way, to producing sound with flint tools, carving stone on Chalcolithic Cyprus, or casting bronze objects both as art and science in Ireland. The eight chapters in this book demonstrate the myriad possibilities of archaeology by experiment. Experimental archaeology is multi-disciplinary by nature, with examples from anthropology, ethnography, taxidermy, finite element analysis and manufacturing systems theory all being present in this volume. Not only does this sub-discipline have a colourful and meaningful past, but it will surely have a significant future.

Penny Cunningham is currently an Honorary Research Fellow within the Department of Archaeology at the University of Exeter. After completing a MA in Experimental Archaeology she went on to complete a PhD at the University of Exeter. Penny used experiments as a major methodological approach in her PhD thesis Food for thought: the exploitation of nuts in prehistoric Europe. Aspects of her PhD have been published in scholarly journals and books. She has also jointly edited a volume on experimental archaeology Experiencing Archaeology by Experiment (2008). Since completing her PhD she has worked on a number of community archaeology projects. Her passion lies with developing the role of the community in adding to the body of knowledge of the profession and in the wider field of archaeology. Driven by the desire to bring practical archaeology to a wider audience utilising the transferrable skills of public participants, she has published a number of articles on community archaeology. Her work on the EU funded OpenArch project offered a different approach to community archaeology where the public’s participation is linked to Archaeological Open-Air Museums, craft specialists and experimental archaeologists to bring the past back to life. Dr. Roeland Paardekooper was born 1970 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. At an early age he became interested in archaeological open-air museums and experimental archaeology. He has organised several international conferences and field trips and has visited over 100 archaeological open-air museums across Europe. Paardekooper is cofounder and current director of EXARC, an organisation affiliated to the International Museum Federation ICOM. EXARC’s themes are archaeological open-air museums, experimental archaeology, ancient technology and interpretation. EXARC and counts 200 members in over 30 countries by end 2013. In 1997 Paardekooper received his MA at Leiden University (Prehistory of Europe), in 2012 he got his PhD at the University of Exeter, where he looked into archaeological open-air museums. In 2012 Paardekooper was knighted in the Order of Orange Nassau for his work for archaeological open-air museums at international level as well as for his volunteer work for several organisations. He is currently the interim director at the Archäologisches Freilichtmuseum Oerlinghausen, Germany.