Soldiering Archaeology: Pitt Rivers and ‘Militarism’
This paper initially explores the impact of the military on the development of British archaeology generally. It then focuses on the career of General Pitt Rivers, whose army background – especially his work in ordnance and when serving as legal prosecutor – funda...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Bulletin of the History of Archaeology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.archaeologybulletin.org/article/view/538 |
| Summary: | This paper initially explores the impact of the
military on the development of British archaeology generally. It then focuses on the
career of General Pitt Rivers, whose army background – especially his work in ordnance
and when serving as legal prosecutor – fundamentally informed his archaeology, providing
the basis for his concept of 'proof' and the adjudication of
evidence. Pitt Rivers was an active member of, and contributed to, the collections of
the ‘lost’ museum of the Royal United Services Institute. His particular interest was in
the study of 'Primitive Warfare', and he
demonstrated its evolution through his ‘typological’ collections of weapons. Finally,
given the breadth of military experience and the diverse participation of its members
within the discipline, critique is made of Wheeler’s singular formulation of an
‘army-influenced archaeology’. |
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| ISSN: | 1062-4740 2047-6930 |