In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia

Ethnoarchaeology as a sub-discipline of archaeology primarily entails survey and research of various aspects of contemporary societies, in order to enable archaeologists to understand the dynamic processes that have created in the past the phenomena we now recognize as archaeological material, i.e....

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Main Author: Aleksandar Palavestra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Belgrade 2016-03-01
Series:Etnoantropološki Problemi
Online Access:http://eap-iea.org/index.php/eap/article/view/594
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author Aleksandar Palavestra
author_facet Aleksandar Palavestra
author_sort Aleksandar Palavestra
collection DOAJ
description Ethnoarchaeology as a sub-discipline of archaeology primarily entails survey and research of various aspects of contemporary societies, in order to enable archaeologists to understand the dynamic processes that have created in the past the phenomena we now recognize as archaeological material, i.e. archaeological record. Ethnoarchaeological studies in Serbia have been ill-fated, since almost all the roads leading towards this approach have been jammed by various conceptions of the idea of continuity. In the Serbian archaeology, continuity has been understood as continuation of direct Aegean and Greek influences, as a metaphysical continuity of spirit, inexplicable “idealtypical” continuity, national continuity, or as a transmission of cultural traditions. Common to all these paradigms is the understanding of continuity as a given, and the contemporaneous ethnographic material has been used solely as an illustration of the long life of certain cultural shapes. The true value of ethnoarchaeology as a way of overcoming the statics of the archaeological record and gaining insight into the dynamics of the past has never been realized.
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spelling doaj.art-97581e0100e24400a51dfccc9c35f8732022-12-21T18:32:00ZengUniversity of BelgradeEtnoantropološki Problemi0353-15892334-88012016-03-0163579594592In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in SerbiaAleksandar Palavestra0Odeljenje za arheologiju, Filozofski fakultet, Univerzitet u BeograduEthnoarchaeology as a sub-discipline of archaeology primarily entails survey and research of various aspects of contemporary societies, in order to enable archaeologists to understand the dynamic processes that have created in the past the phenomena we now recognize as archaeological material, i.e. archaeological record. Ethnoarchaeological studies in Serbia have been ill-fated, since almost all the roads leading towards this approach have been jammed by various conceptions of the idea of continuity. In the Serbian archaeology, continuity has been understood as continuation of direct Aegean and Greek influences, as a metaphysical continuity of spirit, inexplicable “idealtypical” continuity, national continuity, or as a transmission of cultural traditions. Common to all these paradigms is the understanding of continuity as a given, and the contemporaneous ethnographic material has been used solely as an illustration of the long life of certain cultural shapes. The true value of ethnoarchaeology as a way of overcoming the statics of the archaeological record and gaining insight into the dynamics of the past has never been realized.http://eap-iea.org/index.php/eap/article/view/594
spellingShingle Aleksandar Palavestra
In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia
Etnoantropološki Problemi
title In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia
title_full In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia
title_fullStr In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia
title_full_unstemmed In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia
title_short In the Service of Continuity. Ethnoarchaeology in Serbia
title_sort in the service of continuity ethnoarchaeology in serbia
url http://eap-iea.org/index.php/eap/article/view/594
work_keys_str_mv AT aleksandarpalavestra intheserviceofcontinuityethnoarchaeologyinserbia