Incidental Archaeologists: French Officers and the Rediscovery of Roman North Africa

In Incidental Archaeologists, Bonnie Effros explores how nineteenth-century French military officers in Algeria developed an interest in Roman remains and used archaeology to shape French colonial narratives. Effros highlights the connection between knowledge production, European imperialism, and the professionalization of archaeology in metropolitan France.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 396 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2021
Publisher: Cornell University Press

In her book "Incidental Archaeologists," Bonnie Effros delves into the fascinating archaeological contributions of nineteenth-century French military officers, who, raised on classical accounts of warfare and often trained as cartographers, developed an avid interest in the Roman remains they encountered during their commissions in the colony of Algeria. By seamlessly linking the study of the Roman past to French triumphant narratives of the conquest and occupation of the Maghreb, Effros showcases how Roman archaeology in the forty years following the conquest of the Ottoman Regencies of Algiers and Constantine in the 1830s played a crucial role in shaping the creation of a new identity for French military and civilian settlers. Effros employs France's violent colonial war, its efforts to document the ancient Roman past, and its brutal treatment of the region's Arab and Berber inhabitants to underscore the intimate entanglement of knowledge production with European imperialism.

Significantly, "Incidental Archaeologists" reveals how the French experience in Algeria contributed to the professionalization of archaeology in metropolitan France. Effros adeptly demonstrates how the archaeological expeditions undertaken by the French in Algeria and the meticulous documentation they collected of ancient Roman military accomplishments reflected French confidence in their ability to learn from Rome's technological achievements and succeed, where the Romans had failed, in mastering the region.

Through her meticulous research and insightful analysis, Bonnie Effros offers a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between archaeology, colonialism, and imperialism, shedding light on the ways in which the French military officers of the nineteenth century utilized their archaeological expertise to shape the course of history in the Maghreb. "Incidental Archaeologists" is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of history, archaeology, and power dynamics, as it provides a compelling account of how the past can shape the present and influence the future.

Weight: 28g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501761676