Making Heritage Together: Archaeological Ethnography and Community Engagement with a Rural Community

Making Heritage Together presents a case study of public archaeology by focusing on the collaborative creation of knowledge about the past with a rural community in central Crete. It emphasizes the value of local context in designing and implementing projects and the necessity of establishing methods to understand, collaborate, and interact with culturally specific groups and publics. It contributes to a greater understanding of how rural communities can be successfully engaged in the management of their own heritage.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 130 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Making Heritage Together presents a captivating case study of public archaeology, delving into the collaborative creation of knowledge about the past with a rural community in central Crete. This project is rooted in a long-term archaeological ethnography endeavor, where the village community actively engaged in researching, preserving, and managing their cultural heritage.

This comprehensive volume offers a theoretical and local framework for the project, elucidating the methodology employed and the remarkable outcomes achieved. It provides in-depth reviews of specific public archaeology actions with the community, serving as exemplars of collaborative, research-based heritage management.

What the authors emphasize throughout this book is the paramount importance of local context in designing and implementing public archaeology projects. They advocate for the development of methods to comprehend, collaborate, and engage with culturally specific groups and publics. They strongly advocate for the implementation of archaeological ethnographic research as a means of fostering instances and spaces for collaborative knowledge production.

The volume makes a significant contribution to our understanding of how rural communities can effectively participate in the management of their own heritage. It holds relevance for archaeologists and other heritage professionals who strive to maximize the inclusivity and impact of small-scale projects with limited resources, while also achieving sustainable processes of collaboration with local stakeholders.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032194769