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Sentimental prehistories: the construction of the Fenland past

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2017

Christopher Evans*
Affiliation:
Cambridge Archaeological Unit, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 1PA, Great Britain
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Abstract

The historical constitution of the region's past is considered through the study of folklore, miscellaneous ‘lay’ sources, commercial histories and antiquarian accounts – all variously socially and economically sympathetic. Of broad relevance is the changing nature of reference/authority, the conceptualisation of landscape as waste/frontier and the role of ‘natives’. In this case of internal colonialism, parallels are drawn concerning the status of land and archaeological practice within the developing world today.

La constitution historique du passé de la région est considérée à travers l'étude du folklore, de diverses sources “profanes”, de l'histoire du commerce et de récits de passionnés d'histoire, éléments qui sont tous pertinents du point de vue économique et social. D'autres éléments pertinents sont la nature changeante des références/sources, la conceptualisation du paysage en tant que terres non-utilisées/frontières et le rôle des “autochtones”. Un cas de colonialisme interne: on tire des parallèles en ce qui concerne le statut de la terre et de la pratique archéologique au sein du monde en voie de développement d'aujourd'hui.

Durch eine Studie von Folklore, verschiedenartigen ‘Laien’-Quellen, kommerziellen Geschichten und antiquarischen Darstellungen – alle auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise sozial und wirtschaftlich sympathisch – wird die historische Konstitution der Vergangenheit dieser Region betrachtet. Von allgemeiner Bedeutung sind der sich wandelnde Charakter von Bezug/Autorität, die Entstehung eines Begriffes von Landschaft als Abfall/Grenze und die Rolle von ‘Einheimischen’. Als Fallbeispiel für internen Kolonialismus können Parallelen gezogen werden, die den Stellenwert des Landes und die archäologische Praxis in heutigen Entwicklungsländern betreffen.

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Copyright © European Association of Archaeologists 

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