EAA 2013 - First event

UPDATE: The meeting will take place on September 4th at 15:00 in room EU 106

New working group for Public Archaeology at the EAA

Over the past few years, the number of Public Archaeology-related sessions has increased at our annual meetings, probably as a symptom of the growing interest in this topic among European archaeologists. We felt it was time to consolidate this interest on a more formal basis, and this is why we propose to create a new working group for Public Archaeology under the auspices of the European Association of Archaeologists.

Even after years of practice, and dozens of publications, the theoretical paradigm of Public Archaeology, as well as its practical standards and the definition itself, are not clear. The umbrella we call ‘Public Archaeology’, under which many different activities take place, is yet to be defined, although European archaeology has a lot to say on the topic. This is why, in the wake of previous attempts to get together and debate these essential issues, the creation of a working group and committee seems essential to the forward direction of these debates amongst European archaeologists.

During the 19th EAA Annual Meeting in Pilsen, we will meet for

the first time. This first meeting will take place on 3 September, and anyone interested in actively participating or simply interested in joining the group is very welcome to attend. The conclusions will be announced during the EAA session

‘Public archaeology from the ground up’, which we hope it is also of interest to you.

In the agenda for this first meeting, a definition of Public Archaeology, a theoretical framework, and a discussion of practical standards will begin to be developed, in cooperation with other similar groups and bodies throughout Europe over the next few years.

If you are interested in participating in this meeting, please write us to at: thepublicarchaeologygroup@gmail.com and we will keep you informed with news prior to the meeting and can answer any questions you may have.

Jaime Almansa-Sánchez

Lorna Richardson

The PAG