Book Review: Experimentelle Archäologie in Europa, Bilanz 2012

• Main Author: Thijs Hofland
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EXARC 2014-11-01
• Series: EXARC Journal
• Subjects: experimental archaeology; cookery; ceramics; axe; copper; smelting; knife; spear; boat / ship; jewellery; shoe; archery; textile; construction of building; horn; palaeolithic; mesolithic; neolithic; chalcolithic; bronze age; iron age; roman era; viking age; early middle ages; late middle ages; newer era; newest era; germany; book; review
• Online Access: https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10179

According to James Mathieu in 2002, experimental archaeology is “A subfield of archaeological research which employs a number of different methods, techniques, analyses and approaches within the context of a controllable imitative experiment to replicate past phenomena (from objects to systems) in order to generate and test hypotheses to provide or enhance analogies for archaeological interpretation”. This is still a valid definition, though one can see a rise for a “new kind” of experimental archaeology. One where craftspeople combine their knowledge and skills with archaeologists, where there is a more humanistic touch. This allows for finding anomalies which can change our ideas of the past through experience and it also allows for a greater co-operation between academics and open-air centers just as EXARC is doing.