Archaeology in Modernity Two World Heritage Sites in Scandinavia as Cultural Identity? Alejandro Sánchez Hernández M.A. Thesis in Archaeology Supervisor: Kristina Jennbert Examiner: Jes Wienberg Department of Archaeology and Ancient History Spring 2017 Lund University Abstract The designation of World Heritage Sites overcomes a series of events in the life of each location. The social life of the sites that are designated brings a discussion about the characters that are responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the physical and ontological characteristics of the data and knowledge originated in it. Archaeology today involves certain characteristics that overcome the scientific research of the materiality and stratigraphy of the soil. It is the political, cultural identity and social paradigms that erupt as new fields of research. In the case of World Heritage Sites, Sweden and Denmark have shown a correlation of work, social involvement and a considerate amount of management and constant supervision over the development of these sites. Birka and Jelling are two archaeological complexes that represent the peak of the research in each country, and both are designated as representatives of the Viking Age culture. It is here where the intersection of this investigation begins, to understand the implications of modernity in archaeological research and the process of incorporating the public to engage with cultural heritage. To overcome the obstacles in this investigation, the record from UNESCO and set of publications concerning this topic are depicted and discussed to create a broad sense of the appropriate type of investigation and sense, archaeologists should incorporate in their research. Thinking about incorporating the public into the work or archaeology in the field and overcome a relationship of economic benefits and the marketing of World Heritage Sites, as part of the global and fluctuating environment of societies today in an expanding construction of human identity and the use of heritage categorize as being from everyone and for everyone. Key concepts: World Heritage Site, UNESCO, Social archaeology, Public archaeology, Modernity, Cultural identity, Scandinavia and Viking Age. 2 Table of contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. 2 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1. Main goal and research questions .............................................................................................. 5 1.2. Criteria for selection of materials............................................................................................... 5 1.3 Methodology.............................................................................................................................. 6 1.4. Theoretical perspectives ............................................................................................................ 8 1.5. Previous research .................................................................................................................... 15 2. Materials ...................................................................................................................................... 18 2.1. Survey among Political and Cultural Authorities and Representatives ...................................... 18 2.2. UNESCO’s Convention .......................................................................................................... 20 2.3. World Heritage List, Nomination and Integration .................................................................... 23 2.4. Archaeological research background ....................................................................................... 26 2.4.1. Birka and Hovgården.................................................................................................................. 27 2.4.2. Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church .................................................................................. 31 3. Analysis of UNESCO, two Scandinavian World Heritage Sites and archaeologists. ................. 35 4. Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 43 4.1. Social archaeology and World Heritage Site ............................................................................ 46 4.1.1. Public engagement in community projects ..................................................................................... 47 4.1.2. Implication of archaeology in modernity ......................................................................................... 50 4.1.3. Role of archaeology to create cultural identity ................................................................................ 54 4.2. Ethics in Sweden and Denmark ............................................................................................... 57 4.2.1. Museums ....................................................................................................................................... 57 4.2.2. Cultural Tourism ............................................................................................................................. 59 4.2.3. Political perspectives in heritage..................................................................................................... 60 5. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 65 5.1. World Heritage Site, a research opportunity or economic asset ................................................ 66 5.2. Social target of archaeology .................................................................................................... 67 5.3. Reflections and future research ................................................................................................ 69 6. Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 72 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................ 74 References ........................................................................................................................................ 75 List of abbreviations (English & Swedish) ..................................................................................... 75 Publications ................................................................................................................................... 75 Web-sites. ...................................................................................................................................... 79 Personal Communication ............................................................................................................... 82 Appendix .......................................................................................................................................... 83 3 1. Introduction World Heritage Site, a “designation” with international implications, responsibilities, rights and obligations; it signifies or at least attempts to show to the world that a specific location is an important element of humanity’s history and identity, and as such deserves to be protected and preserved for future generations. Archaeologists today; have increased their sense of responsibility to improve their performance, in the field as well as in processing, analyzing and interpreting the archaeological data, in order to deliver an acceptable display to the public. This has both positive and negative implications. There is pressure, from new authorities in the political, economic and social structure to construct and safeguard cultural identities, national heritage and traditions. But what does that really imply? Where is the line between scientific archaeological work and using ancient sites and monuments for the business of tourism? The 1972 UNESCO’s Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage1 brought a system of international collaboration. National authorities signed the convention. The agreement requires legislation, organization, education and research to guarantee protection and preservation of natural and cultural heritage in those countries that signed the convention. Included was the requirement to inform the people about the convention and world heritage, and to increase the respect and protection of World Heritage Sites in other countries.2 Even though the UNESCO list includes places with characteristics that generally are not studied by archaeologists, the quantity of sites that are by name “archaeological sites, or zones”, demonstrates what society feels familiar with, and hence shows what the populace deems important. Thus, the importance of having a qualitative report of every site grew. It became necessary to understand the changes a site may suffer from increasingly modernized societies, particularly the technological advances and a society that changes rapidly. The target of this investigation comes from the perspective of the influence of archaeology in the public and political scheme of international organizations, primary UNESCO, and the demand of considerations to a different set of values, intentions and