Table Of ContentARCHAEOLOGICAL THEORY AND
THE POLITICS OF CULTURAL
HERITAGE
Archaeology is meant to be an impartial science, concerned with seeking the
truth about the past for the benefit of all humankind. But as the practices and
values of archaeology have been enshrined in cultural resource management, they
have also gradually become entwined with the apparatus of state power and control,
and bound up in bitter political conflicts with Indigenous communities.
Laurajane Smith’s controversial new book dissects the nature and consequences
of this clash of cultures. Her lucid appraisals of key debates such as NAGPRA,
Kennewick and the repatriation of Tasmanian artefacts show how Indigenous
communities in the US and Australia have confronted the pre-eminence of
archaeological theory and discourse, and how this has challenged traditional
archaeological thought and practice.
This is a much-needed survey of how relationships between Indigenous peoples
and the archaeological establishment have got into difficulties, and a pointer
towards how things could move forward. It will be essential reading for those
concerned with developing a just and equal dialogue with Indigenous peoples
about the role of archaeology in the research and management of their heritage.
Laurajane Smith is Lecturer in Cultural Heritage Studies and Archaeology at the
University of York, UK. She previously taught Indigenous Studies at the University
of New South Wales, Sydney and worked as a cultural heritage consultant for
many years.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
THEORY AND THE
POLITICS OF
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Laurajane Smith
First published 2004
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004.
© 2004 Laurajane Smith
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Smith, Laurajane.
Archaeological theory and the politics of cultural heritage / Laurajane Smith.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Archaeology and state. 2. Archaeology–Political aspects. 3. Aboriginal
Australians–Antiquities. 4. Indians of North America–Antiquities.
5. Australia–Cultural policy. 6. United States–Cultural policy. I. Title.
CC135.S58 2004
930.1–dc22 2004002064
ISBN 0-203-30799-2 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0–415–31832–7 (hbk)
ISBN 0–415–31833–5 (pbk)
For Gary, Hamish and Mahalia
Also in memory of Bampot (Ansavon Royal Duchess, CD)
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements viii
List of abbreviations x
1 Introduction 1
2 The cultural politics of identity: defining the problem 16
3 Archaeological theory and the ‘politics’ of the past 33
4 Archaeology and the context of governance: expertise
and the state 58
5 Archaeological stewardship: the rise of cultural resource
management and the ‘scientific professsional’ archaeologist 81
6 Significance concepts and the embedding of processual
discourse in cultural resource management 105
7 The role of legislation in the governance of material culture
in America and Australia 125
8 NAGPRA and Kennewick: contesting archaeological
governance in America 156
9 The ‘death of archaeology’: contesting archaeological
governance in Australia 174
10 Conclusion 195
Notes 204
Bibliography 207
Index 251
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This volume is based on several years of research, and along the way I have spoken
to many people about their experiences in cultural heritage management, and
about the content of this book. In particular I have benefited from conversations
with the following who kindly gave up their time to give me background informa-
tion: David Andrews, Emogene Bevitt, Anne Bickford, Karen Brown, John Cain,
Gavin Clarke, Robert Clegg, David Collett, Miki Crespi, Bill Ellwood, Ronald
Emery, Josephine Flood, Jill Gallaghar, Carol Gartside, Mick Harding, Dick
Henry, Jeannette Hope, Ray Kelly, Jim Kennan, Greg Lehman, Anne McConnell,
Angie McGowan, Francis McManamon, Paula Malloy, Marilyn Nickels, Patricia
Parker, Don Ranson, Denis Rose, Stewart Simmons, Stephen Stanton, Sharon
Sullivan, Peter Ucko – all opinions and errors are my own, however. Rodney
Ross, Centre for Legislative Archives, US National Archives and Records
Administration provided me with invaluable help whilst researching aspects of
this work.
The following people read and commented on drafts of this work and I am
grateful for their patience, time, and insights: John Carman, Martin Carver,
Mathew Collins, Jon Finch, Jane Grenville, Richard Howitt, Patricia Reynolds,
Sven Schroeder, Emma Waterton, Kate Wescombe, and Larry Zimmerman. I
extend a special thanks to Larry, who was extremely generous with his time and
insights, and Emma and Sven for all their time. Support from colleagues at the
Department of Archaeology, University of York was important for allowing me
to finally finish this work. In particular, I wish to thank Jane Grenville, Martin
Carver, Tania Dickinson and Kevin Walsh for their support and encouragement.
I owe a very great debt to Gary Campbell. Throughout the lengthy germination
of the book, and the research on which it is based, he has been a constant source
of encouragement, support and, most importantly, inspiration. He has discussed
and debated with me every aspect of the work, and has read, reread, edited and
commented on all drafts. He, along with Hamish and Mahalia Campbell-Smith,
has suffered with me during the writing stage, and I thank all three for their
tolerance and sense of humour. Cindy has had to deal with a long separation
caused, in part, by this book and I thank her for her forbearance.
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The book comprises substantially unpublished material. However, the
Australian section of Chapter 7 draws on, but substantially expands, Smith (2000)
and the later sections of Chapter 9 draw on, but again substantially expand on
and contextualize, discussions of the 1995 events between TALC and La Trobe
discussed in Smith (1999, 2001).
ix
Description:Laurajane Smith's controversial new book dissects the nature and Laurajane Smith is Lecturer in Cultural Heritage Studies and Archaeology at the.
