Spatial Archaeology: Mapping the Ancient Past with the Humanities and the Sciences

Abstract

To some, archaeology is best framed as a science, and to others it is envisioned as part of the humanities; but in our view archaeology as a discipline is strongest when it acknowledges the value of and incorporates both scientific and humanistic perspectives. Despite the many successes of scientifically-oriented archaeology, we contend that our discipline cannot achieve its broader aims without the humanities. We illustrate our argument by delineating three research domains – Deep Time Perspectives, Spatial Histories, and Public Engagement – and reviewing recent studies in each that have successfully integrated scientific and humanistic approaches to spatial archaeology.