Harlem: Inside and Out is an online exhibition, in the form of a blog, about the Harlem Renaissance. The exhibition is organized into seven themes (as shown on the right) that aim to capture different facets of the African American experience in Harlem during the 1920’s. There is also a page about the exhibition and pages for my sources and suggested readings.

Primarily I wanted to use my final project to test my own bias. As we have talked at length in this course about issues of indigenous and community archaeologies, I wanted to examine how aware I was of my own biases and how difficult it really is to incorporate minority narratives and oral histories in a museum exhibition in order to create a more accurate portrayal the African American community. As it was not feasible for this to be a collaborative project, and we worked with so many forms of new media in our workshops each week, I decided to create a very interactive exhibition in order to gain that sense of multivocality and multiple perspectives and minimize the influence of my own stereotypes. I thus have used videos, sound clips, interviews, excerpts from Harlem Renaissance writers, scholarly perspectives, and links to interactive learning tools and other online exhibitions.

I also wanted to get people thinking as they go through this exhibition, and have therefore posed numerous questions throughout the exhibit that ask viewers to compare what they read or hear in varying primary sources to the works of art themselves, and to relate  different artists or black and white interpretations of a subject matter. The goal is for viewers to comment with their thoughts and generate an online discussion that gets people to think about this time period in a new way and recognize their own stereotypes as they open themselves to new, non-white narratives. Enjoy!

I just found out that I will be living in New York City this summer, and thought it would be fun to look into the archaeology of the city. So much of our class has been focused on tribal communities and more open landscapes, that I thought it would be very interesting to looks at how an urban archaeology is conducted, the different kinds of artifacts it yields and the different interpretations that can be drawn.

I thought this article from the New York Times gives a great little introduction to the archaeology of NYC, especially for the general public who may not be familiar with the field. I enjoyed their use of personal stories and I think it makes archaeology much more accessible for the uninitiated. By referring to specific artifacts, such as a broken bottle, and by placing the objects in their context on a cartoon map of the city, the article allows the reader to identify with the archaeological sites, both physically and geographically. I also like the interactive nature of the map, and think that the pop up descriptions show visitors how information can be drawn from the smallest artifact, such as a goat horn, or the most subtle changes in soil.

However, I wish the site enabled those interested by these projects to learn more about the digs. For example, it would have been great if readers could click on the blurbs to get more information and links to other sources or sites about the projects. This way the article would appeal to both the casual reader and those who want more in-depth information. I also have to look down upon the title, which uses key buzz words (“Raiders” – which makes me think  of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and “Lost City” – which sensationalizes New York’s colonial past) to grab the reader’s attention and set the reader up for a tale of adventure and treasure. But especially in such a populated urban area, this article really gets the viewers to consider archaeology and think about their surroundings in a new way.

I also found this fun walking tour of the city’s early history through archaeology if anyone else is going to be in the city over the summer!

This article, entitled “Debt-Ridden Greece Hopes Ancient Sites Can Yield New Cash,” from the New York Times, reflects our discussion of cultural tourism on an even larger scale. As we have seen, cultural sites often turn to tourism to help bring in desperately needed money. In the face of public funding cuts, officials of Greece’s national landmarks are using a similar principle. In addition to promoting tourism, these sites are trying to attract foreign filmmakers, fashion photographers and advertising firms by lowering their once high “rental” prices to $1,300 a day for photographers and $2,000 a day for film crews, and by simplifying their bureaucratic process.

These low prices seemingly invite anyone with a little money to come in and take over valuable sites like the Acropolis, making Greece’s heritage the backdrop for a cheesy commercial or the setting for an epic shootouts. As with many of the local tribal sites we have discussed, there is a major concern that such tourism and advertising could demean one’s history and culture and make it seem inauthentic. I believe that in opening up these sites to such advertising firms, there is a risk that the importance of a site and its identity could be lost. While tourists come for the culture and experience, using an archaeological site in advertisements for products unrelated to the site or as the background for a women in fancy evening gowns could dissociate the place from its meaning for consumers. To protect these sites I feel that any films or photography shoots that use the site need to, in some way, benefit the public’s understanding of the site, rather than just use it as a pretty background or to stir intrigue.

However, as the country’s archaeological council is allegedly very stringent on who they give permission to, hopefully no real danger is posed. As long as officials are careful and do not allow sites like the acropolis to become too overdone or take a backseat to company’s product promotions, Greece’s national archaeological monuments should maintain their integrity and significance. Hopefully these new advertising means can make the public aware of new sites, increase tourism, and promote a positive image of Greece in a time of financial troubles, in addition to promoting their products or providing entertainment.

In lieu of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, this article, from Archaeology Magazine, details the process of the exploration of the Titanic as it has developed with the field of underwater archaeology and advances in deep-sea technology. I found it extremely interesting that it was not until very recently the underwater wreckage has been considered an archaeological site. In the most recent excavation in 2010, new underwater robotic vehicles were able to take 3-D photos of all areas of the ship, creating detailed site maps and allowing archaeologists to literally “walk on the decks of the ship.” Archaeologists have now begun the task of identifying the context of various artifacts, features. I was also intrigued by the ethical and legal issues that excavators have faced in the 25 years since the ship was discovered, which tie in to some of the same issues we have discussed with repatriation, leaving sacred artifacts untouched, why and how artifacts are removed from the ground (or the sea!) and what happens to them next.