The attitudes of the contemporary Poles towards the archaeological past

This paper aims to present how the past is viewed in contemporary cultural and social narratives, and defines contemporary attitude to the past among Poles. My deliberations are placed in the context of the present-day society/culture and their constituting processes, namely the phenomenon of forgetting the past, democratization of the past, its privatization/individualization, commodification of the past and new ways of experiencing it. The paper will specifically concentrate on the archaeological past - that is the past created by archaeologists, and on archaeological heritage. It address three crucial issues, namely: (1) how changes in the historical context of post-1989 Poland influenced the emergence the renaissance of the past and different narratives about it; (2) what are the most important and widespread forms of presenting and/or experiencing the archaeological past in the present?, and (3) what are the main motivations that lie behind contemporary Poles interest in the past, archaeological heritage and activities undertaken around it? Finally, it is argued that the changes in the people’s attitudes towards the past have led also to a transformation in the hierarchy of aims and methods in education and dissemination of the knowledge about the past within institutions concerned with the past on a professional level.This paper aims to present how the past is viewed in contemporary cultural and social narratives, and defines contemporary attitude to the past among Poles. My deliberations are placed in the context of the present-day society/culture and their constituting processes, namely the phenomenon of forgetting the past, democratization of the past, its privatization/individualization, commodification of the past and new ways of experiencing it. The paper will specifically concentrate on the archaeological past - that is the past created by archaeologists, and on archaeological heritage. It address three crucial issues, namely: (1) how changes in the historical context of post-1989 Poland influenced the emergence the renaissance of the past and different narratives about it; (2) what are the most important and widespread forms of presenting and/or experiencing the archaeological past in the present?, and (3) what are the main motivations that lie behind contemporary Poles interest in the past, archaeological heritage and activities undertaken around it? Finally, it is argued that the changes in the people’s attitudes towards the past have led also to a transformation in the hierarchy of aims and methods in education and dissemination of the knowledge about the past within institutions concerned with the past on a professional level

Wybrane aspekty społecznego funkcjonowania wytworów wiedzy archeologicznej i archeologii we współczesnej Polsce

In the article an attempt has been made to conceptualise the presence and range of the functioning of the products of archaeological knowledge, indirectly also archaeology, in social space in modern Poland, in the context of broader transformations of modern man’s attitude towards the past. The ambition of the author has been to formulate certain regularities, observable in the processes of making prehistoric past present in modern times and to formulate specific developmental trends in this respect. The article describes the basic strategies of manifesting archaeological past, and shaping their trends, namely sensational attitude towards archaeological discoveries, reconstructionism, dramatisation of the past and its festivalisation. It also discusses the characteristic elements of the aforementioned trends, which create the specifics of the modern man’s approach towards the past, including the prehistoric past

Upowszechnianie dziedzictwa archeologicznego regionu Bobolic: realizacje i propozycje .

This paper sets out to present how the research results and knowledge of the archaeological heritage of the Bobolice Region were disseminated under the project ‘Non-invasive surveying of the potential of archaeological resources in the Bobolice region, West Pomerania Province’ and offers further propositions in this regard. One of the project’s essential objectives was to determine how we can use information generated through non-invasive research methods for the dissemination and popularisation of the archaeological heritage resources to the general public and how to exploit them for the development of tourism in this region of Poland.This paper provides an overview of the basic principles of the dissemination of knowledge about the cultural and/or archaeological heritage. It discusses the key initiatives in the field carried out during the project. These included a seminar, a popular science conference, lessons at schools, promotional activities and publications. Among others, the project sought to specify the possibilities for a potential use of certain archaeological structures and sites, through actions aimed at their dissemination and making them available to the general public, and a possible use in the development of archaeological tourism in the region. The recommendations presented here should be seen merely as suggestions for potential activities centred on the archaeological heritage resources in the Bobolice region.

Past in the present: Mount Ślęża according to pierre nora’s “sites of memory” (lieux de mémoire) concept

In article I propose taking a look at the Mount Ślęża in Poland in the context of Pierre Nora’s lieux de mémoire concept. Ślęża is an important heritage site as although it has been the topic of many studies and scientific investigations, interest in this unusual mountain goes well beyond scientific discourse. This paper focuses on not only what Ślęża meant to prehistoric people but mainly on its contemporary significance, with specific attention to the various functions that it fulfils today. By revealing the breadth of discourses on Ślęża and highlighting its vitality and relevance in the lives of many people, it also attmpts to put forward a dialogue between archaeologists, heritage professionals and groups holding alternative views on the current meaning or role of the Mount Ślęża

Przeszłość we współczesności. Studium metodologiczne archeologicznie kreowanej przeszłości w przestrzeni społecznej

Prezentowane w książce rozważania koncentrują się wokół znaczenia przeszłości pradziejowej, stanowiącej przedmiot badań archeologii, we współczesnej Polsce oraz zmian w tym zakresie po 1989 r. i w kontekście kultury ponowoczesnej. Jej celem jest wieloaspektowa analiza społecznego kontekstu funkcjonowania, wymowy, znaczenia oraz zakresu przywołań tejże przeszłości, rozwijanych także poza dyskursem akademickim. Książka ma również za zadanie określenie roli, jaką w opisywanych procesach odgrywa bądź powinna odgrywać archeologia, jako dyscyplina naukowa, badająca i interpretująca przeszłość, wobec wyzwań i zagrożeń, stających przed nią w XXI wieku. Poruszana problematyka koncentruje się wokół takich zagadnień jak m.in. społeczne funkcje archeologii, ochrona i prezentacja dziedzictwa archeologicznego, rezerwaty i skanseny archeologiczne, festyny archeologiczne i zjawisko odtwórstwa historycznego oraz muzea archeologiczne. Podejmuje również kwestię społecznego funkcjonowania stanowisk archeologicznych, na przykładzie rezerwatów kamiennych kręgów na Pomorzu, w pespektywie różnych zapatrywań i podejść do interpretacji oraz wykorzystania dziedzictwa archeologicznego

Socially responsible archaeology. public and community archaeology acivities in Poland

This paper aims to conceptualize the social role of archaeology and archeological heritage in the present. First, it contextualizes the legal and doctrinal background of activities aimed at dissemination of cultural and archaeological heritage and engagement of public in initiatives around that heritage. Next, it describes main forms of outreach activities undertaken by archaeologists in Poland. Further, it presents community-oriented activities and initiatives that go beyond education of the general public about the past and archaeology and strive for engaging local communities in activities centered around archaeology and archaeological heritage. It concludes with a statement that openness of archaeology to society helps to strengthen its current social position, determines its role in the world and attributes social activities of archaeologists with a deeper meaning.This paper aims to conceptualize the social role of archaeology and archeological heritage in the present. First, it contextualizes the legal and doctrinal background of activities aimed at dissemination of cultural and archaeological heritage and engagement of public in initiatives around that heritage. Next, it describes main forms of outreach activities undertaken by archaeologists in Poland. Further, it presents community-oriented activities and initiatives that go beyond education of the general public about the past and archaeology and strive for engaging local communities in activities centered around archaeology and archaeological heritage. It concludes with a statement that openness of archaeology to society helps to strengthen its current social position, determines its role in the world and attributes social activities of archaeologists with a deeper meaning

Jaka przyszłość czeka muzeum archeologiczne? Dyskusja z tezami zawartymi w książce Moniki Stobieckiej: Natura artefaktu, kultura eksponatu. Projekt krytycznego muzeum archeologicznego

This article is of polemical nature. It discusses main theses of the recently published book by Monika Stobiecka: Natura artefaktu, kultura eksponatu. Projekt krytycznego muzeum archeologicznego (2020). The book presents contemporary archaeology as a very innovative discipline striving for interdisciplinarity and extending beyond traditional research issues and borders. At the same, the authoress postulates a need to reorient archaeology and create a new type of archaeological museum, namely critical museum – “museum of life”.This article is of polemical nature. It discusses main theses of the recently published book by Monika Stobiecka: Natura artefaktu, kultura eksponatu. Projekt krytycznego muzeum archeologicznego (2020). The book presents contemporary archaeology as a very innovative discipline striving for interdisciplinarity and extending beyond traditional research issues and borders. At the same, the authoress postulates a need to reorient archaeology and create a new type of archaeological museum, namely critical museum – “museum of life”

Archeologia, dziedzictwo archeologiczne i ich społeczne znaczenie w oczach współczesnych Polaków

The article explores the issues connected to the social role of archaeology and its meaning among the public. In the paper we analyze the European survey conducted by Harris Interactive in 9 European countries (Poland, Greece, Italy, France, Sweden, UK, Holland, Germany, Spain) with a special account on its results in Poland. The results of the survey present that archaeology is a scientific discipline of special interest among Poles and that they appreciate and need a contact and cooperation with archaeologists which would enable society to understand more the importance of our own past

Teoria i metodologia archeologii na Uniwersytecie w Poznaniu

The article attempts to present and evaluate the role and achievements of the Department of History and Methodology of Prehistory at the Institute of Prehistory at Adam Mickiewicz University, in terms of a reflection on theory and methodology of archaeology, developed in the framework of the Department, and pioneered by Professor Jan Żak. The first part presents an overview of the theoretical reflection and the range of issues undertaken by Professor Żak, while the second, by the employees of the Department of History and Methodology of Prehistory after Professor’s death. What all of these share is an attempt to find answers to questions about what is a “theory” in archaeology, what is its relationship with the practice of the discipline, the humanities and the intellectual world in general, as well as the role it played in the development of Polish archaeology in the past few decades

Przeszłość we współczesności. Studium metodologiczne archeologicznie kreowanej przeszłości w przestrzeni społecznej

Prezentowane w książce rozważania koncentrują się wokół znaczenia przeszłości pradziejowej, stanowiącej przedmiot badań archeologii, we współczesnej Polsce oraz zmian w tym zakresie po 1989 r. i w kontekście kultury ponowoczesnej. Jej celem jest wieloaspektowa analiza społecznego kontekstu funkcjonowania, wymowy, znaczenia oraz zakresu przywołań tejże przeszłości, rozwijanych także poza dyskursem akademickim. Książka ma również za zadanie określenie roli, jaką w opisywanych procesach odgrywa bądź powinna odgrywać archeologia, jako dyscyplina naukowa, badająca i interpretująca przeszłość, wobec wyzwań i zagrożeń, stających przed nią w XXI wieku. Poruszana problematyka koncentruje się wokół takich zagadnień jak m.in. społeczne funkcje archeologii, ochrona i prezentacja dziedzictwa archeologicznego, rezerwaty i skanseny archeologiczne, festyny archeologiczne i zjawisko odtwórstwa historycznego oraz muzea archeologiczne. Podejmuje również kwestię społecznego funkcjonowania stanowisk archeologicznych, na przykładzie rezerwatów kamiennych kręgów na Pomorzu, w pespektywie różnych zapatrywań i podejść do interpretacji oraz wykorzystania dziedzictwa archeologicznego