Archaeology and Photography: Time, Objectivity and Archive

Description

This is the first volume to explore the place of photography in archaeology: the parallel histories of the two fields, their similarities and differences, and their current and future relationships. Since its earliest beginnings, photography has been innately archaeological. Its ability to freeze a moment of time gives photographic images an uncanny quality, whilst also allowing them to be a uniquely valuable recording tool. Photography has been a central element of archaeological method and practice since the late 19th century, and yet the apparent neutrality and passive objectivity of photographic images in the creation of archaeological knowledge is rarely interrogated. Meanwhile, archaeology’s photographic character – the significance of the visual, of documentation, and of intervention in temporal process – remains even less explored. Digital technology has made photography both ubiquitous and ephemeral, questioning the status and authenticity of the image as material archive. Thus, despite their shared histories and present commonalities, these various intimate connections between archaeology and photography remain under-explored. This volume will mark a watershed in the emergence of a new generation of studies of archaeological photography, bringing together new studies of archaeological photography from leading researchers in the field, both of historical photographs in archives, and of contemporary practice. It explores the legacy of historical photography on contemporary archaeological fieldwork and image-making, and takes stock of what the vision for the future relationship between archaeology and photography might be, through seven key themes – time, materials, fieldwork, representation, documentation and the archive, and the profilmic. Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Dedication CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTORS PREFACE 1 INTRODUCTION: FROM ARCHAEOGRAPHY TOPHOTOLOGY Lesley McFadyen and Dan Hicks Notes References 2 THE TRANSFORMATION OF VISUAL ARCHAEOLOGY (PART ONE) Dan Hicks I. Archaeography II. Idiorrhythmy III. Histories of looking IV. Visualism V. Photology Notes References 3 ‘AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT’: DURATION IN ARCHAEOLOGY AND PHOTOGRAPHY Mark Knight and Lesley McFadyen Duration Concrete duration Clock time Movement Illuminated points Moving zone Long exposures Taking time Conclusion References 4 EXPOSING ARCHAEOLOGY: TIME IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PHOTOGRAPHS J.A. Baird I. Introduction II. Intended sequences III. Unintended consequences IV. Conclusions References 5 PARAFICTIONS: A POLAROID ARCHAEOLOGY Joana Alves-Ferreira Acknowledgements Notes References 6 ARCHAEOLOGY, PHOTOGRAPHY AND POETICS Sérgio Gomes References 7 DURATION AND REPRESENTATION IN ARCHAEOLOGY AND PHOTOGRAPHY Antonia Thomas Introduction Archaeology and photography The Brodgar Stone: before and after Philosophy and time Archaeology and representation Photography and duration Conclusion References 8 PHOTOGRAPHING BUILDINGS James Dixon Photographer 1: Architectural Photographer 2: Aide- memoire Photographer 3: Contractors Photographer 4: Artists References 9 PHOTOGRAPHING GRAFFITI Alex Hale and Iain Anderson References 10 PHOTOGRAPHY, ARCHAEOLOGY AND VISUAL REPATRIATION Samuel Derbyshire References 11 THE AERIAL IMAGINATION Oscar Aldred References 12 THE TRANSFORMATION OF VISUAL ARCHAEOLOGY (PART TWO) Dan Hicks VI. Homonymy VII. Prefiguration VIII. Unhistoricity IX. Impermanence X. Appearance XI. Archaeology as if photography Notes References INDEX