Search the past – find the present : The value of archaeology for present-day society

Archaeologists are widely regarded as searching in our present reality for traces of the past. However, in this lecture I argue that archaeologists searching for the past will instead find their present. In reviewing the relations between archaeology, heritage and present-day society, I argue that the remains of the past which archaeology studies cannot be seen only as a record of past human realities that were substantially different from our own. Instead, I propose that archaeological objects and practices can be conceived of as media of social practice. They assist us in negotiating our very own social realities and our understanding of what it means to be human. It is this quality that archaeology and heritage should mainly be concerned about in contemporary society. This perspective can considerably increase the value and significance of the discipline and practice of archaeology in present-day society