Archaeology is often described as informed storytelling: as practitioners, we are trained not only to produce data in the field or in the lab, but also how to write about and present on it – often in more formal settings such as conferences, or informally through public outreach and engagement. However, with increasingly specialised fields of study come greater barriers to dissemination; research narratives may end up ‘lost in translation’, whilst facts and data take second place to catchy news headlines or popular media.
Practised across time and space, storytelling provides an alternative method through which to communicate archaeological information, not only to public audiences, but also amongst those working in diverse archaeological fields. Stories develop and evolve, much like our data and interpretations, and can be told and retold by different narrators. Such techniques may therefore help us to convey complex research in an accessible – but by no means overly-simplified – format, in turn permitting cross-disciplinary discussions and understanding. From archaeological theory to stable isotope analysis, it offers the possibility of connecting with varied audiences, widening participation, and challenging status quo present in traditional modes of research dissemination.
In this session, we invite anyone interested in the human past to try your hand at alternative communication techniques, broadly through storytelling methods. We also welcome those who have had success with such approaches to come and share your experiences! The session aims to be inclusive and experimental, so whether you bring props, present in verse, try out the method of kamishibai (Japanese ‘paper drama’ or picture storytelling – we recommend this method if you are unsure where to start), or simply present your work differently, we would like you to step away from traditional slideshow presentations and to embrace the creative and evolving narratives that archaeological research generates.
So, what’s your story?
9:00am | I Matilda, Regina Anglorum | Lizzie Bryant
9:25am | Combining archaeology and fiction: can writing fiction be a form of experimental archaeology? | David Greig
9:40am | The Bones in the Scout Hut | Sam Scott Reiter
9:55am | Hominin story | Carys Phillips
10:10am | Creating Pwani: rope, nets, fish-traps and the maritime cultural heritage of Pemba | Laura Basell
10:45am | The Tale of the Toad Stone | Katy Whitaker
11:00am | My life in the “Movies”: Interpreting the archaeological remains of WW1 submarine chaser “Movy” Motor Launch [ML]286 through storytelling | Suzanne Taylor
Full paper abstracts available here: https://tag2024.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tag-2024-session-abstracts-1.pdf