Dr. Andy Roddick will discuss his work as an archaeologist in Bolivia and Peru, a region that evokes many of the myths of archaeology—myths which continue to haunt practicing archaeologists today. In this talk, Dr. Roddick will break down some of these misconceptions, presenting the realities of contemporary archaeological practice.
Archaeologists working in this region encounter beautiful artifacts and monumental architecture, but much of their attention is directed towards the details of some of the most mundane, but revealing objects. Their interpretation of thousands of years of trash, from the microscopic remains of burned food to discarded used tools, is allowing researchers to sketch out an understanding of the ancient societies that lived on this breathtaking landscape thousands of years ago. This other kind of archaeology—the kind that rarely receives media attention—also includes working collaboratively with a diversity of Bolivian groups, many of whom have their own perspectives and interests in the past.
Explore the special exhibition Beneath the Surface: Life, Death, Gold and Ceramics in Ancient Panama before or after the talk!
Visit www.gardinermuseum.com/event/beyond-indiana-jones to learn more.
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dr. Andy Roddick completed his PhD at the University of California Berkeley in 2009. He currently holds an Assistant Professor position in the Anthropology Department at McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada), where he is the Director of the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Research into Archaeological Ceramics (LIRAC). Dr. Roddick has conducted archaeological fieldwork in Canada, Belize, Bolivia and Peru, and published articles in a number of journals including Antiquity, Journal of Social Archaeology, the Cambridge Archaeological Journal, and the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology.
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