From an Inclusive Archaeology, for a Better Past. An Epistemological and Axiological Essay

Abstract

This paper reflects on the necessity of an inclusive epistemological framework that, in dealing with the multivocality of historical processes under study, affords the creation of more plural and representative historical accounts. But to account the past would be much better if, besides being epistemologically inclusive, contributes in any way to improve present society. That’s why we claim that archaeology must be aware of axiological issues and should look for potential fields of implementation. This assertion is illustrated with a case study on pottery that underlines that everyday objects were used, and still are, in strategies for the social construction of inequality. In this context, we demand a collective awareness of this practice in our society and claim to give up with some discursive resources. For example, we propose to pick up the term inclusive, this time to contrapose the social meaning of the adjective exclusive. Although all these thoughts stem from case studies of historical archaeology, we believe they could be useful to archaeology in general, without any chronological bias.