The old world order is crumbling and to many it may seem we face chaos or anarchy. To a certain extent such a situation is the most post-modern of outcomes. Archaeology may well begin to reflect, probably for the first time, what is happening elsewhere in the real world. What is certain is that archaeology as a discipline will be less in control in the future. Archaeologists will feel uncertain of their position and status in this shifting world, appear less secure in their academic stance and uncomfortable in their relationship with the perpetually reforming mosaic of interest groups, individuals, avatars or other digital personae which is emerging.
Such changes are inevitable, and to a large extent essential. For nearly two hundred years archaeologists have jealously guarded access to the past through their privileged position as interpreters, synthesisers and publishers. It is difficult to defend such a position today and digital publication or, more correctly, dissemination will undermine this situation permanently. In the future we will facilitate others actively to read, interpret and publish the past; ours will be only one published view amongst many.
© Internet Archaeology
URL: http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue6/gaffney/conclusions.html
Last updated: Tue March 9 1999