Landscapes Medieval Villages
INTRODUCTION TO HISTORIC LANSCAPES
Are different theoretical approaches more suitable for studying different periods of landscape development? Discuss at least two different approaches identifying key strengths and weaknesses.
Very few landscapes are preserved in time. The historic landscape as we know it and in which we can all see around us today is not only representative of the combination of N-transforms and C-transforms but is also a collage or an assortment of lots of different landscape elements from a wide range of historical periods. Whilst it can be assumed that an historic landscape derives its significance from a particular historical period, changes to the landscape or additions to it since that time may have achieved a meaning of their own, rebuilding, famine, plague, war and migration are just some examples of what can alter the landscape. Being able to identify the places that may represent one or more historical period is quite important in trying to understand what they are, and also to try and express the importance of maintaining them.
Landscape history is the theory and study of how the physical appearance of the landscape, both in the present and the past by natural means and cultural means. Another term for landscape history is landscape archaeology. Landscape history first came to light as a theory thanks to a book called ‘The Making of the English Landscape' which was written by W. G. Hoskins in 1955. The theory of landscape history covers various topics which include:
Deserted medieval villages which provide evidence of earlier village forms, field boundaries, different place-names which have been used to illustrate landscape features, the ‘Morphology' of settlements, and if they are spread out or concentrated and identified field systems such as ancient agriculture (Hoskins 1955). There are two main approaches to study landscape history; they are field survey and desk survey. Field survey involves the physical inspection of the landscape to identify earthworks and other potential features. Furthermore, field surveys can be either intrusive or non-intrusive or extensive or non-extensive, furthermore it nearly always involves field walking (transects). A desk survey involves researching reference material in relation to the landscape; this includes historic maps and diagrams, and comparing them to modern maps or aerial photographs and also historic text that may describe the features of the landscape and using this as a legend when looking at modern maps or aerial photographs (Renfrew & Bahn 2004).
The origins of the features in the landscape can often be related to the geology and ecology of the area being studied - for example the importance of springs and the suitability of the soil for different forms of agriculture. The strength of using landscape history is that it is essentially unbiased and not really open for different interpretation; we can of course interpret what we find but for the purpose of just identifying the landscape it is pretty much as you see it (Siciliano 2005). This theory is invaluable when studying pre-industrial age activity when material remains are not instantly recognisable.
Post-processual archaeology using hermeneutics, deals with the theory of interpretation and meaning; generally the deciphering of a system of signs, particularly texts (Hodder 1999). Human understanding which includes the natural sciences, is interpretative, so metaphorically speaking, the natural world and material culture are just like texts, ready to be read. So we can make sure that the data is never totally objective it needs to be interpreted or read in terms of our tools, concepts, expectations and values (Hodder 1999). The German philosopher, Martin Heidegger is cited by (Vedder 2006); “essentially, hermeneutics involves cultivating the ability to understand things from somebody else's point of view and to appreciate the cultural and social forces that may have influenced their outlook”. Heidegger is very much an authority of the school of thought of hermeneutics and phenomenology. Hermeneutics is the process of applying this understanding to interpreting the meaning of written texts and symbolic artefacts (such as picture art, sculptures or buildings), which could be either historic or contemporary. When we apply the theory of hermeneutics in archaeology, it means the interpretation and understanding of material culture by analysing the possible use socially or the meanings behind why or how it exists. Supporters of this theory argue for the case that interpretation of artefacts or material culture is unavoidably hermeneutic because we don't know for certain the meanings behind them and all we can do is apply a modern value in the interpretation. This is most common in stone tools, for example, where using descriptions such as "scraper" can be highly subjective and unproven. Opponents claim that a hermeneutic approach is too relativist and that their own interpretations are based on common-sense evaluation. If we take the Mesolithic period of landscape development as an example, we know very little for certain due to the lack of material culture, so we need to make assumptions based on hermeneutics and post-processual theories.
To conclude, there is certainly a place for different theoretical approaches to landscape archaeology and it can be argued that no one theory is more appropriate than another. However some approaches are more appropriate than others, and this can be dependant on the different periods of landscape development. The more abundant the number of artefacts or material culture found at a site then it appropriate to apply a proven hypothesis, and generally the less material culture available it is very much open to interpretation. The study of landscape development has the potential to be able to unify several different sub disciplines of archaeology, thus bringing together both scientific or positivist archaeologies and those that approach it from the perspective of social theory or the humanities.
Bibliography
Aston, M (1985). Interpreting the Landscape. London: Routledge. p13-20, p91-102 & p149-154.
Hodder, I (1999). The Archaeological Process. Oxford: Blackwell. p30-60 & p70-78.
Hoskins, W.G (1955). The Making of the English landscape. London: Penguin Books. 3rd ed. p17-45, 66-70 & 298-303
Johnson, M (2005). Archaeological Theory. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Renfrew, C & Bahn, P (2004). Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. 4th ed. London: Thames & Hudson.
Siciliano, J (2005). Landscape Interpretations. Canada: Thomson Delmar. p197-217.
Vedder, B (2006). Heidegger's Philosophy of Religion: From God to the Gods. London: Duquesne. p240-241.
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