Archaeology Under Dictatorship

"Archaeology Under Dictatorship" demonstrates that the study of archaeology as it evolved under modern dictatorships is today, more than ever, of critical importance. For example, in many European countries those who practiced archaeology under dictatorship are retiring or dying. In some places, their intellectual legacy is being pursued uncritically by a younger generation of archaeologists. Now is the time, therefore, to understand how archaeologists have supported, and sometimes subverted, dictatorial political ideologies. In studying archaeology as practiced under totalitarian dictatorship, that most harsh of political systems, light is shed on the issue of politics and archaeology generally. This volume aims to provide a theoretical basis for understanding the specific effects of totalitarian dictatorship upon the practice of archaeology, both during and after the dictator's reign. The nine essays explore experiences from every corner of the Mediterranean; from the heartlands of Italy, Spain and Greece, to the less well-known shores of Albania and Libya. With its wide-range of case-studies and strong theoretical orientation, this volume is a major advance in the study of the history and politics of archaeology.