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Constructing Houses and Building Context: Bersu's Manx Round-house Campaign

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2014

Christopher Evans
Christopher Evans
Affiliation:
Cambridge Archaeological Unit, Department of Archaeology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ
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Abstract

Bersu's war-time excavation of three ‘great’ Iron Age round-houses on the Isle of Man are considered. Their archive includes letters from colleagues (eg Hawkes and Childe) which offer unique insights into the construction of fieldwork context, particularly, in this case, a Celtic paradigm. Concerned with house studies and the possibility of ‘reconstruction’, Bersu's methodology is analysed. Site documentation shows him to be a ‘graphic archaeologist’, thinking and interpreting visually, and as such contrasts with concepts of ‘archaeology as text’.

Résumé

Les fouilles par Bersu pendant la guerre des trois “grandes“ maison rondes de l'âge du fer sur l'île de Man sont examinées. L'archive comprend des lettres par des collègues (par exemple Hawkes et Childe) qui donnent des points de vue uniques sur la construction du contexte de travail sur chantier, en particulier dans ce cas un paradigme celtique. En ce qui concerne les études des maisons et la possibilité de “reconstruction“, les méthodes de Bersu sont examinées. La documentation du site le montre comme “archéologue graphique“ qui pense et interprète visuellement et en cela fait un contraste avec des conceptions de “1'archéologie comme texte“.

Zusammenfassung

Bersus Ausgrabungen während des Krieges dreier ‘großen’ Rundhäuser aus der Bronzezeit auf der Insel Man werden hier überprüft. Ihre Archive umfassen Briefe von Kollegen (z. B. Hawkes und Childe), die eine einzigartige Einsicht in die Konstruktionen der Arbeit am Gelände gewähren, besonders in diesem Falle, da es ein keltisches Paradigma ist. Bersus Methologie, die mit den Hausstudien und der Möglichkeit die Häuser zu rekonstruieren zusammenhängt, wird analysiert. Unterlagen über das Gelände beweisen, dass er ein ‘graphischer Archäologe’ war, der bildlich denkt und auslegt und als solcher steht er im Gegensatz zu den Konzepten der ‘Archäologie im Text’.

Résumen

Este artículo examina la excavación, realizada por Bersu en tiempos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, de tres “grandes” casas de planta redonda de la Edad del Hierro en la Isla de Man. Sus archivos incluyen cartas de colegas (como por ejemplo Hawkes y Childe) que aportan perspectivas únicas sobre la construcción de contexto de trabajo de campo, particularmente en este caso, un paradigma céltico. Se analiza la metodología de Bersu, interesado en estudios de habitación y la posibilidad de “reconstrucción”. La documentación del yacimiento revela a Bersu como “arqueólogo gráfico”, que interpretaba y pensaba visualmente, y que, como tal, choca con el concepto de “arqueología como texto”.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 64 , January 1998 , pp. 183 - 201
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1998

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