"When Worlds Collide": Archaeology and Science Fiction

"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past" (ORWELL 1949)

"There is no past or future; only a multitude of possibilities" (The Doctor)

A Multitude of Possibilities?

More people have seen "Raiders of the Lost Ark" than "Time Team, Chronicle or Open University". More people have read "Chariots of the Gods" than will ever read Excavations at Maiden Castle". Worried? Should you be? Are those involved in archaeology secretly pleased by the heroic pose of fictional archaeologists Indiana Jones, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Lintilla, Bernice Summerfield or Lara Croft? Can we learn anything from the popular perception of archaeology within fiction and within in the public consciousness? Can ideas and concepts outlined within science fiction enlighten us as to the way forward for archaeologists and archaeological fieldwork, or does SciFi just reflect and enforce the outlook, beliefs and prejudices of its own era? Do archaeologists have a future, or are we doomed to be Cyber-Diggers locked forever within a Virtual-Trench?

If you have ever pondered upon the importance of having archaeologists on the first deep-space mission, if you are worried that cyber-space is becoming more of a reality than test pitting, if you possess a burning desire to conduct a full environmental impact assessment on the Klingon homeworld, if you feel that monoliths on the moons of Earth and Jupiter are in urgent need of conservation, if you have entertained fears that the Neolithic tomb you excavated back in '87 may have contained a curse or if you have ever wondered whether publishing the results of thirty years fieldwork in a Norfolk bog may be slightly less profitable than writing a book on how Atlantis was originally just east of Putney, then welcome. There are many possibilities. Let us explore just some of them…

Field Monuments in the Kingdom of Lancre, Discworld

The Kingdom of Lancre on Terry Pratchet's Discworld has one of the richest archaeological landscapes in the multiverse. The archaeologist who travels through this mountainous realm is faced with a number of questions:
 
what are the monuments that are encountered?;
how are they managed?;
what can they tell us?
By considering this very alien, yet remarkably familiar, place we will examine the links between fantasy and reality and between archaeologists and the wider public over time and space. Finally we will ask why there is, as yet, no RCHM(L) and consider the role of witches, elves and mobile megaliths in the work of the Monuments Protection Programme.

Myth Makers: Archaeology in Doctor Who

Archaeology and science fiction share a common identity in that they are both manifestations of the colonial encounter. In the popular perception, both are concerned with discovery of the unfamiliar, the different, the alien, the other. It is the role of the explorer/archaeologist to describe, explain and interpret. This paper considers this perception, drawing upon archaeology as depicted in BBC TV's "Doctor Who" series. Some kinds of archaeologists may be seen as Time Lords, with a monopoly on the construction of history. They explore, survey, collect and analyse the material residues of past worlds, and produce accounts of those worlds through routine archaeological procedures. The histories produced through this colonial encounter with an alien past seem, however, strangely familiar, much like the rather "humanised" aliens encountered in "Doctor Who". We can interpret these alien worlds because we identify certain elements of behaviour, of "human-ness", which we see as being universal.

Time Lords may claim objectivity through a policy of non-interference in the affairs of other worlds, but archaeologists can no longer lay such a claim. We are active in our interference: we construct histories through destruction of past material conditions. With this destruction must come obligation, in particular obligation to abandon the uniformitarian perspective and produce archaeological narratives of pasts, of other worlds, which are recognised as peculiar and alien, and which may remain partially misunderstood. Resistance is useless.

Towards an LSMR and MSMR (Lunar and Martian Sites and Monuments Records): Recording Planetary Spacecraft Landing Sites as Archaeological Monuments of the Future

Approaching the end of the millennium, we now have numerous spacecraft circling our planet, probing various locations of the solar system or lying on the surfaces of other planets. Many of these spacecraft have provided important scientific breakthroughs in the technology of space travel and in astronomical research yet there is little or no legislative framework that protects these craft or their landing sites from future human interference should astro-tourism ever take off (so to speak).

Although the other planets of our solar system are still beyond the reach of tourists, visitors have offered a constant source of disturbance to terrestrial archaeological sites and it is likely that they will act similarly once they are able to visit off-world locations. Suggestions on how to conserve our interplanetary heritage in an international context before such disaster strikes will be put forward in this paper.

Archaeology and the extraterrestrial: Blair Cuspids, Martian monuments and beyond the infinite.

It surprises me that no professional archaeologists have become involved in the debates about supposed evidence for alien activity on other worlds in our solar system. The moon and Mars, especially, have long held a fascination for the more speculative writers on 'ancient mysteries'. When archaeologists have ventured opinions on the subject, they have been dismissive and openly hostile.

But what if out neighbouring worlds did indeed bear the traces of civilisations other than or earlier than our own? This would be a tremendously important discovery, one that would radically change our views of the human past (assuming, as some have done, that such remains were of anthropogenic origin) or of other forms of life in the cosmos (assuming their extraterrestrial origin). As archaeologists, we are well placed to examine the claims for lunar obelisks and Martian pyramids. The interpretation of aerial photographs forms an important component of our discipline, and we can generally distinguish archaeological from geological phenomena. The same techniques could be deployed in the analysis of not just those objects that have been singled out as anomalous by speculative writers, but also of all photographs of these worlds whose resolution is good enough to give us the necessary detail.

I do not wish either to debunk or support the claims for extraterrestrial civilisations. I suggest that it is a question we must approach with an open mind, otherwise we will simply find evidence to confirm what we already believe, whether in support of the ET hypothesis or against it. By doing this, we can make a real impact on the debate, lending expert opinion on a subject area dominated by non-archaeological speculation and astronomical scepticism. At the same time, we need to examine why it is that we earth-bound humans have such a compelling need to search for life elsewhere.

The Case for Exo-Archaeology
 

If archaeology is the search for and investigation of physical remains of intelligent life, then "Exo-Archaeology" merely expands the search.

Planets outside our solar system have finally been discovered.  As we look farther into the universe, the probability of discovering planets or moons capable of supporting life increases.  And given the long time necessary to produce life, and the short life expectancy of technologically advanced societies, it is much more likely we will discover the remains of past civilizations than living cultures we can communicate with.

This paper makes the case that we, as professional archaeologists,
must be prepared to not only respond to unsubstantiated claims of extra-terrestrial remains, but to be actively involved in the search for them. How we define the field of Exo-Archaeology, how we train ourselves in this field to evaluate distant worlds for signs of intelligent life, and how we establish criteria for determining the existence of extra-terrestrial artifacts will be the basis for the future authenticity of archaeological claims on other worlds.

In addition to the direct application of archaeological methodology to distant worlds, Exo-Archaeology can be an excellent exercise in space-based methodology for earth-bound archaeologists: attempting to assess remote sensing applications to the planet earth while minimizing human-based preconceptions.  This exercise in objectivity may be a crucial element in training our students in the future.

Finally, the technology developed for space exploration will definitely be useful to archaeologists in the future, wherever they may be working. We must keep up with these new developments and  integrate them into our field methodology.

Past Futures or Present Pasts

The depiction of archaeology within popular media has usually centred upon the archetypal, usually square-jawed, hero. There has usually been a supporting role for artefacts, some of which may exhibit mystical powers, deep socio-religious significance or an as yet unknown source of energy (guaranteed to stall the warp engines on the Enterprise), but what of the backdrop to these adventures? What about the building or construction from which our hero/heroine snatches (or preserves for future generations) said artefact from the jaws of evil or whatever alien race happens to be knocking about at the time. Is the setting for such an adventure just a matte, or do we endow it with a deeper meaning?

The earth-bound story usually sets the narrative within familiar archaeological surroundings, but what of the interplanetary archaeologist? Does the freedom from earthly constraints allow set designers imaginations to run free, or do we see an imposition of an earthly past upon an alien future? Can we help, consciously or subconsciously, imposing style criteria and perceptions upon the unperceived?

Are we perceived to be what we say we are?

If science fiction is drawn from the views and opinions of the individual, and the society that he / she originates from, then arguably it reflects the images of the associated contemporary culture. The portrayal of archaeology and archaeologists in science fiction therefore, is likely to be derived from a perception of what those terms mean to that contemporary society. If we strip away the veneer of advanced technological sophistication necessitated by the genre, then what remains should be, however simplistic, a contemporary description of what we are and what we do.

By examining what contemporary society identifies as archaeology in this indirect manner, we may get a more accurate depiction of what late 20th century western society thinks we are about.

"Run a Level Three Diagnostic Mr Data"

Why is it in popular entertainment archaeology is perceived as exciting and vibrant but in reality falls somewhat short of the public's expectations? Perhaps part of the problem lies in the fact that we do not communicate our results in an easily understandable way, and if this is so then why is it a surprise that the public is not excited by archaeology?

This paper will present some of the initiatives currently being developed and used by RCHME to explain analytical survey data to a wider audience beyond that of the academic: even in the Halls of Academia not everyone understands the humble hachure! Clearly as a discipline we have some way to go to redress the balance, make archaeology understandable to the public and thus demonstrate the excitement we feel but do not communicate very well. The problem is reversible, but we need to address it before it is too late. In short, as a discipline, we must attempt to both live long and prosper.

The celluloid archaeologist

The celluloid archaeologist has a long and illustrious history stretching back to 1916. A career based on integrity, heroism and a dogged persistence in the pursuit of important archaeological relics. However the public front of a stiff upper lip and intellectual philosophy masks a hidden 'heart of darkness'. This paper unearths the exploits the celluloid archaeologist would rather the public did not remember. In this exclusive investigation into moral character, the flirtations with drink, drugs, racism, sexism and greed are all exposed. Over seventy films have been reviewed in order to reveal this characters secrets.

Gasp in horror at the archaeologist's exploits in Egypt. Shriek in terror at the demonic forces released by the archaeologist's meddling with nightmare forces. Writhe in embarrassment at the actions attributed to the archaeologist's foolhardiness. This paper seeks to pinpoint the elements seized upon by the media to represent archaeologists within the medium of cinema - Indiana Jones may be the most famous, but was certainly not the first….

A Novel and Poetic Prehistory

With no written history to contradict the word of literature, fictional reconstructions of prehistoric life would seem to have a poetic licence to soar across imaginative realms. Why then do novels based in prehistory often act as mirrors to the concerns of our own society, reflecting back our own desires and ideologies? By considering the emerging themes of a small selection of novels that attempt to reconstruct prehistoric life, it is possible to recognise the discourses about prehistory that are available for public consumption, and identify the reasons for, and the effect of, the popularity of particular interpretations of the past as opposed to others. Are these discourses specific to a particular medium? Here the attractions of prehistory to the reading public will be considered.

Visual Images of the Future

This is an exploration of the factors that may condition an artist's product when making imaginative constructions about future worlds. The database of images of present-day artefacts and styles is regarded as the "norm"; this is how things look, and they may be included in future projections with little or no thought for their probable validity.

At any given period it is difficult to know which styles become classic and which will prove ephemeral (often the most consciously "modern" style becomes the dated tag-mark of a particular era). There is perhaps a basic feeling that the present day is as "up to date" as it's possible to be. This may be the motivation behind the car adverts claim that "the future is here" - an inability to envisage the present as superseded and out-of-date. This impression may result in simplistic, straight-line extrapolations: the expectation that things in the future will be essentially "the same only bigger (or faster)".

Attempts to go beyond this concept are faced with the difficulty that there are no "building blocks" - i.e. known factors of materials, dress etc. - that can be used, which is where this art differs from archaeological reconstruction (which usually has at least a consensus of opinion on many factors). Future reconstructions are an almost purely imaginative exercise. It is possible that an illustration in the present may become a factor that influences the future; a design idea that was purely an imaginative exercise may be taken up and embodied as an actual artefact. At present there appear to be few instances of this, partly perhaps because writers and illustrators have jumped so far what is beyond technically possible at the moment. (You can't be inspired to build a space station the size and complexity of Babylon 5 or Deep Space 9 when you've only got as far as keeping Mir in the sky.)

Although ideas may be influential, the visual artist has to convey them by representing things, including artefacts, and the design process of these is still conditioned by the state of the technology, rather than the limits of human imagination. A conclusion might be that future resources are of no particular value as a factual guide to future experience, since their material source is (inescapably) the present. However, they have their own roles as an archive of how the people of a particular time saw their future (which is, after all, part of their world view) as a means of exploring the possible outcomes of present tendencies and trends and as a branch of the visual arts in which genuine innovation - rare in practice - is actually possible.

HAL (9000 Series Computer)
"I know that you and Frank were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen."