The
May issue of the SAA Archaeological Record, the magazine of the Society for American Archaeology, has a terrific Special Forum, which the editor, Jane Eva Baxter, describes as a series of love letters to archaeology from people at all ages and stages of life and career, from different countries and backgrounds, and with different working relationships to archaeology.
Baxter invited 25 colleagues and friends to contribute one page essays that began with the line I love archaeology because
The result is a wonderfully kaleidoscopic collage of all kinds of reasons to love archaeology.
Ashley McCuistion celebrates archaeology as an honest science, dedicated to finding the truth as it is written in the soil.
John C. Whittaker reminds us that we speak for the value of diverse cultures, for remembrance of the ancient messages, for the voice of those who can no longer speak themselves.
Jessica Goodwin concludes her essay with the following poignant declaration: I love archaeology, and with it I embrace the forgotten and the lost, the sorrow and the joy of the past.
I encourage you to read all of the essays in the forum and maybe think about writing your own love letter. I’d be happy to consider posting it here on the Ohio Archaeology Blog.
Its important to share our passion for this remarkable science so that, in E. O. Wilsons words, people can see “that scientists are people, that science is an honorable, trustworthy, and powerful endeavor that people should look to for answers…
Thank you Jane Eva Baxter for this very Special Forum!
Brad Lepper
