Uncovering the archaeology of folk traditions in architecture
On the surface, folklore and archaeology seem like completely unrelated subjects. Folklore deals with stories. Archaeology deals with physical evidence. However, archaeology is a subject as big as humanity itself… and humans love a story. There is literally an archaeology of everything. The last quarter century of archaeological fieldwork and research has revealed that there is strong evidence for folk beliefs and traditions within ancient buildings.
Archaeologists have recorded objects concealed within buildings, marks left on the walls, and even the placement of structures in relation to folk traditions. Meanwhile, analysis of folklore has enabled archaeologists to engage with a deeper level of interpretation when analysing ancient buildings. The two disciplines are far more closely intertwined than popularly assumed. This talk will attempt to decipher the complex relationships between archaeology, folklore, and architecture.
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