Archaeology and Experiment: Moving beyond the Artifacts

Sponsoring Organization(s)

EXARC

Organizer Name

Neil Peterson

Organizer Affiliation

Wilfrid Laurier Univ.

Presider Name

Neil Peterson

Paper Title 1

Symmetry and Asymmetry in Viking Age Dress

Presenter 1 Name

V. M. Roberts

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Independent Scholar

Paper Title 2

The Growth of Yeast and Mold on Viking Age Flat Bread versus Modern Sliced Bread

Presenter 2 Name

Marci Lyn Waleff

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Independent Scholar

Paper Title 3

Minimalist Survival Gear: Three Points in Time

Presenter 3 Name

Stevan E. Waleff

Presenter 3 Affiliation

Independent Scholar

Start Date

11-5-2017 7:30 PM

Session Location

Bernhard 106

Description

Archaeological sessions tend to focus on presentation of results from excavations or preliminary analysis. Experimental archaeology moves beyond the artifacts, allowing researchers to examine the underlying question of "how" related to artifact finds. Ideally, experiments can provide a preliminary answer to the question "Does this theory of how it was done actually work". A keystone of experimental archaeology (and a differentiator from reenactment/recreation) is that it follows the scientific method of question, setup, and result - whether that result is positive or negative. Presentations in this session will be expected to review all three key elements in the discussion of their paper.

Neil Peterson