Is a Shared Past Possible? The Ethics and Practice of Archaeology in the Twenty-First Century

Abstract

I take it for granted that archaeological stewardship should be based on dialogue between stakeholder groups. Some form of collaboration and consultation is at the heart of most attempts today to deal with long-term stewardship issues, whether it is the consultancy involved in the development of the Stonehenge management plan or the dialogues involving archaeologists, governments, and indigenous peoples throughout the world (e.g., Swidler et al. 1997). I also take it for granted that many guidelines and procedures have been discussed for such stewardship collaboration dealing with a wide range of issues, including the need to identify all potential stakeholders, provide time for consultation, evaluate varying cultural values regarding heritage, and assess economic implications (e.g., de la Torre 1997