Description
Archaeology and social anthropology are both subjects studying human societies and cultures. While archaeology is concentrating on ancient societies, anthropology is studying current societies or those of the recent past. Archaeology is depending – at least for prehistoric times – on material sources such as e.g. ceramics, tools and weapons of stone or metal, features representing former houses or pits. Therefore, archaeologists often use analogies from historic or ethnographic contexts to interpret these material remains. Since the State Museum of Prehistory is aiming to reconstruct and illustrate prehistoric life scenes, such analogies are an important part of the museum’s research, the permanent exhibition as well as the special exhibitions. This lecture, thus, highlights some examples, obvious and more hidden ones, for the close relationship between archaeology and social anthropology in the State Museum.