Trowel Counting
August 5, 2018 1:24 PM Subscribe
Discovering the Archaeologists of Africa is a project to identify how many archaeologists work in Africa, what they do, what their skills and qualifications are and then to use these data to help build capacity across the continent.
For those who like to skip to the end:
For those who like to skip to the end:
The data we have suggest that there are a total of approximately 1,148 professional archaeologists in the 37 countries we have received data for.If you are an archaeologist working in Africa, or know one, the survey is still on-going.
Extrapolating for the other countries in Africa, on the basis of comparing numbers of archaeologists and national GDP, we are able to suggest that in total, there are approximately 1,400 professional archaeologists employed in Africa.
By comparison, there are 1,000 archaeologists employed in Canada (with a population less than 4% of that of Africa), 1,200 archaeologists employed in Peru, 3,500 in France and 6,200 in the UK.
More to the point, this is an interesting project. Africa has definitely not gotten the archaeological attention it deserves, at least not from my international perspective.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 8:15 PM on August 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 8:15 PM on August 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Africa has definitely not gotten the archaeological attention it deserves
That's what grabbed me about the importance of a project like this. We know so little about the continent, and particularly sub-Saharan Africa, that it allows ignorance to fill the void. So much racist propaganda is premised on "Africans never did this, or built that, or achieved this." It's just a continuation of racist colonial ideas of Africa as a land devoid of history.
When you can point out that Britain has about four-times as many working archaeologists as the whole of Africa, it puts things in a different perspective. It illuminates that the reason we know what Roman legionaries were having for dinner at Hadrian's Wall but most people couldn't find Kilwa on a map isn't because Africa was an empty historical slate, while Europe was a bustling dynamic region, but that we just haven't done enough work to uncover it's past.
posted by Panjandrum at 11:23 PM on August 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
That's what grabbed me about the importance of a project like this. We know so little about the continent, and particularly sub-Saharan Africa, that it allows ignorance to fill the void. So much racist propaganda is premised on "Africans never did this, or built that, or achieved this." It's just a continuation of racist colonial ideas of Africa as a land devoid of history.
When you can point out that Britain has about four-times as many working archaeologists as the whole of Africa, it puts things in a different perspective. It illuminates that the reason we know what Roman legionaries were having for dinner at Hadrian's Wall but most people couldn't find Kilwa on a map isn't because Africa was an empty historical slate, while Europe was a bustling dynamic region, but that we just haven't done enough work to uncover it's past.
posted by Panjandrum at 11:23 PM on August 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
This is interesting to read. Here's hoping people invest in learning more about the rich history that exists on this continent.
Also, I wouldn't be mad if someone found a way of creating a story about African anthropology/culture that involved adventuring in an Indiana Jones style format. Basically what I'm saying is that I want someone like Idris Elba, Djimon Hounsou, Chiwetel Ejiofor, or Thandie Newton to be cast! It'd be pretty bad ass!
posted by Fizz at 4:42 AM on August 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Also, I wouldn't be mad if someone found a way of creating a story about African anthropology/culture that involved adventuring in an Indiana Jones style format. Basically what I'm saying is that I want someone like Idris Elba, Djimon Hounsou, Chiwetel Ejiofor, or Thandie Newton to be cast! It'd be pretty bad ass!
posted by Fizz at 4:42 AM on August 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
I met many talented, out-of-work archaeologists in Libya, back in 2010. Despite living amongst a plethora of extraordinary, world-renowned Roman ruins, Gaddafi absolutely refused to let them undertake further excavations. His recalcitrance can be traced back to Italy's colonisation of Libya, when these sites were 'used by the Italian authorities as a propaganda tool to justify their presence in the region ' (source).
posted by brushtailedphascogale at 7:21 AM on August 12, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by brushtailedphascogale at 7:21 AM on August 12, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 8:13 PM on August 5, 2018