Battlefield archaeology also refers to the specific study of a particular archaeological horizon in which a military action occurred. This may include both 'bounded' battlefields where troop dispositions, numbers and the order of battle are known from textual records, and also from undocumented evidence of conflict. The discipline is distinct from military history in that it seeks to answer different questions, including the experiences of ordinary soldiers in wider political frameworks. Therefore, battlefield archaeology is not concerned, primarily, with the causes of conflict but of the sites where conflict actually took place, and of the archaeology of the event.
Battlefield archaeology
Battlefield archaeology is a sub-discipline of archaeology that began in North America.battlefield is a contemporary concept, the archaeology of battlefields incorporates the study of both ancient and modern military technologies, features and conflicts. It may also incorporate events such as civil unrest, including public demonstrations and riots. The discipline, therefore, applies the approaches and techniques of archaeology to military and civil conflict.
Conflicts in the twentieth century in particular have been characterised by wars of ethnicity, nationality and identity, where civilians and civilian environments (i.e., domestic buildings, urban centres) have become involved in warfare, and are often inseparable from it[2]. This is also known as 'Total War', understood by the engagement of entire populations and economies within the sphere of warfare. The archaeology of contemporary conflict, therefore, is a 'total' project, considering the impact of conflict and modern weapons systems on civilian as well as military targets.
Battlefield archaeology Contains Following Chapter:
Archaeological study of the past there are multiple goals in studying battlefields. One is the iconographic or site focused research. Most battlefield work has one of its goals the finding of patterns of battle-related artifacts that are amenable to analysis with the outcome of understanding the details of that battle with greater precision. I find that documentary records and oral traditions of the past are usually accurate but not necessarily precise.
Archaeological work recovers, records, and interprets an independent data set that can be used to compare, corroborate, or test the documentary and traditional testimonial views of a past event. In several cases of our work on American Indian war sites, we found the Indian testimony to be much more accurate in telling the battle story than the army accounts. At the same time, the details that can be teased out of the artifact analysis regarding individual behavior on the battlefield add a level of precision to site specific interpretations that is difficult to find in the written sources. This can be especially valuable for use in public interpretation as it can help bring the story to life for a visitor.
Beyond the value of site specific interpretation of a battle the field of battlefield archaeology is capable of seeking answers to larger questions--patterns of combat, if you will, over time and space. These patterns aid us in understanding how combatants use terrain, develop tactics, extend command and control, as well as the negative side of battle, the loss of command and control, identifying tactical disintegration that may result in defeat, appreciating the effect of the fog of war, and in general help us achieve a broader appreciation of the anthropology of war.
For the last two hundred years the debate has raged about the true location of the Battle of Bosworth. In March 2009, a group of dedicated metal detectorists working on the Bosworth Battlefield Survey have discovered evidence that would change the history books forever, and open a whole new chapter in the story of the Battle of Bosworth.
The catalyst for my focusing on battlefield archaeological studies was a range fire at Little Bighorn Battlefield, a situation that allowed us to form a multidisciplinary team and attack (excuse the pun) the site using a variety of new field and analytical methods. Since 1984, I have been fortunate to work on more than 30 different battlefields ranging in date from fifteenth through the twentieth centuries.
Archaeological and anthropological perspective my interest focused on studying the U.S. frontier army and how it adapted, in a social and material culture sense, to being placed in remote areas for the furtherance of U.S. government policy.
Battlefield archaeology project at Adam Park uncovers more artefacts
Singapore's first battlefield archaeology project at Adam Park has uncovered more World War II artifacts. About S$128,000 has so far been pumped into the project, a collaboration between the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS) and the National Heritage Board (NHB).Bullets, buttons and belt buckles are just some of the 1,200 artifacts discovered since excavation works at Adam Park began in May last year.
The area being excavated is the site of Singapore's last battle, and was also used as a Prisoner of War camp in 1942.Jonathan Cooper, a battlefield archaeologist with the University of Glasgow, said: "This iconic battlefield, but to also have this POW camp in the same location, in a perfectly preserved environment, no condos, no car parks, it's a fantastic area. It's just immaculately preserved, it's a treasure house, it's a time-machine."
Books on the Battlefield Archaeology :
Battlefield archaeology - Tim Lynch, Jon Cooksey - Tempus, 2007.
The archaeology of battlefields incorporates the study of both ancient and modern military technologies, features and conflicts..
Battlefields Archaeological Review- Jon Cooksey, Pen & Sword Military, 2006.
Battles, it has been said, are but a fleeting intrusion on the landscape. And while it is true that the landscape sculpts and shapes a battle, it is the combatants who have to grapple with its constraints and the forces of the elements in order to fight it, often leaving behind evidence which becomes obscured by time.
Battlefield archaeology- John Laffin, I. Allan, 1987.
The techniques of battlefield archaeology been used in forensic settings, such as investigations of conflicts in countries.
Rich Resources over the web on Battlefield Archaeology
Archaeobotany in Wiki :
Battlefield archaeology is a sub-discipline of archaeology that began in North America with Dr. Douglas D. Scott's, National Park Service, metal detecting of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in 1983.
The Archaeology of Battlefields :Archaeobotany Beyond the value of site specific interpretation of a battle the field of battlefield archaeology is capable of seeking answers to larger questions--patterns of combat, if you will, over time and space.
Diciplines by Regional study
African ArchaeologyAfrica has the longest record of human activity of any part of the world and along with its geographical extent; it contains an enormous archaeological resource. Scholars have studied Egyptology for centuries but archaeologists have only paid serious attention to the rest of the continent in more recent times.
American ArchaeologyArchaeology of the Americas is the learning of the archaeology of North America, Central America (or Mesoamerica), South America and the Caribbean, which is to say, the pre-history and Pre-Columbian history of Native American peoples.
European ArchaeologyIn terms of area, Europe is the world's second smallest continent, with an area of 10,400,000 km² (4,000,000 square miles), making it slightly larger than Australia.
Medival archaeologyThe period covers the commotion caused by the fall of the Medival archaeology Roman Empire and cultures such as the Vikings, Saxons and Franks.
Near Eastern ArchaeologyNear Eastern Archaeology is a wide generalised application, and is divided into further regional sub-branches, the archaeology of modern states in the region or along broad thematic lines.
Post Medieval ArchaeologyThe Post Medieval Archaeology is considered as a bi-annual journal study of the material evidence of European society. This period saw the conversion of medieval to industrial society.
Modern ArchaeologyIn contrast to the antiquarianism of classical archaeology, anthropological archaeology today is concerned with culture history (i.e., the chronology of events and cultural traditions) and the explanation of cultural processes.
