Margarita Díaz-Andreu (Durham University; m.diaz-andreu@dur.ac.uk) and Megan Price (University of Oxford; megan.price@arch.ox.ac.uk)

Research into the history of archaeology is now a growing field. The focus is currently being directed towards a more contextual understanding of its development as a discipline in fluid and multivocal socio-economic and political settings. Rather than accepting a simple linear progression, recent enquiries are beginning to address the varied nature and pace of changes in the archaeology of the last two hundred years. The aim of this session is to discuss the role of individuals in these transformations.

Archaeologists are individuals with their own identities and therefore are socially mediated and connected to their broader cultural milieu. They may have been attracted to archaeology by many different reasons and these may have an influence in their understanding of what archaeology is about. Some may practice archaeology not only as a way to interpret the past, but also as a means to gain status and political power. Contributions to this session may centre on well-known professionals as well as others not so well treated by the history of archaeology. Among the latter some speakers may want to direct their attention to people on the academic or social fringes, the forgotten, the overlooked or those who, for various reasons, were dismissed by the mainstream protagonists of the discipline.