Experimental archaeology is the term applied to the systematic testing of theories of how things were used, made or how people lived in the past. These tests involve exact replication of items or events, based on archaeological finds or historical sources. In this way, archaeologists’ can gain a better understanding of ancient technologies and societies and the evidence they leave behind.
Experimental or reconstructive archaeology can be divided into four broad categories: the replication of artefacts, technologies, activities and lifestyles, and the replication of destruction.
Replicating Artefacts
By replicating artefacts, archaeologists can discover exactly how items were made. For instance, Bronze Age style axes, swords and knives can be replicated by using reconstructions of original moulds found survive in the archaeological record. Alternatively, objects such as pottery, hand axes or flint tools can be reconstructed by using original artefacts as models.
Reconstructing articles also helps archaeologists understand how objects were used. According to Kevin Greene in ‘Archaeology an Introduction’, examining the patterns of wear and damage on a tool can offer clues about what objects were used for; as tools, weapons or as decorative pieces.
Archaeologists will often reproduce items such as axes and test them out in various different situations. Then the marks made by the activity are compared to the wear marks on the original tool, a process known as ‘use-wear analyses. Broadly speaking, the activity that produces the closest match to the marks on the original is the most likely use of the tool.
Rediscovering Ancient Technologies
In order to understand the technologies available to ancient societies and how labour intensive they were, archaeologists will often try to simulate industries from the past or attempt to reconstruct buildings and monuments in order to understand how they were built and the skills and organised labour involved. Their experiments will be based on known facts about the levels of technology available, either from the archaeological record or in ancient sources.
Various experiments have been carried out to try and work out how Stonehenge was built, in particular how the megaliths that make up the stone circle were transported to Salisbury Plain. The latest theory is based around cricket ball shaped spheres discovered near megalithic circles in Scotland.
Christopher Catling of Current archaeology describes how researchers of Exeter University have used replicas of the balls to create ball bearing tracks to move stones. The balls were inserted into a groove running down the centre of two parallel logs. The slabs were then placed on the balls and with a gentle push could be moved along the logs with ease. By leap frogging the logs, it has been estimated that only a few tracks would have been needed to move the stones around ten miles a day.
This theory, like the many others surrounding the stone circle is only a possibility as archaeologists have no certain record of the methods used. But in other circumstances, descriptions of ancient techniques exist, as well as the tools used during the period. This makes it is easier to reconstruct ancient technologies to fully appreciate the manpower and skill involved.
The reconstruction of a roman house at Wroxeter, is an example of this type of experimental archaeology. Using only tools and materials used in roman times, as well a Roman building techniques described by Vitruvius, a group of modern builders reconstructed a replica town house complete with bath suite and mosaics.
Such ventures not only helped bring the ancient technologies to life but also help inform archaeologists about the meaning of puzzling features on sites. For instance, a building could be surrounded by a series of inexplicable post holes. A reconstruction of the house will make it clear that scaffolding was necessary. Immediately, the feature is explained and will inform excavations of similar sites elsewhere.
Recreating Activities and Lifestyles
A real appreciation of how people lived in the past can be achieved by the ultimate in experimental archaeology-a recreation of a whole society. Using all available information about buildings, technologies, clothes and lifestyle, a mocked up settlement can be reconstructed to gain a real feel for and gain new insights on a given time period.
Cinderbury Iron Age farm in Gloucestershire, UK is a reconstructed iron age settlement complete with roundhouses, and livestock where ‘residents' can experience what life was really like in the iron age by living and working the iron age way-wearing the clothes, cooking and working with iron age technologies.
Understanding Destruction
Experimental archaeology can also be used to understand how things are destroyed, eroded and decay with time, which in its turn helps archaeologist understand sites they are excavating. Greene mentions how in Denmark, timber buildings were reconstructed and then burnt down to help the archaeologists understand similar burnt remains on a site.
Similarly, in the 1960s, a series of long term studies into the decay of earthworks was set up. Banks and ditches were built over chalk and sand at Overton Down in Wiltshire. Each earthwork was the same size and organic and inorganic samples buried in them. The experiment is on-going and will help archaeologists understand how time and nature can erode similar features and objects in the archaeological record.
Sources
- BBC Website: Testing your Metal
- Bronze Age Craft: Casting Methods in Bronze Age Britain
- Greene, K (1995). Archaeology an Introduction. BT Batsford Limited: London
- Current Archaeology 251 ‘From the Trowels Edge-Rock and Roll’
- The Washington Archaeology Group Alex’s Neolithic Axe hafted in Oak
- English Heritage: Wroxeter Roman City: Recreated Roman Town House
Natasha Sheldon - A writer since 2000, Natasha Sheldon holds a BA Hons in ancient history and archaeology and MA in ancient history and historiography.
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