Archaeology and Hope

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the CHAT | Hope conference in Innsbruck, Austria. CHAT is the Contemporary and Historical Archaeology and Theory group and we hold an annual conference, usually in Europe. This year’s conference was hosted by the the University of Innsbruck and papers focused on the theme of hope. The conference got me thinking about the three kinds of hope that intersect with archaeology. First, there is the archaeology of past hopes. That is the archaeology of expressions of hope in the past. This might mean expressions of hope on ancient artifacts (hope for the successful sea voyage or hope for a desired romantic outcome), expressions of hope among prisoners, or hopeful gestures in the aftermath of violence. In some cases — such as on ancient artifacts, inscriptions, or graffiti — this is quite literal; in others we have to surmise hope through expressions that anticipate or contribute to a more positive future. Second, there is archaeology that instills…

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