Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Talia Green, Jem Archaeology Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, talia@jemarchaeology.com.au
Francesca McMaster, Extent Heritage, Australia, fmcmaster@extent.com.au
Konrad A. Antczak, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Venezuela/Poland, konrad.antczak@upf.edu
The impacts of colonialism have influenced both the formation of culture and identity of modern societies, and the involuntary transition of Indigenous cultures and their native environments. The effects of colonialism are varied and widespread, and have impacted upon countless cultures, societies and cultural landscapes across space and time. Uncovering the physical traces of colonialism enables us to better understand the foundations of new societies in foreign landscapes, intercultural and cross-cultural relationships, the influence and effects of cultural entanglement, impacts of colonialism upon the environment and natural resources, resource availability, and class and social positions of those individuals and groups. This session explores how the application of modern archaeological techniques can provide a platform for a more detailed understanding of the widespread effects of colonialism across the globe and a more comprehensive contribution to the narrative of the recorded past.
Papers:
Colonial Influences and Eurocentric Perspectives in South Asian Archaeology: The Sri Lankan Experience
Kalangi Rodrigo, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Dip degli Studi Umanistici, Sezione di Scienze Preistoriche e Antropologiche, Ferrara, Italy
Wijerathne Bohingamuwa, Dept of History and Archaeology, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
South Asian history and archaeology encompasses a diverse narrative shaped by over a millennium of cultural, social, and political developments. In Sri Lanka, too, these studies originated as a ‘colonial enterprise’ to ‘understand the Orient’. A critical question is how colonial, and postcolonial historiographies influenced the South Asian past, particularly regarding identity, nationhood, and cultural memory. As elsewhere in South Asia, the legal and institutional framework of archaeology in Sri Lanka was established during the British colonial period, mirroring British traditions. Although European and American researchers studied the island’s ethnicities and prehistoric cultures, the island’s archaeology is rooted in the British tradition. Key historians and archaeologists were trained in this European tradition. This research examines how British colonial researchers shaped historical and archaeological narratives, often to serve imperial agendas. It also examines postcolonial responses to recontextualise island’s past to accommodate local aspirations. Drawing on primary sources, including the archaeological record, colonial narratives, postcolonial critiques, and regional literature, the study investigates the dual role of history and archaeology as tools of dominance and resistance. The study aims to illuminate the ongoing impact of historiographical tensions on modern South Asian identity formation.
The Impact of British Colonialism and the British Organisation of Architecture in 19th Century in Sri Lanka: The Case of Kandy
Rev. Kudawawe Somananda Thero, PhD Fellow, Dept of History, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany
This study examines the impact of British colonialism on architectural organisation in Kandy during the 19th century, a period marked by the transition from the Kandyan Kingdom to British rule. In Sri Lanka, historical architecture has long functioned as a medium for expressing authority and reinforcing social stratification. By the late eighteenth century, Kandy’s urban landscape was structured around social divisions, with the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth Relic serving as focal points of political and religious power. British colonial policies reshaped urban planning to align with administrative and economic objectives, introducing new infrastructure, altering land ownership, and reinforcing social hierarchies by privileging colonial officials while marginalising indigenous populations. Unlike in other regions, colonial authorities in Kandy repurposed existing structures rather than introducing entirely new architectural forms. The Temple of the Tooth Relic was separated from its traditional Buddhist monarchical patronage and placed under colonial control, while royal properties were converted into administrative buildings. This study explores how these transformations influenced perceptions of authority, social accessibility, and gendered spaces. Utilising archival records from Sri Lankan and colonial sources, the research provides insights into continuities and changes in religious and social hierarchies within Kandy’s evolving urban fabric.
Challenging Colonised Academic Discourse and Perspectives on Cultural Connections Between Ancient Egyptians and Hyksos: A Local-Centric Perspective
Shahy Radwan, Archaeology, Flinders University, Australia
Egyptology has been influenced by Western colonial powers and Eurocentric paradigms, impacting its historical archaeology. Archaeological reinterpretation has prompted investigations into the Hyksos’ occupation. Current geopolitical conflicts impact the investigation of the Second Intermediate Period (SIP), occasionally leading to the misinterpretation and dismissal of archaeological records and the formulation of hypotheses to reinforce pre-existing beliefs.
Western contemporary social theories, their understanding and application to ancient societies, often shape interpretations of Egyptian/Hyksos cultural interactions and distort historical relationships between foreigners and ancient Egyptians in the (SIP). Eurocentric trained scholars criticise the veracity of ancient Egyptian records, ethics, and historical narratives, labelling them as fabrication, instead highlighting the incalculable debt Egyptians owe to the occupiers. This colonised and politicised perspective neglects local agency and cultural entanglements.
This research explores the Egyptian/Hyksos relationship through critical examinations of colonialism, highlighting the prevalence of Eurocentrism in Egyptology, using a three-phase methodology: Critical Discourse Analysis to analyse Western perspectives, surveys targeting Egyptians employed in Egyptian archaeology, and the general Egyptian public to gather local and contemporary Egyptian perspectives and case studies from Egyptian state media. This paper presents the primary findings from the investigation, highlighting the discrepancies between archaeological data and the Eurocentric narrative.
From Imperialism to Nationalism: A Critical Examination of the Archaeology Department’s Structure and Working in British and Post-British India
Muhammad Iqbal and Tufail Ahmad, Institute of Global and Historical Studies, Government College University Lahore, Pakistan
This study examines the evolution of archaeological practices in British India and post-colonial Pakistan, analysing the shifting influences of imperialism and nationalism on the discipline. By comparing colonial and post-colonial archaeological surveys, excavations, and conservation strategies, this research highlights the distinct methodologies and priorities that defined each era. Under British rule, archaeology was often deployed as a tool of empire, reinforcing colonial narratives and legitimising imperial control through the discovery and classification of material heritage. In contrast, post-colonial Pakistan reoriented archaeological practice to align with national identity formation, emphasising indigenous historical narratives and cultural heritage preservation. Through a critical analysis of archival records, excavation reports, and policy documents, this study interrogates how political ideologies shaped archaeological discourse and heritage management. It argues that while the transition from colonial to national archaeology brought shifts in focus, elements of the colonial legacy persist in contemporary practices. By situating archaeology within broader frameworks of power and identity, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the discipline’s role in constructing historical consciousness in South Asia. This study underscores the need for decolonial approaches to archaeology that acknowledges and rectifies historical biases in heritage interpretation and preservation.
Modelling the Past: Landscapes of Colonisation and Control at Liverpool Convict Barracks, New South Wales
Francesca McMaster, Brian Shanahan and Clare Fitzpatrick, Extent Heritage, Australia
The Liverpool area in New South Wales, Australia, has a long colonial history. Following invasion in 1788, the British pushed westward from the Port Jackson settlement, establishing control over extensive areas of land through the displacement and marginalisation of Aboriginal people including the Traditional Owners of the Liverpool area, the Dharug. The colonial settlement of Liverpool was established in 1811 and in 1822 the Liverpool Convict Barracks were constructed. Such barracks were a key element in colonial settlements, enabling control and movement of the unfree convict labour that was central to the development of the colony’s infrastructure.
Extent Heritage recently undertook excavations at the site of the 1822 Liverpool Convict Barracks. Excavations revealed structural and artefactual evidence, providing insight into the colonial development of the area. Digital recording techniques utilised during excavation were used to develop a digital recreation of the site as it may have appeared in c.1822. This model offers insights into the contemporary setting of the colonial structures within the wider landscape and how buildings such as these defined the spatial arrangements of British settlements, restricting movement for convict, unfree labour, and Aboriginal people.
Archaeological Identification of Low-Intensity Colonial Occupation: Circular Missions in Eastern Chiloé (17th–20th centuries)
Jaume García Rosselló, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain
Margalida Coll Sabater, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain
Laura Perelló Mateo, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain
Ana Delgado Hervás, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain
Mateo González Vázquez, Universität Trier, Germany
Daniel Albero Santacreu, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain
Javiera Letelier, Centro de Estudios de Ecosistemas de la Patagonia Chile
In the Chiloé Archipelago of southern Chile, Jesuit missionaries developed an insular missionary system characterised by the establishment of small wooden chapels that were visited annually in what became known as the ‘circular mission’. The model reached its peak during the 17th and 18th centuries; however, it continued to operate beyond the expulsion of the Jesuits, extending into the 19th century.
These mission sites became focal points around which various population groups—such as itinerant canoe-faring hunter-gatherers, agropastoral Huilliche ceramic producers, Spaniards, and mestizos—settled and engaged in interactions, whether temporary or permanent. Despite its historical and cultural significance, this phenomenon has received limited attention from an archaeological perspective.
This research project seeks to address that gap by surveying, identifying, and excavating Jesuit mission sites in the inland sea of Chiloé to analyse the dynamics of cultural contact among these diverse groups over time. Given that this form of colonial occupation left a minimal territorial imprint, the study employs indirect forms of evidence to detect Spanish colonial presence and its impact on Indigenous communities. Methodological strategies include territorial survey, iconographic analysis, mobility patterns, technical practices, identity formations, and oral history.