Some Reflections on Heritage and Archaeology in the Anthropocene

TLDR

Geo‑scientists debate the need for a new concept to encompass the last 250 years of human impact, while the linguistic turn since the 1980s has profoundly influenced archaeology and heritage studies. The paper asks whether we are in the Anthropocene and how to understand and define heritage and archaeology amid rapid environmental change. The study examines the legacy of the linguistic turn, post‑processualism, and environmental archaeology. The authors critique the anti‑essentialist view that heritage is merely constructed rather than discovered.

Abstract

Are we now living in a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene? Geo-scientists discuss whether there is a need for a new concept covering the last 250 years' immense human impact on the earth. How are we going to understand and define 'heritage' and archaeology in a rapidly changing global environment? The 'linguistic turn' in humanities and social sciences has had a huge impact on both archaeology and heritage studies since c. 1980. A critique is raised against the anti-essentialist view that heritage is constructed, not discovered. Furthermore, the paper discusses the legacy of 'the linguistic turn', post-processualism and environmental archaeology.