An Anthropological Insight on the Commonalities between Tourism and Archaeology

Year 2019, , 162 - 166, 31.05.2019

Maximiliano Korstanje

https://doi.org/10.30519/ahtr.556565

Abstract

Over the
years, archaeology maturated towards something else than a scientific
discipline. Archaeological sites are culturally showed as emerging and recycled
tourist attractions (Robb 1998; Bateman 2006; Rowan & Baram 2004; Karlsson
& Gustafsson, 2006). At a closer look, tourism is understood as a leisure
activity which is enrooted in the needs of relaxing and evasion while
archaeology -as a knowledge platform which is based on scientific method-
explores the history of ancient cultures. This raises a more than interesting
question respecting the commonalities and differences between archaeology and
tourism. To some extent, archaeologists find ancient relics and objects which
not only belonged to “Others” who have perished but –and what is more
important- have no sense beyond the borders of archaeological knowledge. At the
same time, tourists visit archaeological ruins which are interpreted according
to the social imaginary which was filled by archaeologists 

Keywords

TOURISM

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