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| The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology
is a research unit at the University of California, Los Angeles
established in 1973 to promote the comprehensive study of the human
past. It provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, graduate students,
research associates, volunteers and the general public to gather
together and share their
exploration of ancient societies. Recently an investigation of the
state
of affairs in the study of nomads has been initiated by the Cotsen
Institute. Many archaeologist behave like nomads. They travel around the world looking for places of interest. Usually they find these in remote areas where the climate is harsh and resources are scarce. Here they will settle for weeks or even months at the time. But they will leave immediately once the site no longer offers them new information, or their funding runs out. And soon they will start preparing for their next expedition. Still, nomads are rarely studied by archaeologists. They often are part of the fringes of a society and leave few traces of their activities. The archaeologists that have entered this challenging field of study mostly concentrate on prehistoric periods. A better understanding of nomadic people in the past will not only fill a gap in our knowledge of human history. It is also very significant for the empowerment of those currently adhering to a nomadic life-style. Their further marginalization by the rapid development of those around them seems a world-wide phenomenon. UCLA has brought together an international group of about 40 archaeologists, anthropologists and historians with an interest in hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads, gypsies and Bedouin. This group will get together to discuss this topic, which will be publish in the Cotsen Advanced Seminar Series. The volume on nomads, is expected to be the authoritative volume on the subject for years to come. Contributions to this volume originate from three sources. First are the chapters submitted by invited authors, before the deadline of 19 June 2004. These contributions will be reviewed by other members of the research group before being accepted for publication. Second are the proceedings of a panel during the 69th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology (March 31-April 4, 2004 in Montreal, Canada), one of the most important archaeological forums in the world. The participation of eight speakers, one co-author and one discussant is funded by the individual contributors, or their employer. The third source of contributions is a workshop to be held in Los Angeles, 22-24 June 2004. This will comprise presentations, but also a session during which previous contributions are discussed. Other planned events are a video conference meeting, facilitated by Internet2 and UCLA's Visualization Portal, and a lunch hosted by the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. The deadline for the submission of contributions or revisions is Monday 15 November 2004, publication of the volume is expected shortly thereafter. Issues that will be addressed include definitions and terminology, the transition between nomadic and settled life-styles and the discrepancies between our historical and archaeological sources. »
Click here
for a scholarly review of The
Archaeology of Mobility «
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»
Click here
for a scholarly review of The
Archaeology of Mobility «
Donors who decide to contribute to the success of this important and exciting project will find their names mentioned on this website as well as in all further communications. In due course they will obviously also receive a copy of the final publication. If you would like to contribute, to make suggestions or to obtain additional information, please contact us at <nomads@ucla.edu>. |
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