Ethics And Archaeology The Attempt At Zatalhöyük Summary

The article, Ethics and Archaeology: The Attempt at Çatalhöyük by Ian Hodder describes the difficulties and many components needed to be considered in the completion of an ethical archaeological investigation. Centred around his work at the Çatalhöyük site in Turkey, he examines and describes all of the view points, interpretations and contingents involved in doing archaeology at this site. Starting by reflecting on why archaeologists excavate the sites they do and what questions prompt these excavations, Hodder concludes that many excavations are prompted by questions that archaeologists and their governing bodies pose. While this is an excellent way to start a project, it ignores major influential factors of an excavation such as the view of influential groups.

Hodder takes a multivocal approach and demonstrates that there are four primary groups that influenced the work done at the site and contributed, or at least desired to

The politicians, the local communities, the Goddess communities, and the artists all had opinions and were involved in the site. These groups, he notes, are unique to this site and others may have different people interested in being involved and not necessarily in these factions, but similar groups will exist and should be kept in mind for excavations. Hodder describes how each group is concerned with the site and how they influence the work and interpretations thereof. The politicians use it for political gain, from all view points including the media they use it to bolster their arguments and make them more relatable to the local peoples, whether they are local, national or international politicians seeking support and attraction. The local communities are concerned with their knowledge of the site and how it is important to their history as people on the land, looking to this site to tell them