living history

History in Motion: Colonial Williamsburg

Author(s)
Nikola Krstović 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2018/2
Boundaries are always an interesting topic. In the framework of the current heritage buzz word decolonization, boundaries might also represent what is “colonised” in every cultural enterprise, or to be more specific, how and why some form of power obtruded its authority, and to what extent. Like almost all other museums, Colonial Williamsburg deals with the past. The past has its own boundaries that...

The Forgotten Movement – A (Re)construction of Prehistoric Dances

Author(s)
Ivana Turčin 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2018/1

However, after studying archaeological artistic depictions, historical descriptions and contemporary ethnographic examples as the main research sources for the history of dance and dance movement and its development in the context of early human history, we created a conceptual reconstruction of prehistoric dances. It was presented in the form of an educational dance performance with the goal of presenting the archaeological heritage through a possible vision of dances and dance movements from a number of selected prehistoric periods: Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age.

Book Review: The Archaeology of Time Travel. Experiencing the Past in the 21st Century, edited by Bodil Petersson and Cornelius Holtorf

Author(s)
Silje Evjenth Bentsen 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2018/1
Archaeological time travel, or experiencing the past through re-enactment, virtual reality, popular culture or other means, is presented from multiple perspectives in The Archaeology of Time Travel. Experiencing the Past in the 21st Century, edited by Bodil Petersson and Cornelius Holtorf. The book is freely available in pdf format at http://www.archaeopress.com

Castrum Corcagiensis - Roman Experimental Archaeology in Ireland

Author(s)
Martin McAree 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/4
Barrack blocks were a central feature in any Roman fort and functioned as the living spaces for a Century and its officers. While Roman forts varied in size from just over an acre for a simple ‘numerius’ fort, to over 55 acers for some large ‘legionary’ forts such as Deva (Chester), the layout of a barrack block...

Event Review: EXARC visits Moscow

Author(s)
Milica Tapavički-Ilić 1 ✉,
Artūrs Tomsons 2,3
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/3
Between the 1st to the 12th of June 2017, a huge festival called "Times and Epochs" (Времена и эпохи - Cобрание) was organized in Moscow. This was the occassion to gather participants not only from Russia, but also from many other countries, and demonstrate the best of reenactment to festival visitors...

Event Review: Academic Workshop on Re-enactment, Replication & Reconstruction

Author(s)
Roeland Paardekooper 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/3
In early June 2017, an academic workshop took place in Leiden, the Netherlands, to stimulate research bridging the natural sciences with the humanities and social sciences. Forty-five international scientists joined from the fields of art history, archaeology, conservation, musicology and anthropology...

Book Review: The Arte Militaire. The Application of 17th Century Military Manuals to Conflict Archaeology by Warwick Louth

Author(s)
Thit Birk Petersen 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/3
The book consists of the rewritten essay of a master thesis. The author got his master's degree as a battlefield and conflict archaeologist from the Centre of Battlefield Archaeology at University of Glasgow founded by Professor Dr. Tony Pollard in 2006. I myself have studied at the Centre of Battlefield Archaeology back in 2007, and it was a pleasure to dive back into my old field...

What to Blame for the Atmosphere Change in Re-enactment Camps? Personal View

Author(s)
Rona Kreekel 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/2
Lately, I have been seeing quite a few posts by friends announcing that they are quitting the Viking Re-enactment hobby. This is sad and worrisome. Apparently, the reasons for leaving are due to a lack of authenticity, show fight, and atmosphere.

Book Review: Representation of the Past in Public Spheres. Experiencing the Past: the Reconstruction and Recreation of History at Colonial Williamsburg by Martine Teunissen

Author(s)
Evelyn Fidler 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/2
When I read the title, I particularly looked forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed. I am glad I was allowed to review it. Colonial Williamsburg has been held up to me as an example to follow when interpreting in living history and open air museums and also criticised when they don’t get it right...

Book Review: The Movement - Comments on the Booklet How to Organize a Historical Event involving Reenactment Groups

Author(s)
Ingrid Galadriel Aune Nilsen 1 ✉
Publication Date
EXARC Journal Issue 2017/2

What defines re-enactment and living history?

As I believe that a clarification of terms and the contextualisation of matters is a good starting point for any investigation, this question marks the beginning of my guide (Aune Nilsen 2015:6-7). Talking to organisers, museum workers and re-enactors in Scandinavia, I have noted that they all have different answers to this question.