Public Archaeologies of Frontiers and Borderlands

Select proceedings of the 4th University of Chester Archaeology Student conference (Chester, 20 March 2019) investigate real-world ancient and modern frontier works, the significance of graffiti, material culture, monuments and wall-building, as well as fictional representations of borders and walls in the arts, as public archaeology.

From IndyRef and Brexit to the Refugee Crisis and Trump’s Wall, the construction and maintenance, subversion and traversing of frontiers and borderlands dominate our current affairs. Yet, while archaeologists have long participated in exploring frontiers and borderlands, their public archaeology has been starkly neglected. Incorporating the select proceedings of the 4th University of Chester Archaeology Student conference hosted by the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, on 20 March 2019, this is the first book to investigate realworld ancient and modern frontier works, the significance of graffiti, material culture, monuments and wall-building, as well as fictional representations of borders and walls in the arts, as public archaeology. Key themes include the heritage interpretation for linear monuments, public archaeology in past and contemporary frontiers and borderlands, and archaeology’s interactions with mural practices in politics, popular culture and the contemporary landscape. Together, the contributors show the necessity of developing critical public archaeologies of frontiers and borderlands.