Encountering Material Culture Through Archaeological Fiction

Investigating the representation of artefacts, objects and 'things' in a range of predominantly Western archaeological fiction from the late Victorian period to the modern day, this book examines the narratives through which humanity represents its own material heritage in relation to notions of enchantment, exhibition, estrangement, adventure, tourism and waste. Kerry Dodd asserts that comprehending the structures through which material culture is presented within archaeological media reveals the structures that transform an object from rubbish to relic. Calling upon such indicative literature, films, TV series and video games as Tomb Raider, Indiana Jones, Uncharted and Relic Hunter, this book explores the depiction of material culture through three principal areas – relics, exhibition and adventure. Outlining a critical framework of artefact representation, Dodd argues that such iconic moments as Howard Carter's remark that he saw 'wonderful things' when he broke into the antechamber of Tutankhamun's tomb remain recognisable through the evocation of a spectacular visual, despite little concrete definition of the objects witnessed.