A WORD OR,....??? ETNOARKEOLOGI
By Romi Hidayat, S.S *
*First Student Archaeology Udayana University in Bali, now working as an archaeologist in the Office of Archaeological Heritage Preservation Hall Gorontalo
Etnoarkeologi as a term proposed by the adherents of archaeological renewal (new Archaeology) in the 1960s as one strategy to reconstruct the ways of life. It appears from the opinion of at least one penggasanya, Carol Kramer, who stated that etnoarkeologi assess behavioral aspects of the present masnusia from the archaeological perspective. Etnoarkeolog, according to Kramer, is systematically trying to find the relationships between behavior and material culture that are often not revealed by the ethnologist, and make sure how the behavior patterns of observations that can be used to describe the remains of archeology that may be found (Kramer, 1979: 1) .
In addition to Kramer, there are many archaeologists who try to formulate a definition etnoarkeologi. Here are some definitions etnoarkeologi according to experts. The study of material culture in the context of the system to obtain information, either specifically or generally, which can be used in archaeological studies (Schiffer, 1978). Usage analaogi theoretically generated from the present observations to assist in the interpretation of past processes and events (Kramer, 1979). Studies of communities that are still alive which is seen as the archaeological data that will be their leave, along with the behavior depicted in that community (Orme, 1981: 22-23). Branch archaeological disciplines who seek to learn and use ethnography to deal with archaeological issues (Mundardjito, 1981). Collection of original ethnographic data that can assist in interpreting the archaeological (Stanislawski, 1982). The approach tries to determine how behavior that appears to be reflected in the heritage that can be found by archaeologists (Kramer, 1982). The study includes the use and meaning of artifacts, buildings, and structures present in a society that is still alive, and how goods were incorporated in the archaeological record (Colin and Paul Bahn, 1991)
Based on the above insights and reflections from etnoarkeologi studies I've ever done, studies etnoarkeologi more correct to say as a theoretical framework than theory because it contains a set of statements about nature, perspective, and how to answer a question using the archaeological data and / or how ethnographic work. Etnoarkeologi usually placed in the middle range theory, because it could be a bridge between the empirical (ethnographic data) with the theories of greater or assumptions are formulated archaeologist before doing research.
Yolk
Etnoarkeologi is one of the disciplines of archaeological studies that use ethnographic data and ethnographic work or how to handle or help solve archaeological problems. Etnoarkeologi different from ethnography. Many archaeologists who consider etnoarkeologi as data, whereas the data in the study etnoarkeologi is ethnographic data. Therefore many studies etnoarkeologi that can not be distinguished from the ethnography, because these studies stop at the presentation of ethnographic data. We take the example of a research archaeologist at the site Arca Domas, Banten. Because the sites of worship are still used today by the Bedouin tribe, then the archaeologist said his research as a study etnoarkeologi. Research report presented the archaeologist quite comprehensive, ranging from spatial settlement to the trust system. Is such research could be called the study etnoarkeologi? As long as he presents new ethnographic data, the research can not be called a study etnoarkeologi. If you want to be called etnoarkeologi study, then he should pack it as: (1) an example of interpretation, or (2) formulate it into a model or assumptions that can be used to deal with archaeological issues, or (3) produces a specific statement about the interconnectedness between ethnographic data with archaeological data, or (4) produces a specific statement about the relationship between two or more concepts are carried out through an ethnographic and archaeological research.
How to view
1.Etnoarkeologi as an analogy
2. Etnoarkeologi as a means of interpretation
