The Archaeology of Mediterranean Placemaking: Butrint and the Global Heritage Industry
Dr Richard Hodges
Butrint has been one of the largest archaeological projects in the Mediterranean over the last two decades. Major excavations and a multi-volume series of accompanying scientific publications have made this a key site for our developing understanding of the Roman and Medieval Mediterranean. Through this set of interwoven reflections about the archaeology and cultural heritage history of his twenty-year odyssey in south-west Albania, Richard Hodges considers how the Butrint Foundation protected and enhanced Butrint’s spirit of place for future generations.
Hodges reviews Virgil’s long influence on Butrint and how its topographic archaeology has now helped to invent a new narrative and identity. He then describes the struggle of placemaking in Albania during the early post-communist era, and finally asks, in the light of the Butrint Foundation’s experience, who matters in the shaping of a place – international regulations, the nation, the archaeologist, the visitor, the local community or some combination of all of these stakeholders? With appropriate maps and photographs, this book aims to offer an unusual but important new direction for archaeology in the Mediterranean. It should be essential reading for archaeologists, classical historians, medievalists, cultural heritage specialists, tourism specialists as well as those interested in the Mediterranean's past and future.
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About Dr Richard Hodges
Reviews for The Archaeology of Mediterranean Placemaking: Butrint and the Global Heritage Industry
New England Classical Journal
In this brief yet thought-provoking book, archaeologist Richard Hodges examines how the modern Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992, has evolved over time and how narratives about the place have been constructed … Hodges’ meditations on his experience at Butrint underscore the difficulty of responsible archaeology and cultural heritage management.
Bryn Mawr Classical Review
The book is written by one of the most recognized international scholars and excavators … While the book may serve as an excellent introduction and guide to the site, the real theme is: Placemaking in the Mediterranean and the challenges that face modern archaeology … Hodges, who has a reputation as a great communicator, describes his experiences. His lively, sensitive, yet very honest descriptions make this a book hard to put down.
Ancient History Bulletin
A rare (and perhaps controversial) book that attempts to deal head-on with issues that are frequently left in the shadows by Mediterranean archaeologists. It challenges perceptions of what archaeology is actually for and should be read by students and anyone concerned with the global heritage industry.
William Bowden, Associate Professor of Roman Archaeology, University of Nottingham, UK