Ancient Wisdom in the New Age
Dr. David Anderson addresses New Age ideas about the ancient world and the impact that has had on the public perception of archaeology.
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Ancient Wisdom in the New Age
Dr. David Anderson from Roanoke College in Virginia addresses New Age ideas about the ancient world and the impact that has had on the public perception of archaeology.
Archaeological excavations, surveys, and lab analyses further our knowledge and understanding of ancient peoples, as well as preserve a shared human heritage from which all may benefit. Yet the many ways in which public audiences take in and reinterpret the results of archaeological research can sometimes leave archaeologists feeling trepidatious. We can point to the image of Indiana Jones casually destroying a temple to lay his hands on a golden idol, or the news media’s frequent use of lost city tropes to present any story about archaeological research as akin to adventure fiction. The interpretation and reinterpretation of archaeological work are particularly notable in the beliefs and practices of the New Age spiritualism movement. This esoteric movement is deeply entangled with ancient world themes garnered from period literature and notions of sacred space embodied in famous archaeological sites such as Stonehenge, Palenque, and the Pyramids of Giza. In this presentation, it will be argued that the development and promulgation of New Age ideas about the ancient world have had a profound impact on the public perception of archaeology and that understanding the public perception of archaeology is key to the successful protection of human heritage.
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