Medeltidsarkeologi 1983-2009, förmedling, representativitet och ansvar

Even when the editor of the popular journal Populär Arkeologi claims to be communicating the latest advances in archaeological research to the public and that the authors often are professional archaeologists, this is done very rarely and focuses mostly on dating and artifacts. Is it the editor’s responsibility or must the archaeologists themselves highlight these issues in their articles? Common requirements for the archaeological occupation are compiled on an international level, which makes it clear that all media available must be used to convey the objectives and methods used to the public. The requirement is not as strictly formulated in Sweden, but Populär Arkeologi is still a professional archaeologist’s chance to convey this. The number of articles in Populär Arkeologi dealing with medieval archaeology has not increased in the way that the research has. This study highlights the lack of knowledge in conveying archaeology as a whole, with both finds and research focus. The field archaeologist may have a responsibility to oversee that the artifacts and research topics reach the public, but she or he has first to be a part of a system that allows this. The development and change of this system should initially take place at the universities. Education in the conveying of archaeology would create an awareness of how it best should be presented to the public. This ethical particularism (Collste 2010) could in this case embrace the whole community, and not just the archaeologists. And when our actions present a fair representation of archaeology it would not be egotistical.