The Death of Prehistory

Abstract

This book explores how the concept of prehistory has undermined the histories of other cultures outside the West and how archaeologists can reclaim more inclusive histories set within the idiom of deep histories. More specifically, it emphasises the need to accept ancient pre-literate histories as an integral part of the flow of human history. It aims to construct history and historical narratives that utilise oral testimonies and indigenous knowledge while taking into account archaeological data. It examines a variety of colonial contexts where manipulations and abuses of history-making still occur, along with the link between world of history and daily discourse with ancestors, the role of history and archaeology in the treatment of the deep past, and the relationship between materiality and history-making. The book also looks at the way archaeologists and historians treat Native Americans as well as the issue of historical archaeology's engagement in the colonial project.