Kulturlandschaft - Archäologen gestalten den Wandel

Abstract

Cultural
Landscape is a fashionable word, mainly used for tourism purposes to characterize a landscape of outstanding beauty. But in fact any landscape shaped and c h a n g e d by man is also a cultural landscape. Indeed it is the h u m a n perception that creates the cultural landscape in the first place. Landscape research b e c o m e s more and more important, as global warming, climatic change, globalization, freak weather and natural catastrophes lead to a raised awareness of the problematic interaction of man and nature. So far archaeologists only play a minor role in this development, although they could present valid Statements. If one looks at landscape in
its totality as an artefact, archaeological methodology proofs ideal to develop further landscape research, as it was devised to study and interpret the material testimonies of human activities. Thereby the present landscape is the all important starting point of every landscape study. Landscape research is per se interdisciplinary. In this cooperation the historic sciences must stress the four dimensional character of the landscape, i.e. its historic dimension and depth. This also implies the necessity to oppose stereotype notions of ideal "natural landscapes" and romantic "cultural landscapes" in recent landscape managementdevelopment , and to lobby for the individual character and diversity of historic landscapes. By this archaeology will also get involved in current debates and strengthen its social relevance. Therefore archaeologists should participate in these processes for the sake of the landscape as well as their own.